2018 League Fixture List Released | |
04 February 2018 The 2018 shinty season draft fixture list has been released. The schedule will be firmed up with any final changes and referee appointments and a final fixture list will be distributed to clubs on Friday 16 February 2018.
Marine Harvest Premiership Marine Harvest champions Kinlochshiel begin their bid for a second successive title at home to Glenurquhart on Saturday 3 March 2018. Oban Camanachd’s opening fixture is a home meeting with newly promoted Skye Camanachd. Fellow new boys Caberfeidh head for the Dell to take on Kingussie. Lovat open against Newtonmore at Balgate whilst Lochaber welcome Kyles Athletic to Spean Bridge. The following week sees Kinlochshiel travel to Castle Leod to play Caberfeidh. Oban Camanachd are also on the road as they visit Drumnadrochit to face Glenurquhart. Skye and Newtonmore host Lovat and Lochaber respectively whilst Kingussie and Kyles Athletic also meet. Week three of shinty’s top flight pits Lovat against Kinlochshiel at Balgate. Oban Camanachd take on Newtonmore at Mossfield whilst Kingussie play Glenurquhart at The Dell. Caberfeidh welcome Kyles Athletic to Castle Leod. It is Lochaber’s designated “free Saturday” so Skye Camanachd also do not have a fixture.
Marine Harvest National Division The Fort William squad start their push for promotion back to shinty’s top flight against Beauly at An Aird on Saturday 3 March 2018. Kilmallie also have designs on a promotion spot and they have home advantage against Oban Celtic. Glasgow Mid Argyll, relegated from the Premiership at the end of last season, have a tricky opener against Inveraray at Yoker. Inverness and Strathglass, who finished in the division’s bottom two places at the end of last season, meet at The Bught Park. A week later, Oban Celtic play their first home match of the competitive season with Inverness the visitors. Fort William travel south to play Inveraray at the Winterton. Kilmallie are off to Beauly whilst Strathglass meet Glasgow Mid Argyll at Cannich. The third round of National Division fixtures has Fort William at home to Glasgow Mid Argyll and Kilmallie at home to Inverness. Oban Celtic will play host to Inveraray whilst Strathglass make the short trip to Strathglass.
There is also plenty to look forward to in the regional leagues.
Marine Harvest North Division 1 Champions Newtonmore reserves open with a match against Aberdeen University at The Eilan. The Students were one of ‘More’s biggest challengers last season so this is a tasty opening day fixture. The Kingussie seconds are off to Craigard to play newly promoted Glengarry. There is a reserve west coast derby as Skye Camanachd and Kinlochshiel meet at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree. The Glenurquhart and Fort William second teams play at Blairbeg. The second week of the shinty season sees Newtonmore reserves head for An Aird to play Fort William reserves. Glengarry and the Skye colts are in action at Craigard whilst the Kingussie seconds and their Glenurquhart counterparts play at Blairbeg. Aberdeen University are on the road again as they head for Kirkton to play the Kinlochshiel seconds.
Marine Harvest South Division 1 Lochside Rovers open the defence of their Marine Harvest South Division 1 title against Taynuilt at The Taynuilt Sports Field. Ballachulish are off to The Winterton where newly promoted Inveraray seconds are the opposition. Two of the title contenders meet at Silversands where Aberdour play Bute. Kyles Athletic and Kilmory meet whist Tayforth have home advantage against Col Glen. Lochside Rovers play their first home match of their league campaign on the second Saturday of the season with Bute again on their travels. Taynuilt are at home again with the Inveraray second team visiting The Taynuilt Sports Field. Kilmory meet Ballachulish at MacRae Park whilst Col Glen welcome the Kyles Athletic colts. Aberdour take on Tayforth at Silversands.
Marine Harvest North Division 2 The Lochaber second team, who finished second in the division last season, open with a trip to Braeview Park to play the Beauly second team. Boleskine have recruited several new players during the close season and their first league match is at home to Lochcarron. The Caberfeidh colts await Lewis Camanachd at Castle Leod. The Inverness seconds make the short journey to Cannich to take on the Strathglass second team. The Kilmallie seconds open with a trip to Grantown Grammar School to face Strathspey Camanachd. Lovat do not have an opening day fixture in this eleven team league. The Lovat seconds, relegated from Marine Harvest North Division 1 at the end of last season, open their league campaign on the second Saturday of the new season with a game against Strathspey Camanachd at Balgate. The Lochaber colts host their Caberfeidh counter-parts at Spean Bridge. Lochcarron are also at home for the first time with Lewis Camanachd the visitors. The Kilmallie and Beauly second teams meet at The Canal Parks whilst Boleskine play host to the Strathglass reserves. The Inverness seconds have no fixture.
Marine Harvest South Division 2 The Oban Celtic second team, returning to league action after a number of years, open at home to the Bute second team. Strachur welcome the Glasgow Mid Argyll second team to Strachurmore whilst Glenorchy, relegated at the end of last season, meet the Aberdour seconds at Mart Park. The Bute second team are on the road again on the second week of the shinty season as they play Glenorchy at Mart Park. Oban Celtic visit Strachurmore to play Strachur whilst The GMA and Aberdour reserves take the field at Yoker. |