The Shinty Preview – Saturday 26 May 2012. | |
25 May 2012 The three remaining Balliemore Cup quarter final ties and shinty’s first Orion Group Premiership Derby Day take place on Saturday 26 May 2012.
Balliemore Cup – Quarter Finals Oban Camanachd v Lochaber The tie of the round is the meeting between Oban Camanachd and Lochaber at Mossfield. Oban Camanachd have injury and suspension problems with Gary Lord out with a foot injury and James MacMillan, Craig MacMillan and Alan MacGregor all banned. Lochaber should be along usual lines. Both sides have had success in the cups this season which has meant they have both played only 5 league fixtures – fewer than any other teams across the five divisions. Skye Camanachd v Glasgow Mid Argyll Glasgow Mid Argyll make the long journey north to play Skye Camanachd at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree. The Glasgow side will travel part of the journey on the Friday evening to aid their preparation. Shaun Hedley returns for Skye Camanachd but Allan MacLeod and Iain Morrison are unavailable whilst Gilleasbuig MacDonald remains on the injury list. Throw up is at the earlier time of 1.30pm. Beauly v Inverness Beauly play Inverness at Braeview Park. Beauly co-managers Stephen MacLean and Iain Morrison will be without the injured Kenneth MacKenzie and Martin MacFadyen is also likely to miss out. The Capital side lost out to Skye Camanachd last weekend but they had several absentees including Somhairle MacDonald, David Glass, Connor Golabeck and David Wylde. Co-managers Steve Munro and James MacDougall will hope to have most of their missing players back although David Wylde is still working off-shore. Both sides will fancy their chances against Kilmory, who are already through to the semi-finals, so this will be a keenly contested affair.
Orion Group Premiership – Derby Day Kingussie v Newtonmore The first Badenoch derby of the season takes place at the Dell where Kingussie host near-neighbours Newtonmore. Lee Bain missed Kingussie’s defeat to Lochaber last weekend but he should return for the meeting with the league leaders. Paul Gow and Martin Dallas both made substitute appearances following injury in the defeat at Lochaber last weekend. Fraser Munro is available but he will miss next week’s Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup trip to Kirkton to play Kinlochshiel through suspension. Danny MacRae is missing with a knee injury for Newtonmore whilst Chris Sellar is suspended. Throw up is at the later time of 4.15pm and the whole match will be shown live on BBA Alba – Sky channel 168. Lovat v Glenurquhart Local rivalries will be renewed at Balgate where Lovat play Glenurquhart. Lovat should have full squad to choose although Duncan Davidson will face a late injury test. Scottish international Andrew Corrigan is out injured for the visitors with a broken toe whilst Ruairidh Cameron may only be fit enough for a place on the bench. Liam Girvan is another injury doubt for the Glen. This is the sides first meeting of the season. Kilmallie v Fort William Kilmallie and Fort William clash at the Canal Parks in the first of two consecutive meetings. Kilmallie will be without captain John Stewart who serves the second game of a two match suspension. Fort William are likely to be without Gary Innes because of commitments with his band Manran. Defender Steven Stewart serves a one match ban for a points accumulation. Duncan Rodger and Bryan Simpson can play for the Fort but they are both banned for the Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup tie between the sides at the same venue next weekend. Throw up is at 3pm Bute v Kyles Athletic Kyles Athletic cross the water to the Meadows to play Bute. This is only the Islanders third home league match of the season and following a draw with Kilmallie and a defeat to Kingussie; they go in search of their first home league win. Key defender Donald Irvine could make a return for Kyles after missing several games through work commitments. Inveraray v Kinlochshiel The one exception to the derby programme is the meeting between Inveraray and Kinlochshiel at the Winterton. The home side will go into the tie in confident mood after reaching the AJG Parcels Celtic Society Cup Final last weekend. ‘Shiel started with Finlay MacRae in attack against Kilmallie last weekend and he seems to be over his hamstring problems. His brother Keith MacRae picked up a hand injury in training this week but he will be given every chance to prove his fitness. However Gordie MacDonald misses out with a knee injury and Fraser MacVicar is also a longer-term absentee because of work commitments. Defender Calum MacLean suffered a broken nose in the win over Newtonmore game a fortnight ago. He missed last week’s win over Kilmallie but could return for this one. Throw up is at 3pm.
Marine Harvest North Division 1 Lochcarron v Caberfeidh Lochcarron have home advantage against Caberfeidh as the sides meet at Battery Park. The home side had a free week last Saturday and they hope to have Ben Dalgety back for this one. Cabers have climbed to third in the table after wins over Beauly and Strathglass and a win will take them level on points with second place Lochaber who are on Balliemore Cup duty. Marine Harvest South Division 1 Glenorchy v Oban Celtic Glenorchy and Oban Celtic meet at Dalmally. Glenorchy showed great fighting spirit against Beauly last weekend as they came from 2-0 down before eventually losing 3-2 after extra-time. Kenny Wotherspoon returns from suspension for Davy Hamilton’s Oban Celtic side. Scottish U17 international Gary McKerracher is also available for the visitors ahead of a one match ban which kicks-in next week. Strachur v Taynuilt Strachur meet Taynuilt at their new community pitch on the banks of Loch Fyne. Taynuilt trail fifth place Strachur by just one point in the table and they have two games in hand. Kilmory v Aberdour Kilmory have home advantage against Aberdour. Steven Gilmour and Hal Jones each scored double as Kilmory won the corresponding fixture 6-1 in Fife on the opening day of the shinty season.
Marine Harvest North Division 2 Newtonmore v Kingussie There is a reserve Badenoch derby between Newtonmore and Kingussie at the Eilan on Friday 25 May 2012. This match has been traditionally played on a Friday night in recent seasons and it is sure to attract a large crowd. David Campbell and Brett Munro are free of suspension for Newtonmore. With each side resting their main players for the following day’s clash at the Dell, several promising youngsters are likely to be on show. ‘Mores Neil Stewart and Kings’ Greg MacRae miss out through injury. Throw up is at 7pm. Fort William v Skye Camanachd Fort William play Skye Camanachd at the Black Parks. Fort William have been using veteran John MacLeod in attack in recent weeks. The visitors have a defensive crisis with the four defenders – Iain Grant, Jack Latton. Neil John Campbell and Allan MacLeod – who played in the win over Glengarry last weekend all unavailable. Kinlochshiel v Glengarry Fourth place Kinlochshiel and fifth place Glengarry meet for the third time this season. They have one cup win each so far. Colin MacDiarmid is suspended for the home side whilst Ewan Brady and Michael Brady serve bans for the visitors who will also be without the injured Steven Cameron. The sides met at the same venue a fortnight ago in the Strathdearn Cup. Kinlochshiel were 4-0 winners and two players from each side were red-carded. Skye referee John Angus Gillies is challenged with keeping the peace in this one. Glenurquhart v Lovat The Glenurquhart and Lovat reserve sides have a derby meeting at Blairbeg. Glenurquhart are still in both cups and have showed improved performances in recent weeks after a slow start. Lovat are second bottom of the league but they are still in the Strathdearn Cup. Lovat’s Jamie Matheson is an injury doubt with a hamstring injury.
Marine Harvest South Division 2 Kyles Athletic v Lochside Rovers League Leaders Lochside Rovers head for Tighnabruaich to play fourth place Kyles Athletic. The Oban side has won all eleven league fixtures so far this season but it took a Brian MacCallum goal three minutes from time to give them a 3-2 win when the sides met at Mossfield on the opening day of the shinty season. Aberdour v Tayforth Aberdour are at the foot of the table and they face a tough task when second place Tayforth visit Fife. Tayforth were 2-0 home winners when the sides met at the beginning of March. Ardnamurchan v Ballachulish Ardnamurchan play Ballachulish at Taynuilt. The visitors are level on points with second place Tayforth and are only behind on goal difference. Inveraray v Glasgow Mid Argyll Inveraray meet Glasgow Mid Argyll at the Winterton. A Lewis MacNicol double helped Inveraray to a 3-1 win in the sides’ previous league encounter. Throw up is at noon. Bute v Col Glen Bute and Col Glen meet in the first of two games at the Meadows. Col Glen won 3-1 at Glendaruel so Bute will be after revenge. Throw up is at noon.
Marine Harvest North Division 3 Lewis Camanachd v Beauly Lewis Camanachd welcome league leaders Beauly to Shawbost. The Islanders will be without former Skye Camanachd player Eoghan Stewart who is unavailable. Beauly will not be able to call on the serves of Martin Davidson who serves a two match ban following his sending off against Glenurquhart last week. Lochbroom v Boleskine Third place Lochbroom take on second Boleskine in Ullapool. This is potentially the top game in the division as the sides are level on 13 points and Boleskine only lead their rivals on goal difference but they also have a game in hand. Kilmallie v Inverness Kilmallie and Inverness have a noon clash at the Canal Parks. Kilmallie were unable to raise a team last week but they should have more options this weekend. Caberfeidh v Strathspey Camanachd Caberfeidh meet Strathspey Camanachd at Castle Leod. Both sides will go into this game on a high following their results last weekend. Caberfeidh put up a great battling performance in the Sutherland Cup against Marine Harvest North Division 2 leaders Newtonmore before eventually going down 2-1 thanks to an Evan Menzies goal 5 minutes from time. Strathspey Camanachd had an historic day as they recorded their first ever victory with a 2-1 win in Shawbost against Lewis Camanachd. Strathglass v Lochcarron Strathglass play Lochcarron at Cannich. This is the first time the sides have met in the league this season. |