The league reconstruction proposal ahead of the start of the 2015 shinty season was approved at the Camanachd Association AGM in Fort William on Friday 28 November 2014.
The proposal required support in excess of 50% but it was overwhelmingly voted in by 28 votes in favour with just Lochcarron voting against.
The motion proposed the following league structure but it remains to be seen if it will be amended should some clubs object to their league placing:
- Orion Group Premiership – 10 teams
- Marine Harvest National Division – 8 teams
- Marine Harvest North Division 1 – 10 teams
- Marine Harvest South Division 1 – 8 teams
- Marine North Division 2 – 11 teams
- Marine Harvest South Division 2 – 7 teams
Promotion and relegation between the Orion Group Premiership and the Marine Harvest National Division would be one down - one up automatically with the introduction of play-offs between the ninth placed top division team and second place from the league below.
Teams have been placed in proposed leagues for the 2015 shinty season, based on their final position at the end of the 2014 season as follows:
Orion Group Premiership (10)
Newtonmore
Lovat
Glenurquhart
Kyles Athletic
Kingussie
Inveraray
Kinlochshiel
Lochaber
Fort William
Oban Camanachd
Marine Harvest National Division (8)
Kilmallie
Beauly
Caberfeidh
Glasgow Mid Argyll
Glenorchy
Bute
Skye Camanachd
Ballachulish
Marine Harvest North Division 1 (10)
Newtonmore (2)
Strathglass
Glenurquhart (2)
Beauly (2)
Kingussie (2)
Lovat (2)
Fort William (2)
Inverness
Glengarry
Lochcarron
Marine Harvest South Division 1 (8)
Kyles Athletic (2)
Oban Celtic
Aberdour
Lochside Rovers
Strachur
Taynuilt
Kilmory
Inveraray (2)
Marine Harvest North Division 2 (11)
Lochaber (2)
Kinlochshiel (2)
Boleskine
Skye Camanachd (2)
Aberdeen University
Caberfeidh (2)
Kilmallie (2)
Lewis Camanachd
Strathspey Camanachd
Lochbroom
Inverness (2)
Marine Harvest South Division 2 (7)
Tayforth
Glasgow Mid Argyll (2)
Col Glen
Bute (2)
Ballachulish (2)
Glenorchy (2)
Aberdour (2)
Orion Group Premiership (10 teams – 18 league fixtures, min 3 cup, max 12 cup – Min 21 fixtures, Max 30 fixtures)
Marine Harvest National Division (8 teams – 14 league fixtures, min 3 cup, max 12 cup – Min 17 fixtures, Max 26 fixtures)
Marine Harvest North Division 1 (10 teams – 18 league fixtures, min 3 cup, max 12 cup – Min 21 fixtures, Max 30 fixtures)
Marine Harvest South Division 1 (8 teams – 14 league fixtures, min 3 cup, max 12 cup – Min 17 fixtures, Max 26 fixtures)
Marine Harvest North Division 2 (11 teams – 20 league fixtures, min 2 cup, max 9 cup – Min 22 fixtures, Max 29 fixtures)
Marine Harvest South Division 2 (7 teams – 12 league fixtures, min 2 cup, max 9 cup – Min 14 fixtures, Max 21 fixtures)
Cup Competitions - Eligibility
Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup – All Orion Group Premiership, Marine Harvest National Division & all first teams in Marine Harvest North Division 1 or Marine Harvest South Division 1 (27 Teams eligible to compete & Orion Group Premiership sides enter at last 16 stage)
Artemis Macaulay Cup - Top 8 North teams & Top 8 South teams (16 teams)
RBS MacTavish Cup - All Orion Group Premiership, Marine Harvest National Division (North) and first teams in Marine Harvest North Division 1 (15 teams)
AJG Parcels Glasgow Celtic Society Cup - All Orion Group Premiership, Marine Harvest National Division (South) & first teams in Marine Harvest South Division 1 (12 teams)
Balliemore Cup – All teams in Marine Harvest National Division & first teams in Marine Harvest North Division 1 and Marine Harvest South Division 1 (17 teams)
Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup – Second teams in Marine Harvest North Division 1 and Marine Harvest South Division 1 & all teams in Marine Harvest North Division 2 and Marine Harvest South Division 2 & any affiliated non-league club. (minimum 27 teams)
Strathdearn Cup - 2nd teams in North & all teams in North Div 2 & any affiliated North based non-league club. (minimum 17 teams)
Bullough Cup – Second teams in Marine Harvest South Division 1 & all teams in Marine Harvest South Division 2 & any affiliated South based non-league club. (minimum 10 teams)
Promotion / Relegation
Orion Group Premiership / Marine Harvest National Division
- There will be potential for two teams to be relegated from the Orion Group Premiership and it is guaranteed that one team shall be relegated.
- The lowest team in the Orion Group Premiership will be automatically replaced by the winner of the Marine Harvest National Division.
- In addition, the ninth placed team in the Orion Group Premiership will play-off with the second placed team in the Marine Harvest National Division in one game at a neutral venue to decide who will play in the Orion Group Premiership the following season.
- The objective is to ensure late season games in both the Orion Group Premier and the National remain meaningful but at the same time to ensure promoted teams are fit for the higher league.
Marine Harvest National Division / Marine Harvest North & South Divisions 1
- There is provision for one team to be relegated / promoted.
- A first team winning either Marine Harvest North Division 1 or Marine Harvest South Division 1 is eligible to be promoted to the Marine Harvest National Division and if only one team is eligible, this will happen automatically.
- In the event of both a North & South first team winning their league, a one game play-off at a neutral venue will decide who is promoted.
- A team relegated from the Marine Harvest National Division will go into their area league.
- Second teams are not eligible to play in the Marine Harvest National Division.
Marine Harvest North & South Divisions 1 & 2
- There will be potential for two teams to be relegated from both Marine Harvest North & South Divisions 1 and it is guaranteed that one team shall be relegated.
- The lowest team in both Marine Harvest North & South Divisions 1 will be automatically replaced by the winners of the Marine Harvest North & South Divisions 2 respectively.
- In addition, the second last placed teams in Marine Harvest North & South Divisions 1 will play-off with the runners-up in Marine Harvest North & South Divisions 2 respectively to decide who will play in Marine Harvest North & South Divisions 1 the following season. The play-offs will be over one game at neutral venues.
NOTES
- The 11 team Marine Harvest North Division 2 is viable on the assumption that the teams involved will in all probability play fewer cup ties than those in other leagues. Secondly, games which are defaulted by team raising difficulties are not replayed in this league.
- This proposal does away with having a league of 5/6 teams as has happened at different levels in recent seasons and the unsatisfactory prospect of playing a third round of fixtures.
- This set up allows teams to play at the standard they are comfortable with and maximises the league games available during the season.
- It is proposed that there will be a “Plate Competition” for the Bullough Cup to reflect the low numbers of participants eligible for that competition and the lower number of league games programmed for Marine Harvest South Division 2.