The Shinty Preview. | |
09 April 2009 The Marine Harvest National Premier League and both the Balliemore Cup and Sutherland Cup take centre stage on Saturday 11 April 2009. In the top division, leaders Reigning champions Kingussie head for Drum na Drochit to take on the other newly promoted side, Glenurquhart. Russell Dallas will be back for the Kings after injury. The Glen have a win and a draw from their last two outings whilst the Kings have made an inconsistent start to the season. Much will depend on whether Glenurquhart can limit the supply to Ronald Ross. However a large home crowd will cheer on their heroes and this is exactly the type of game that the Glen fought so hard to win promotion to play in. After an aborted trip to Second placed Oban Camanachd travel to Newtonmore host Kyles Athletic at the Eilan. The home side will be wary of the Tigh na Bruach outfit who already have a Badenoch victory - against Kingussie at the Dell - to their name already this season. More have been boosted by the return of strikers Glen MacKintosh and David Cheyne and both scored last weekend. Manager Norman MacArthur’s main concerns could be in defence as the influential Danny MacRae has a knee injury whilst Norman Campbell has had a back problem. However his side will know that this is the type of two points they need to secure if they have aspirations of being champions. Skye Camanachd start the defence of the Balliemore Cup with a trip to Battery Park to face neighbours Lochcarron. Skye sit top of Marine Harvest North Division 1 after their opening three games although they were given a lesson in finishing in their only cup outing this season against Strathglass return to Tayforth make the long trip north to face Kinlochshiel at Kirkton – a journey only slightly shorter than the one they made to Portree last season. Shiel performed well against Kingussie in the MacTavish Cup last weekend and they will start as favourites. Caberfeidh take on Oban Celtic at Castle Leod. Both sides have made a slow start to the season but home advantage could prove vital. Marine Harvest North Division 1 rivals Kilmallie and Beauly meet at Ballachulish host Kilmory in an all south clash. Both sides met last weekend in Marine Harvest South Division won. Kilmory had home advantage then and ran out 2-1 winners. However there were also fireworks at the match with Kilmory’s Alastair MacArthur and Ballachullish’s David Grant both sent off. Both players will miss the cup match and referee Euan Pearson will be watching that no feuds spill into this match. The Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup throws up an interesting North v South clash in Oban between Lochside Rovers and Kingussie. The Kings have made a great start to the league season, winning all four league matches. Lochside currently top Marine Harvest South Division 1 with two wins from two games. Skye Camanachd host Lovat at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree. The sides met at the same venue a couple of weeks with Lovat running out 5-3 winners. Lovat have made the stronger start to the league but Skye will be boosted by last week’s win at Caberfeidh. Bute make the long journey to face an in form Glengarry and Lochaber have a derby clash at Invergarry. The home side have the advantage of being in a higher league but Lochaber have won their last two league matches 4-0 – both away from home. Lochbroom head for Boleskine face Newtonmore at Farr. More might be in a higher league but they have started the season with three straight defeats. Boleskine secured their first win of the season last weekend at Lochcarron are another side making a long journey as they travel to Glenorchy hoping to continue their good start to the season. Beauly have their work cut out against a Glenurquhart side who have made a mightily impressive start to the season after their promotion to Marine Harvest North Division 2. Beauly sit in the lower half of Marine Harvest North Division 3. Strathglass host Taynuilt in what should be an even match. Kinlochshiel host the SCOTS at Kirkton in what will be the first competitive outing for the army side – who are based in the south of Kilmallie will look to get over the disappointment of last week’s heavy defeat at Drum na Drochit when they travel to Inveraray. This game also has a 12 noon start. Marine Harvest North Division 3 side Kincraig are at home to Marine Harvest South Division 2 side Strachur. Col Glen, fresh from last week’s 8-0 win over Glasgow Mid Argyll, host Kyles Athletic. Col Glen’s veteran forward Ronnie MacVicar will likely be their main goal threat. |