The Shinty Preview – Saturday 28 May 2011. | |
26 May 2011 There is a mixture of league and cup action on the shinty card on Saturday 28 May 2011. Balliemore Cup - Semi Final The first Balliemore Cup semi final takes place at Taynuilt where Lochaber meet Bute. The stakes are high with a place against Beauly or Caberfeidh in the final up for grabs. Both sides had contrasting fortunes against top division opposition in the Artemis Macaulay Cup last weekend. Lochaber boss Michael Delaney will look for a reaction from his side following their defeat to local rivals Kilmallie and whilst he remains without the injured Neil MacDonald, he will have his son Ben Delaney to call upon and the youngster has already rattled up 16 goals this season. Bute have been in great form this season. They have a 100% record in Marine Harvest North Division 1 and they beat Inveraray at the Winterton in the Artemis Macaulay Cup last week. Robert Walker remains their main goal threat. Robert Baxter is the match referee Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup - Quarter Final Holders Lovat head for Portree to play Skye Camanachd. The sides met at Balgate on league duty a fortnight ago with Lovat running out 3-2 winners thanks to a late goal from Graeme MacMillan. This tie throws up at 3pm and there will be live match commentary of the whole game on local radio station Cuillin FM which can be picked up world-wide at www.cuillinfm.co.uk The winners of the clash between Skye Camanachd and Lovat will face a semi final meeting with whoever comes out on top in the tie between Aberdeen University and Kingussie. The Students boss Terry Steadings must be delighted with his side’s league form this season. They went down to Glenurquhart, who like Kingussie are a league above them, in the Strathdearn Cup last week and this will be another stiff test. Kingussie duo Kevin Thain and Martin Dallas have both featured heavily amongst the goals this season. Last season’s runners up Glenurquhart should be too strong for Tayforth at Blairbeg. The Glen were runners up in this competition last season and they have also made it into the Strathdearn Cup quarter finals. Kyles Athletic and Lochaber clash at Tighnabruaich for a semi final place against either Glenurquhart or Tayforth. Artemis Macaulay Cup - First Round The final Artemis Macaulay Cup first round tie sees Kilmory host Oban Camanachd. The visitors will start as favourites for this one, especially if they can come to terms with their opponents’ tight pitch. Aidan MacIntyre has scored 7 goals in his last three outings this season for Diarmid MacMillan’s side. Kilmory boss Alistair MacArthur will be without top marksman Hal Jones who suffered a second facial knock of the season. Strathdearn Cup - Second Round The final tie in the Strathdearn Cup sees Fort William and Kinlochshiel meet at An Aird where the prize is a second round tie against at home to 2010 runners up Lovat. Victor Smith’s side went out of the Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup to a west coast side when they lost to Skye Camanachd in Portree so they will be keen to avoid a similar outcome against Colin Fraser’s Kinlochshiel team. Fort William will be without the suspended Mark Grant. Scottish Hydro Premier Division Kingussie host league leaders Kyles Athletic in the match of the day at the Dell. This will be another tough test for Kyles who have already visited An Aird, the Winterton and the Eilan where they collected five out of six points. The Kingussie management team of Stevie Borthwick and Russell Jones have major injury doubts over Iain Borthwick, Louis Munro and Ally MacLeod. Kyles also have problems with Donald Irvine and Peter Currie likely to miss out and Andrew King suspended. A win for the visitors will make them hot favourites for the title whilst a home triumph will blow the title race wide open. This match has a 3pm throw up. Kilmallie take on Lovat at the Canal Parks. With Glenorchy looking doomed to an immediate return to Marine Harvest South Division 1, the battle is on to avoid the second relegation spot. Only a single point separates second bottom Kilmallie, Inveraray, Lovat, Oban Camanachd and Fort William so the meeting between Kilmallie and Lovat is a real four pointer. Lovat, who will be on a high following last week’s win over Fort William, will still be without the injured Drew Howie whilst Lorne MacKay and Euan Ferguson are also injury doubts although Martin Mainland may return from injury. Jamie Matheson’s goal scoring appearance last week following his switch from Inverness will likely mean he retains his place in the forward line. This match throws up at 3pm. Inveraray meet Fort William at the Winterton. Both sides suffered surprise Artemis Macaulay Cup exits last weekend – Inveraray to Bute and Fort William to Lovat. Inveraray will be without the suspended Garry MacPherson. Gary Innes misses out again for Fort William and John MacDonald could also be an absentee. Fort manager Peter McIntyre has been raving about the performances of young defender Steven Stewart. This is the third 3pm throw up in this division. Glenorchy face a tough challenge when Newtonmore visit Dalmally. Newtonmore know they must win this game to sustain their title challenge. Marine Harvest North Division 1 League leaders Kinlochshiel welcome Inverness to Kirkton. ‘Shiel will have Scottish international Finlay MacRae back in their line-up after he missed the defeats against Caberfeidh and Newtonmore. Manager Johnston Gill gave youngster Oliver MacRae a debut against Newtonmore last week and he may have earned himself another place on the bench. Caberfeidh and Skye Camanachd meet at Castle Leod. Cabers’ boss Robbie Taylor will find his side in confident mood following their Balliemore Cup win over Kinlochshiel last weekend. Skye manager Aonghas MacDonald remains without the injured Jamie MacDonald, Darryl Macintosh and Danny Morrison. This game has a 3pm throw up. Beauly and Strathglass meet at Braeview Park. The sides met on league duty at Cannich last weekend when doubles from Jack MacDonald and Jamie MacLennan helped Beauly to a 6-1 win. Marine Harvest South Division 1 Second meets third in the top game in this division as Glasgow Mid Argyll and Lochside Rovers clash at Yoker. Glasgow Mid Argyll will be missing Ben Simmister due to suspension. Ballachulish hold a three point lead over Oban Celtic in the league and the sides meet at Jubilee Park. Ballachulish captain Darren Sutherland is nearing a return from injury whilst the visitors will be without suspended forward David Duffy. This match has a 3pm throw up. Marine Harvest North Division 2 Glengarry can draw level with leaders Newtonmore at the top of the table if they win their game in hand against bottom side Kilmallie at the Canal Parks. This is the only match in this division and it has a 12 noon throw up. Marine Harvest South Division 2 League leaders Strachur are at home to Glasgow Mid Argyll. Strachur have the chance to increase their three point lead at the top of the table as second place Tayforth are not in action. There is also a noon meeting between third bottom Ballachulish and third top Bute at Jubilee Park. Aberdour are at home to Col Glen. Marine Harvest North Division 3 Ardnamurchan head for Farr to play Boleskine. An Iain Grant hat-trick helped second place Boleskine to an 8-3 win when the sides met earlier in the season. There is a 12 noon throw up at Castle Leod for the match between Caberfeidh and Inverness. Lochbroom and Beauly meet in Ullapool. The sides are third equal in the table although Beauly have a game in hand. Lewis Camanachd welcome Lochcarron to Shawbost in Lewis. Lewis have Kenny Mould back in their squad however it will be a young Islanders side which takes the field as Eoghan Stewart is injured and Stuart Campbell, Sean MacLeod and Calum Stamper are all unavailable. Lochcarron will hope to have the experienced Gregor Cushnie back in their forward line whilst U14 players Nick Dalgety and Robin Smith have been catching the eye of late. |