The Shinty Preview – Saturday 9 July 2011. | |
08 July 2011 There is Scottish Hydro Premier Division action as well as the Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup semi finals on the shinty calendar on Saturday 9 July 2011. Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup Semi Final Skye Camanachd v Kingussie Skye Camanachd and Kingussie meet at Craigard, Invergarry with a place in the Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup Final in Aberdeen on Saturday 30 July 2011 at stake. The teams respective league positions suggests that Kingussie go into this tie as favourites although their manager Norman Dickson will be well aware that Skye have saved their best performances for the cup competitions this season. Davie MacVicar’s young Skye side have injury doubts over Jordan Murchison and Will Cowie but Shaun Hedley should return. Kingussie will have Kevin Thain back in their line-up after a couple of outings with the first team where he was on target against both Bute and Kilmallie. Martin Dallas will also be back from holiday to join Thain in the attack. This tie will throw up at the slightly later time of 3pm to allow radio station Cuillin FM to broadcast the whole match live. Match commentary can also be heard on the internet at www.cuillinfm.co.uk Glenurquhart v Kyles Athletic Glenurquhart were Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup runners up last and they hope to go one better this year as they play Kyles Athletic at the Playing Field, Taynuilt. Glenurquhart beat Tayforth 3-0 in the quarter finals with Fraser Heath grabbing a brace. Roddy MacColl and Innes MacDonald also both scored twice as Kyles won their place in the last four with a 5-0 win over Lochaber. Scottish Hydro Premier Division Lovat v Kyles Athletic There will be much interest as to how Kyles Athletic react to the disappointment of their Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup exit to Inveraray last weekend. The Tighnabruaich men head for Balgate to play Lovat as they look to maintain their title push. Lovat should have Jamie Matheson back as he was cup-tied for last week’s Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup defeat at Kilmallie. Fraser Gallacher should also return to boost managers John MacRitche and James Gallacher’s options. Kyles will once again be without the services of Donald Irvine as he sits out the second game of a two match suspension. Newtonmore v Glenorchy Newtonmore should be too strong for bottom of the table Glenorchy at the Eilan. Danny MacRae was only fit enough for a place on the bench last week and ‘More manager Norman MacArthur will decide whether he should play some part in this one. MacArthur also has a decision to make regarding the goalkeeping spot as Sean MacQuarrie was preferred to Michael Ritchie last weekend following the regular number one’s two week holiday. One factor to take into account will be whether it is prudent to give Ritchie some game time with the Badenoch derby against Kingussie only a week away. Glenorchy will have taken heart from their performance against Fort William last Saturday when they went down 3-1. Indeed Glenorchy played the last half hour with only eleven players after goal scorer Sandy Leiper’s red card and he will sit this one out. This match has a 3pm throw up. Fort William v Inveraray There is a 3pm throw up at An Aird between Fort William and Inveraray. Fort William were under-strength for last week’s win at Glenorchy with Garry Innes, Liam MacIntyre and Duncan Rodger all missing out and boss Peter McIntyre will hope to have at least two of these players back. However John MacDonald missed last week’s game too and he is suspended. Inveraray will be brimming with confidence following last weekend’s convincing Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup victory over Kyles Athletic. However they could really do with the points too as they currently sit in the unfamiliar position of second bottom in the table. Kingussie v Glenurquhart Kingussie should have players back for their game against Glenurquhart at the Dell. Thomas Borthwick and Ryan Borthwick should be available again following a holiday break and defender Garry Munro returns from suspension. However Craig Dawson and Barrie Dallas may be missing and Kevin Thain and Martin Dallas will be in second team action in the Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup semi final against Skye Camanachd. James Hutchison is working whilst Ally MacLeod (hamstring) and Louis Munro (broken collar-bone) are longer term absentees. Glenurquhart won an important two points at home against Oban Camanachd last weekend but they go into this game without Scottish internationalist Andrew Corrigan who is suspended following his red card against Oban Camanachd last week. Eddie Tembo and David Girvan are still some way off a return. Marine Harvest North Division 1 Inverness v Kinlochshiel Kinlochshiel seem to be on course for a first ever appearance in the Scottish Hydro Premier Division next season. They are already half way through their league campaign and have collect 14 points from 7 matches. Second bottom Inverness are up next for Johnston Gill’s side and the ‘Shiel boss will hope to have wing centres Steven Callander and Graeme Morrison back in his after they missed the Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup defeat to Newtonmore last weekend. Inverness bosses Stevie Munro and James MacDougall will be without Davie Glass who is serving the second game of a two match ban. Craig Nicolson is also missing after his red card against Caberfeidh last weekend. However Arran MacMaster should be back. Lochaber v Skye Camanachd Lochaber and Skye Camanachd have a 12 noon throw up at Spean Bridge. Michael Delaney will welcome Daniel MacRae and Donald MacRae back into the side. Skye Camanachd rattled in ten goals against Lochcarron last weekend so they shouldn’t be short of confidence. Skye boss Aonghas MacDonald will be without John Moir whilst captain Somhairle MacDonald will be missing for the next five weekends. Iain Nicolson could return after missing the last two matches because of work commitments. Lochcarron v Caberfeidh Lochcarron boss Andrew MacDonald will look for a reaction from his players against Caberfeidh at Battery Park after they lost 10 goals to Skye Camanachd last weekend. MacKenzie will hope to have young defender Ben Dalgety back to strengthen the defence. Cabers boss Robbie Taylor also has problems. Influential full centre Ally MacLennan picked up a knock in the Inverness Sixes last weekend and he is unlikely to feature. Suspension also rules out Martin MacDonald and Liam Mutch. Marine Harvest South Division 1 Bute v Kilmory Top of the table Bute will start as favourites when they play second bottom Kilmory on Rothesay. If Bute win this one then they will have completed the first half of their league season with a 100% record. Ballachulish v Oban Celtic There should be a good encounter between fourth place Ballachulish and sixth place Oban Celtic. Four points separate the sides in the league although the Oban side have two games in hand. Marine Harvest North Division 2 Newtonmore v Kinlochshiel There is a 12 noon throw up between league leaders Newtonmore and Kinlochshiel at the Eilan. ‘More have only lost once in the league this season and they have the chance to extend their lead at the top of the table as second place Glengarry are not in action. Fort William v Lovat There is another 12 noon throw up at An Aird where Fort William meet Lovat. Fort William boss Victor Smith has stuck by his principles and fielded a young side with player development his priority this season. His side trail leaders Newtonmore by ten points but they do have four games in hand. Lovat lost out by the odd goal in eleven in an exciting game against Lochaber last week with Connal MacIllechiar scoring twice. Marine Harvest South Division 2 Bute v Strachur Third place Bute and league front-runners Strachur clash in a 3pm throw up on Rothesay. An Angus Campbell goal was all that separated the sides when Bute won the corresponding fixture 1-0 earlier in the season. Tayforth v Col Glen Second place Tayforth are at home to fourth place Col Glen. Tayforth were 4-3 winners when the sides met in an exciting encounter earlier in the season. Stuart Ferrier grabbed a hat-trick for Tayforth that day whilst young Jamie MacVicar scored twice for Col Glen. Marine Harvest North Division 3 Aberdeen University v Ardnamurchan League leaders Aberdeen University have received a walk-over as Ardnamurchan’s team raising difficulties continue and they are unable to raise a side for their trip to the Granite City. Caberfeidh v Beauly Caberfeidh take on Beauly at Castle Leod. Beauly only need a point to go second and Calum Morrison has been in good goal scoring form for the Braeview Park men this season. Caberfeidh sit fourth and trail Beauly by five points but they have two games in hand so this should be a close game as long as the Caber’s reserves don’t lose too many players to their first team which has been hit with injury and suspension. Inverness v Lochcarron Inverness and Lochcarron have a 12 noon meeting at the Bught Park. Inverness were unable to raise a team for the corresponding fixture earlier in the season. Lewis Camanachd v Strathglass There is a bottom of the table clash at Shawbost where Lewis Camanachd host Strathglass. The sides drew at Cannich earlier in the season and both sides will feel they can take something from this clash. Strathglass should have more player options as their first team don’t have a game. |