The Shinty Preview – Saturday 2 July 2011. | |
01 July 2011 The Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup quarter finals are the main even on the shinty calendar on Saturday 2 July 2011. Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup – Quarter Finals Bute v Kingussie Kingussie head for Rothesay in the hope of avoiding a potential banana skin against Marine Harvest South Division 1 runaway leaders Bute. The Islanders have a 100% record in the league this season and their confidence is such that it took extra-time for Kyles Athletic to get past them in the Artemis Macaulay Cup. Kingussie managers Stevie Borthwick and Russell Jones don’t have their problems to seek for this one. Thomas Borthwick, Ryan Borthwick and Martin Dallas are on holiday and unlikely to be back in time. Ally MacLeod continues to be hampered by the recurrence of a hamstring problem but he will be given every chance to prove his fitness and he could make it. However Louis Munro is out for the rest of the season with a broken collar-bone. Garry Munro is suspended and James Hutcheson is working but Craig Dawson will likely return. Kevin Thain will retain his place in the side after scoring a hat-trick in the 8-0 victory over Kilmallie last week. Last year’s captain Barry Dallas came off the bench to also score three in that one and he will also be included to help with the player absences as will Ricky Grant and James Maclean. Inveraray v Kyles Athletic The only all-south tie of the round is an attractive clash between Inveraray and Glasgow Celtic Society Cup winners Kyles Athletic at the Winterton. The sides have met twice already this season with Kyles winning both times. Inveraray had Kyles watched in the Glasgow Celtic Society Cup Final against Oban Camanachd last weekend so they will be well prepared for this one. Kyles will be without Donald Irvine who was controversially ordered off near the end of last week’s final. This tie has a 3pm throw up. Kilmallie v Lovat Kilmallie have the chance to bounce back from last week’s 8-0 defeat to Kingussie when they welcome Lovat to the Canal Parks. Kilmallie’s Martin Graham missed that game as he picked up a knee injury playing football and he could be out for the rest of the season. There is a doubt over Ross Lavin’s availability as he is to attend a wedding but Euan Stoddart should return after work commitments ruled him out of Kilmallie’s last couple of games. Lovat also lost to Badenoch opposition last week, going down 6-2 to Newtonmore. Lovat will be without forward Jamie Matheson who is cup-tied having played for Inverness in the opening round of the competition. Fraser Gallacher could also be missing as he also has a wedding to attend. Kinlochshiel v Newtonmore A large crowd is expected at Kirkton for the meeting between Kinlochshiel and Newtonmore. It took a Ronald Ross goal in the last minute of extra time to separate Kinlochshiel and Kingussie in their Co-operative MacTavish Cup tie at the Dell earlier in the season and whilst ‘Shiel lost 5-0 to Newtonmore at the Eilan in the Artemis Macaulay Cup, the opening two goals were own goals and the west coast side felt they did not give a fair account of themselves that day. Johnston Gill will be pleased to have keeper Graham Kennedy back against Skye Camanachd last weekend following a groin problem. Whilst Iain Cameron proved to be an able deputy, ‘Shiel would prefer to be at full strength for this one. Danny MacRae missed out for Newtonmore last weekend because of injury and although he will be given every chance to prove his fitness, he is a doubt for this clash. Scottish Hydro Premier Division Glenorchy v Fort William Glenorchy face a tough challenge when Fort William visit Dalmally. The Fort only have the league to play for this season so they will be desperate not to drop any silly points whilst the home side has lost all ten of their league matches this season. Fort William manager Peter McIntyre will make a late decision on Gary Innes as he had an operation on Thursday to repair a lingering problem from the broken nose he sustained when he captained Scotland against Ireland in the Shinty / Hurling international at Croke Park last October. John MacDonald is suspended whilst defenders Liam McIntyre and Duncan Rodger will also miss out. Glenorchy’s last league outing was a 9-0 defeat to Fort William at An Aird. Glenurquhart v Oban Camanachd The match between Glenurquhart and Oban Camanachd has been switched to Blairbeg as Mossfield was unavailable. The Oban side will look to put the disappointment of last weekend’s Glasgow Celtic Society Cup Final defeat behind them and they only trail the Glen by two points in the league but have two games in hand. The Glen will still be without Eddie Tembo and David Girvan but Andrew Corrigan and Ruaraidh Cameron should return for Jim, Barr’s men. Throw up is at the later time of 5pm. Marine Harvest North Division 1 Caberfeidh v Inverness It is third bottom versus third top as Inverness look to bounce back from losing ten goals against Beauly last weekend. However they face a difficult match against Balliemore Cup finalist Caberfeidh at Castle Leod. Inverness will be without the suspended Davie Glass but David Higham could return. Lochaber v Strathglass Lochaber return to league action after a long absence when they play bottom side Strathglass at Spean Bridge. It has been an incredible 9 weeks since Lochaber last played in the league when they lost 3-2 to leaders Kinlochshiel at Kirkton. The lack of league action has left the red and white hoops in the unfamiliar position of second bottom place in the league. This is a fourth consecutive away fixture for the Strathglass after three trips to the west coast to play Kinlochshiel, Skye Camanachd and Lochcarron all ended in defeat. Throw up is at 3pm. Skye Camanachd v Lochcarron Skye Camanachd have their second local derby in successive Saturdays when Lochcarron visit Pairc nan Laoch, Portree. The visitors leap-frogged the Islanders to go into fourth place with their win over Strathglass last weekend whilst Skye lost at Kinlochshiel. Both sides have been hampered by player unavailability this season and this clash will be keenly contested as ever. Marine Harvest South Division 1 Glasgow Mid Argyll v Kilmory Glasgow Mid Argyll take on Kilmory at Yoker. The home side can close the gap on leaders Bute if they take both points although they will have played a game more. A Craig Anderson hat-trick helped Mid Argyll to a 4-1 win when the sides met in league action in May. Throw up is at 3pm. Ballachulish v Kyles Athletic The Kyles Athletic second team head for Jubilee Park to play Ballachulish. The home side will be without former Fort William player Mark Lawrie who was sent off against Taynuilt last weekend but Grant MacKenzie may return. A Roddy MacColl hat-trick gave Kyles a 3-1 win when the sides met at the end of March. Lochside Rovers v Taynuilt Lochside Rovers meet Taynuilt in Oban. Third place Lochside lead their opponents by a point but fourth place Taynuilt have a game in hand. Taynuilt will be without the suspended Willie Gillies. Aberdour v Oban Celtic Aberdour and Oban Celtic meet in Fife. The sides occupy the bottom two places in the league so both will see this game as an opportunity to grab two much needed points. Throw up is at 3pm. Marine Harvest North Division 2 Newtonmore v Kilmallie The match between Newtonmore and Kilmallie will take place at the Eilan on Friday 1 July 2011. Throw up is at 7.30pm. This is Kilmallie’s second successive Friday night outing after they picked up a credible point following a 3-3 draw with Kingussie at the Dell last Friday. Fort William v Skye Camanachd Fort William and Skye Camanachd meet for the third time this season. Both games were in Portree with The Fort winning in Portree but Skye Camanachd triumphed in the Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup at the same venue. Glenurquhart v Kingussie Glenurquhart meet Kingussie at Blairbeg. Both sides have lost players because of first team unavailability this season and Kingussie look to be particularly badly his with several absences including Kevin Thain who will be on Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup duty in Bute. Lochaber v Lovat There is a 12 noon throw up at Spean Bridge where Lochaber host Lovat. Lovat will be able to call on the services of Jamie Matheson as he is cup-tied for the first team’s Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup tie against Kilmallie. Marine Harvest South Division 2 Inveraray v Bute There is a 12 noon clash between Inveraray and league Bute at the Winterton. An Ally Carmichael goal gave Bute a narrow 2-1 win when the sides met in the corresponding fixture earlier in the season. Glasgow Mid Argyll v Ballachulish There is also a noon meeting between Glasgow Mid Argyll and Ballachulish at Yoker. Ballachulish are a point behind their rivals in the league but they have a couple of games in hand. Aberdour v Tayforth The third noon match in this division takes place in Fife where basement side Aberdour meet second top Tayforth. The visitors have the chance to close the gap at the top of the table as leaders Strachur are not in action. Marine Harvest North Division 3 Lewis Camanachd v Aberdeen University League leaders Aberdeen University will be favourites to maintain their 100% record when they play Lewis Camanachd in Ullapool. This match has a 1.30pm throw up. Boleskine v Beauly There should be an interesting tussle between second place Boleskine and third place Beauly at Farr. The home side has a two point lead over their rivals although Beauly have two games in hand. Inverness v Lochbroom Inverness and Lochbroom meet at the Bught Park. Both sides suffered heavy defeats last weekend with Inverness losing 9-1 to Caberfeidh and Lochbroom going down 7-0 to Aberdeen University. Lochcarron v Ardnamurchan Lochcarron have home advantage against Ardnamurchan at Battery Park. Four goals from Gregor Cushnie helped Lochcarron to a 5-0 win early in the season. Strathglass v Caberfeidh Strathglass have had team raising difficulties in recent weeks and they are scheduled to play Caberfeidh in Cannich. |