The Shinty Preview. | |
05 June 2009 The Camanachd Cup takes centre stage on Saturday 6 June 2009. There will be two all National Premier League meetings and two encounters where the top flight plays Marine Harvest National Division 1. Camanachd Cup holders Last year’s runners up Kingussie host North Division 1 Lovat at Balgate. Kingussie were too strong for North Division 1 side Kilmallie in last week’s MacPhee & Partners MacAulay Cup tie and Lovat will face similar difficulties to their league opponents. Ronald Ross will again be the danger-man but there are goal scorers in the Lovat forward line who could trouble the King’s defence. The Kings struggled to eventually beat Lovat 7-4 in this season’s MacTavish Cup so they should not be caught out by any element of surprise. There is an all-National Premier League clash between south rivals There tie between Oban Camanachd and Kyles Athletic at Mossfield will not go ahead because of a recent swine flu fears. Glenurquhart have the chance to continue their recent good form when they play Lochaber at Blairbeg in the National Premier League. A couple of recent league wins has left the Glen in the lofty position of second place. They also won the corresponding tie at Bottom club Glenorchy have found it difficult to field a consistent side this season and their tally of 2 points from 7 games will already be causing concern down Dalmally way. Newtonmore have not played a league match since 18 April 2009 and they will be desperate to pick up points. In Marine Harvest North Division 1, leaders Skye Camanachd will want to quickly recover from last weekend’s home defeat to Caberfeidh when they host Lochcarron play what is remarkably only their second league game of the season when they host Strathglass at Battery Park. They were without several key players for last week’s Balliemore Cup defeat to Lovat including Kenny Ross, Ross Matheson, Andrew Slaughter and John Martin Philips. Manager Alasdair MacKenzie will hope to have most of these players back for Saturday’s clash. Strathglass remain 7 points of the top of the table but they do have 4 games in hand. Second place Kilmallie will be put to the test when they host a Beauly side which seems to be returning to full strength over the last couple of weeks. Kilmallie will look take advantage of Skye’s slip up last week as the race for promotion hots up. They trail Skye by 3 points but, having only played 5 games, they have 3 games in hand on the leaders. However Beauly, who have also played 5 matches, have 5 points but they know that a win will take them to within a point of Saturday’s opponents. The bottom 2 clubs meet in Marine Harvest South Division 1 as Kilmory make the long trip to Ballachulish head for Oban to play Oban Celtic and the sides drew 2-2 at Marine Harvest North Division 3 side Beauly face the most difficult challenge in the Strathdearn Cup quarter finals when they host Fort William, who currently sit in second place in Marine Harvest North Division 2. The Beauly defence will need to be on their guard against the Fort’s veteran forward Victor Smith who has been in prolific scoring form of late. Kingussie host Glengarry at the Dell and the Kings came out narrowly on top in an earlier league meeting between the sides at Invergarry. This match throws up at 12 noon. There is an all Marine Harvest National Division 2 cup tie as third placed Lovat host sixth placed Kilmallie at Balgate. Kilmallie had a 2-0 win when the sides met at Canal Parks earlier in the season. Marine Harvest North Division 3 side Lochcarron host Newtonmore at Battery Park. The west coast side have been in good cup form this season. Marine Harvest South Division 2 side Kyles Athletic match against Inveraray at Tigh na Bruach has also been called off. Glenorchy will find it difficult when they take on Taynuilt at Dalmally and this match also throws up at 12 noon. Marine Harvest North Division 2, leaders Glenurquhart can do no wrong at the moment and Kinlochshiel are the latest side to try and halt their impressive form in 2009. This is the only match to be played in the division this weekend and has a 12 noon throw up. There is also only one match in Marine Harvest South Division 2, Glasgow Mid Argyll make the trip up the A82 to play bottom side Ballachulish. Marine Harvest North Division 3, the match between leaders Second place Lochbroom are at home to a Lochaber side which rattled up 13 goals last week. Ardnamurchan are on the road again as they travel to Cannich to play Strathglass. The west coast side have had a run of away fixtures lately and will be looking forward to some home matches in the weeks ahead. The match between |