The Shinty Preview - Saturday 16 April 2011. | |
14 April 2011 There are some crucial matches in the Scottish Hydro Premier Division on Saturday 16 April 2011. Scottish Hydro Premier Division The match of the day in the Scottish Hydro Premier Division will surely be at the Eilan where a large crowd will be guaranteed for the clash between two of the title favourites, Newtonmore and Kyles Athletic. Newtonmore will be without international wing centre Paul MacArthur who is suspended following his sending off in the draw with Kingussie last weekend. Their boss Norman MacArthur will be well aware that his side has unexpectedly dropped three of their last four league points and maybe this is exactly the sort of challenge they need to get back on track. Kyles have taken ten out of ten points in the league this season and whilst they would have been expected to beat Glenorchy (twice) and Lovat, their wins at the Winterton against Inveraray and at An Aird against Fort William were impressive. Any meetings between these sides evoke memories of their epic battles in the 1970s and everyone will be hoping for another classic. Second place Kingussie travel to An Aird to play third place Fort William. The games between these sides are never for the feint-hearted and this should be no exception. Fort William could still be without Gordie MacKinnon who missed last week’s defeat to Kyles. Veteran John MacLeod was used in attack in that game and played well. Kingussie’s Ronald Ross is nearing a return to first team action but this is more likely to be in next weekend’s Co-operative MacTavish Cup quarter final tie against Kinlochshiel. Kingussie manager Steve Borthwick will do a late fitness check on Iain Borthwick who has a groin problem but he expects to still be without Ricky Grant. Oban Camanachd will look to halt a run of two successive home defeats when they play Glenorchy at Mossfield. After a good start in the league, Oban have suffered two consecutive home defeats but they start favourites in this one. If it wasn’t for bad luck then Glenorchy would have had no luck at all this season. They travelled to Balgate last weekend with a host of players missing for various reasons. Glenorchy hope to have some returning players this weekend but Alan McKechnie, Alex MacPherson and Finlay Ross are amongst those who won’t make it. There is a local derby with plenty at stake at Balgate when Lovat and Glenurquhart meet in the first of two encounters on consecutive Saturdays. Lovat had three defenders – James Grieve, Lorne MacKay and Drew Howie - missing from their win over Glenorchy last weekend. Mackay will return from suspension for the Glen game and Grieve is more likely to make a return from injury that Howie. Glenurquhart seem to be benefiting from the increasing influence of Scotland Head Coach Drew McNeil and they were impressive against Kilmallie last weekend. Glenurquhart will include former Lovat player Calum MacAulay and he stepped up to their first team last weekend and scored twice – his first goals for the Glen at senior level. Kilmallie and Inveraray meet at the Canal Parks. Kilmallie will have John Stewart back after fog in the western Isles left him stranded in Stornoway for the match against Glenurquhart. Fraser Massie should also return. However they will do fitness checks on defenders Peter Carmichael and Martin Stewart. Inveraray have problems of their own with Russell MacKinlay unlikely to travel and a doubt over play-maker Garry MacPherson. Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Preliminary Round The final Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup preliminary round tie takes place when Aberdour host Strathglass. The venue for this tie has been reversed after Cannich was ruled unplayable for the first game. Strathglass will still be without Scott Douglas who serves the second game of a two match ban. Defender Garry Reid should be fit though after suffering a head knock against Skye Camanachd last weekend. Lisa Norman’s Aberdour side have yet to pick up a point in Marine Harvest South Division 1 this season. However their three games played could hardly have been tougher as they have faced leaders Bute twice and second place Lochside Rovers so it would be unfair to judge them yet. Marine Harvest North Division 1 Marine Harvest North Division 1 league leaders Kinlochshiel face a difficult afternoon with a west coast local derby against Lochcarron at Battery Park. The sides drew 3-3 at the same venue last year. Both clubs had good Balliemore Cup wins after long journeys south last weekend. Lochcarron were without Dickie MacKenzie and Finlay Stark last weekend with the latter more likely to make this one. Kinlochshiel’s Fraser MacVicar didn’t travel south last weekend in the hope that rest would help his long-standing hamstring problems. This match throws up at the slightly later time of 3pm. Skye Camanachd play their first home match of the season and only their second league game when Lochaber visit Pairc nan Laoch, Portree. Skye manager Aonghas MacDonald was pleased to have defender AB Connor back in his squad last week after injury. Shockie MacLennan, Kerr Gibb and Martin Bruce are still ruled out through injury although defender John Moir returns after being unavailable for the opening weeks of the season. Michael Delaney’s Lochaber side have scored fifteen goals in their last two matches with Shaun Nicolson scoring five of these goals and Ben Delaney four of them. The Spean Bridge side has a particularly powerful centre line trio of Neil MacDonald, Andrew MacDonald and Hughie Innes. There should be another good clash at Braeview Park where Beauly play Caberfeidh. Neither side was in action last weekend whilst both have taken two points from their opening two league games. The sides drew 2-2 at the same venue in the league last season although a Marc McLaughlin double gave Beauly a 3-2 win when they met at Castle Leod. Marine Harvest South Division 1 Pace setters Bute head for Tighnabruaich to play the Kyles Athletic reserve side. Bute have scored 25 goals without reply in their three league games this season so Kyles could find the going tough in this one. Glasgow Mid Argyll and Taynuilt meet at Yoker. Both sides suffered Balliemore Cup defeats last weekend but whereas Taynuilt’s loss to Lochcarron was expected, Mid Argyll’s defeat at Ballachulish was more of a surprise. Both sides have four league points although Mid Argyll have played two matches less than their rivals. Ballachulish welcome Kilmory to Jubilee Park for what is always a lively encounter. Ballachulish boss Willie Sutherland will have been pleased with his side’s win over Glasgow Mid Argyll in the Balliemore Cup last weekend. Gary Young has been finding the net this season but captain Darren Sutherland could again miss out. There is an Oban derby with Oban Celtic hosting Lochside Rovers. Oban Celtic boss Davie Hamilton suffered a host off call-offs last weekend and was forced to concede his side’s Balliemore Cup first round tie against Caberfeidh at Castle Leod. This match should be the perfect tonic for his troops. Lochside Rovers have shown the better form in the league so far this season and they were boosted when Matt Rippon scored twice on his return to the side last week. Marine Harvest North Division 2 Marine Harvest North Division 2 league leaders Glengarry play Skye Camanachd at Craigard. The home side seem to be finding goals easy to come by this season with Steven Cameron, Matthew Clark and 15 year old Ewan Brady finding the net with regularity. Skye Camanachd manager Davie MacVicar is on holiday so assistant manager Murdo Morrison and coach Willie MacRae will look after the side. Keeper Jamie Gannon is missing but Ross Graham will be an able deputy. Kingussie play Fort William at the Dell. When Ronald Ross’ named was removed from the Kingussie “named ten” this week, there was plenty speculation that the Kings would take the opportunity to give him a run-out ahead of next weekend’s tricky Co-operative MacTavish Cup quarter final tie against Kinlochshiel. However the game’s top goalscorer will not be making an appearance in this game which might be a relief to Victor Smith’s young defence which includes teenage brothers Mark Grant and Cameron Grant and another teenager in Jamie Cruickshank. In form Glenurquhart take on Lovat in their reserve derby at Blairbeg. Glenurquhart are favourites having hit a bit of form of late whilst team raising difficulties have contributed to Lovat making a poor start to the season. There is another derby at Spean Bridge where Lochaber meet Kilmallie. The sides have had contrasting fortunes in the league this season. Newly promoted Lochaber have amassed four points from their five games so far and their boss Calum Cameron will be pleased with that. Kilmallie on the other hand have played some good shinty but as yet have no points to show for their efforts. Marine Harvest South Division 2 With Tayforth and Col Glen not in action, second place Strachur have the chance to top the table if they beat fourth place Bute. Both Inveraray and Glasgow Mid Argyll have two points apiece form their opening games and they meet at the Winterton. The bottom two sides in Marine Harvest North Division meet as Aberdour host Ballachulish. Marine Harvest North Division 3 Aberdeen University top the table and they put their 100% record to the test when they welcome Beauly. Second place Boleskine head for Ardnamurchan as they bid to keep pressure on the leaders. There is another early start with a noon throw up at Battery Park where third place Lochcarron play neighbours Lochbroom. Caberfeidh and Lewis Camanachd have a 12.30pm throw up at Castle Leod. Finally, in what seems like a day of derby matches, Strathglass and Inverness meet in Cannich. With the Inverness senior team not in action, they will likely take the opportunity to use some first team fringe players as they look to win their first point of the season. |