The Shinty Preview – Saturday 14 August 2010. | |
13 August 2010 The attention turns to league action on Saturday 14 August 2010, with titles, promotions and relegation issues to be settled. Scottish Hydro Premier Division leaders Newtonmore welcome Bute to the Eilan. Norman MacArthur’s side has scored 50 goals in their 14 league matches this season making them top scorers. ‘More won 3-0 when the sides met in April with David Cheyne getting a double. Second place Fort William trail the leaders by 2 points but have 2 games in hand. Peter MacIntyre’s side will be hot favourites in the noon throw up against bottom side Glasgow Mid Argyll at An Aird. The Fort had a massive 14-0 win when the sides met at Yoker earlier in the season. Neil Robertson and Steven Stewart return from suspension for Fort William. Glenurquhart will hope to follow up last week’s win over Glasgow Mid Argyll when the play Inveraray at Blairbeg. The Glen are having some success playing Scottish international John Barr in a more advanced full centre role from where he scored in his last outings. Kingussie and Oban Camanachd meet at the Dell. The Kings suffered a title blow when they dropped a point to Lovat in their last league outing but they could still have a major say in the title destination with some big games coming up. Manager Stevie Borthwick will check Iain Borthwick’s fitness but he will be pleased that defender Ally MacLeod returned to the side last weekend. Oban Camanachd occupy second bottom spot in the table and they are 4 points adrift of next placed Bute with a game in hand. Lochaber lead Marine Harvest North Division 1 and they play a Skye Camanachd side ravished by injuries. Mike Delaney’s side will be out for revenge after going down 6-3 to the Islanders in Portree earlier in the season. Lochaber will be without Danny Delaney who has been dogged with a hamstring problem since the Balliemore Cup Final. Skye’s main problem this season has been a lack of consistency which has not been helped by an ever growing injury list. Defenders Jamie MacDonald, Allan MacLeod and Andrew Banks are just 3 of the absentees for this clash. There is a mouth-watering local derby at Battery Park where Lochcarron play Kinlochshiel. Murdo Fraser’s Lochcarron side has been the league’s most improved team this season. Shiel welcome buckshee back John Don MacKenzie back from suspension. Kilmallie and bottom side Strathglass met at Canal Parks. Kilmallie confirmed their place in the championship race with good win over Kinlochshiel last weekend. The Canal Parks side has an impressive strike force with John Stewart and Liam MacDonald both scoring 20 goals this season already. Strathglass, like Skye Camanachd, have been hampered by team raising difficulties this season. Beauly will battle it out with Inverness for the points at Braeview Park. The home side will miss the presence of full centre Connor Cormack who misses the rest of the season following a leg break in training. Beauly’s David Neilson will face his former club as will Inverness midfielder Sandy Tulloch. Marine Harvest South Division 1 champions Glenorchy will complete their league programme with a 100% record if they return from their match in Oban against Lochside Rovers with both points. This game throws up at noon. Oban Celtic await the visit of Taynuilt. The sides drew 2-2 earlier in the season but the home side will be determined to pick up both points from this one as they have designs on a second place finish. Inveraray and Ballachulish meet at the Winterton. Both sides are bottom of the table on 4 points but Ballachulish have 2 games in hand. However they will be aware that Inveraray have won their last 2 matches and they will likely have Russell MacKinlay in their side. Marine Harvest North Division 2 leaders Glengarry are not in action for the second successive week so second place Glenurquhart have the chance to close the lead at the top when the play Beauly in the noon throw up at Blairbeg. Skye Camanachd and Kilmallie clash at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree. Kilmallie were 2-1 winners when the sides met at Canal Parks a few weeks ago and their options have been increased now that their senior side has returned to full strength. Skye manager Davie MacVicar is in the opposite position with the Islander’s first team likely to raid his squad for players once again. Fort William and Kingussie have a reserve meeting at An Aird. Fort William will be pleased with Daniel Stewart’s return to the side after injury and the King’s will again rely on veteran hit-man Kevin Thain for their goal threat. The Kings have a one point lead over Fort William with both sides having played 13 games. This game has a 3pm throw up. Lovat return to the scene of their Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup success when they play Newtonmore at the Eilan. Lovat trail third place Newtonmore by 4 points but have 2 games in hand. This match throws up at noon. There is a derby at Rothesay in Marine Harvest South Division 2 where Bute and Kyles Athletic meet. The sides have had contrasting fortunes this season with Kyles topping the table whilst Bute are in bottom place. A Kyles’ win will clinch the championship and promotion to Marine Harvest South Division 1. Third place Tayforth take on second place Aberdour in Perth. This will be the home side’s last league game of the season so they will be keen to go out on a high. The match of the day in Marine Harvest North Division 3 is in Aberdeen where leaders Aberdeen University play second place Lochaber. The Students hold a 4 point lead over their rivals but significantly, Lochaber have 4 games in hand. Both teams are high scorers so there should be plenty goals. Strathglass make the short journey to the Bught Park to play Inverness. Lochcarron travel to Farr to play Boleskine. Lochcarron trail fifth place Boleskine by 2 points but have 2 games in hand. |