The Shinty Preview – Saturday 12 March 2011 | |
10 March 2011 The second week of the new shinty season throws up some exciting ties on Saturday 12 March 2011. Scottish Hydro Premier Division Reigning champions Newtonmore head for Balgate to play Lovat. It’s another away match for ‘More who were in devastating form against Inveraray last weekend. This is the second game in a Badenoch double-header for James Gallagher and John MacRitchie’s side as they lost 4-0 to Kingussie at the Dell last weekend. Glenurquhart and Inveraray meet at Blairbeg. The sides shared the points following a fiery 2-2 draw at the same venue last season. Both sides lost their opening games of the season. Glenorchy play their first home match since their return to the top flight when Fort William are the visitors. The Mart is a notoriously tight pitch and it will be interesting to see how Fort William cope with this. Kingussie face Kilmallie at the Dell in what is a repeat of the 2010 Co-operative MacTavish Cup Final. The Kings just edged that one but they won’t have Ronald Ross to rely on for this game. Kingussie will also check the fitness of Garry Munro who had to come off against Lovat last week with a shoulder injury. A couple of Kilmallie players have suffered from flu symptoms this week but they will hope to have everyone available as they look for their first points of the season. Oban Camanachd and Kyles Athletic meet at Mossfield. Both sides took maximum points from their opening day fixtures. Dunkie Herr and Thomas Whyte will provide the Kyles goal threat whilst Oban’s Daniel MacIntyre has also already made a goalscoring start to the season for new boss Diarmid MacMillan. Marine Harvest North Division 1 The league’s match of the day is the west coast derby meeting between Skye Camanachd and Kinlochshiel at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree. The sides each won on their opponents ground in the league last season and this game always attracts a big crowd. Skye will be without 17 year old defender Martin Bruce who suffered a broken hand in the defeat to Strathglass last weekend and Shockie MacLennan is also unavailable. Lochaber head for Castle Leod to play Caberfeidh. The Spean Bridge men, minus Scottish international Neil MacDonald, suffered a surprise defeat to Beauly last weekend. Cabers lost at Kirkton against Shiel so both teams will be keen to get off the mark. Strathglass and Lochcarron meet at Cannich. This is the second consecutive home match for Brian MacKay’s men and they will be keen to build on their victory over Skye Camanachd last weekend where buckshee back Scott Douglass was particularly influential. Lochcarron seemed to be heading for victory against Inverness at the Bught last Saturday until a James Cameron goal in injury time forced a share of the points. Lochcarron boss Murdo John Fraser wasn’t too disappointed to come away with a point though and he will be even happier if his side can repeat last season’s feat when they beat ‘Glass home and away. There is a derby match at Braeview Park where Inverness make the short trip to play Beauly. Inverness picked up a good point against Lochcarron last weekend whilst Beauly produced the shock result in the league with their win against Lochaber at Spean Bridge. Beauly midfielder Conor Cormack made a return from a leg-break in the second team last weekend so he will be in manager Stephen Murphy’s thoughts. Marine Harvest South Division 1 Glasgow Mid Argyll make their first league appearance of the season as they host Taynuilt at Yoker. Mid Argyll and Bute started the season as title favourites so the home side will be keen to impress. Fraser Ingles is standing in as Taynuilt manager at the moment. Bute will look to follow up last weekend’s win over Taynuilt when they host Lochside Rovers. Scottish international Hector Whitelaw bagged a hat-trick last week and he will form the Islanders’ main goal threat once again. Ballachulish and Aberdour meet at Jubilee Park. Former Skye Camanachd player Dougie Rankin was on the scoresheet when his home town team beat Taynuilt by the odd goal in seven last week. Kilmory head for Oban to play Oban Celtic. Both sides finished in the top half of the league last season but both lost last weekend. Tighnabruaich reserve side Kyles Athletic are not in action. Marine Harvest North Division 2 Fort William make the short trip to Invergarry to play Glengarry. This local derby should be a good match between two of the league’s top sides. Daniel Stewart and Michael Slezas have already been amongst the goals this season for Victor Smith’s men whilst Steven Cameron is always prominent for the home side. There is a local derby at Kirkton where the Kinlochshiel and Skye Camanachd reserve sides meet. The teams had contrasting fortunes last weekend with Shiel losing at Glengarry whilst Skye beat Glengarry. The sides drew 1-1 at the same venue last season. Lochaber welcome reigning champions Glenurquhart to Spean Bridge. The Glen have Lewis MacLennan in their second team ranks this season although they are missing Ewan Brady who has moved to Glengarry and Kelvin MacKenzie who is playing football for Inverness City. Lochaber were given a torrid time at the Eilan last weekend and the Glen game emphasises a tough start to the season for them. Newtonmore face Lovat at the Eilan. This is a second home match for ‘More after a David Wylde hat-trick helped them to victory over new boys Lochaber. Lovat had former first team full back Martin Bell in attack last weekend and he scored twice as his side went down to Kingussie. Kilmallie and Kingussie meet at Canal Parks. Kilmallie will try and bounce back from last week’s defeat on Skye and they will have to keep a close watch on veteran Kevin Thain who bagged 4 goals last weekend. Marine Harvest South Division 2 Strachur host Glasgow Mid Argyll. Both sides were top scorers last weekend with Strachur putting 5 goals past Ballachulish whilst Mid Argyll scored 11 times against Aberdour. Col Glen’s Preston Shuttleworth grabbed a hat-trick against Inveraray last weekend and he and his team-mates are at home to Islanders Bute. Inveraray head for Fife to play Aberdour. The home side will be desperate to put last weekend’s heavy defeat to Glasgow Mid Argyll behind them whilst the visitors also lost on the opening day of the season. Tayforth drew with Inveraray last week and they play Ballachulish, who are looking to recover from their defeat to Strachur, in Perth. Marine Harvest North Division 3 It’s a big year for Aberdeen University as shinty’s oldest constituted club celebrates their 150th anniversary. This weekend they host a Lochbroom side who secured both points by default last week as Ardnamurchan were unable to raise a team. The Students returned from Castle Leod with both points following an impressive win over the Caberfeidh second string. Former Skye Camanachd players Kieran Roberts, who captains the side, and Jamie Beaton and Kenny MacLeod will be key men for Aberdeen. Lewis Camanachd enjoyed a terrific boost from their performance against Beauly last weekend and their 2011 shinty adventure now takes them to Battery Park to play Lochcarron. The home side beat Strathglass last Saturday with veteran Gregor Cushnie grabbing a hat-trick. Caberfeidh head for the Bught Park to play Inverness with both sides looking for their first points of the season. Ardnamurchan will look to put last week’s team raising difficulties behind them when they host Beauly. Boleskine and Strathglass both lost last week and they meet at Farr. Ian Grant netted twice for Boleskine last weekend in their 2-0 win over Inverness. Former Skye Camanachd youth player Alex Latton has featured for the Cannich men this season. |