The Shinty Preview – Saturday 14 July 2012 | |
13 July 2012 The main shinty focus will be on the Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup quarter-finals on Saturday 14 July 2012.
Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup – Quarter Finals Skye Camanachd v Kyles Athletic Skye Camanachd are one of two Marine Harvest North Division 1 side still in this year’s Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup and they welcome Kyles Athletic to Pairc nan Laoch, Portree. The Islanders were not in action last week and they will be missing Iain Morrison who had plates inserted into a fractured jaw following an injury sustained in the win over Strathglass a fortnight ago. Morrison joins fellow long-term absentees Gibbs MacDonald and Jamie MacDonald on the Islanders’ injury list. However brothers Steven Morrison and Danny Morrison return to the squad after missing the Strathglass match. Kyles have had to do without Sandy MacVicar and Peter Currie for most of this season but they will otherwise be at full strength and a squad of 16 will travel north. They will head up the road on Friday afternoon, and they will have a hit-about at the sports field in Kyleakin before staying in Broadford on the Friday night. They will travel the final 30 minutes to Portree on Saturday morning for this 1pm throw up. Kilmallie v Inveraray There is an interesting tie at the Canal Parks where Kilmallie and Inveraray clash. Kilmallie were without some first team regulars for their defeat to Kingussie last week but forward Michael Rodger should return for this one. However Martin Stewart begins a two match suspension for a points accumulation. Frankie Innes stepped up from the Kilmallie second team last weekend and his excellent performance will give the management something to consider. Mark MacPherson and Grant MacKenzie are carrying injuries but should make it. Inveraray will be still be smarting from their shock 4-3 Artemis Macaulay Cup defeat to Oban Camanachd last weekend and they will rue missing two penalties in that tie. Throw up is at 1.30pm. Lovat v Kinlochshiel Lovat and Kinlochshiel have been two of this season’s success stories in the Orion Group Premiership and they meet at Balgate with a place in the Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup semi-finals at stake. Lovat’s Lorne MacKay needed several stitches below his eye following his substitute appearance in their battle against Bute last weekend and boss Allan MacRae will give him every chance to prove his fitness ahead of this tie. Kinlochshiel manager Johnston Gill will assess whether defender John Don Mackenzie has recovered from the leg knock which led to his substitution during the first half of his team’s defeat to Newtonmore last week. Newtonmore P Lochaber P The tie between Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup holders Newtonmore and Marine Harvest North Division 1 side Lochaber at the Eilan has been postponed at Lochaber’s request because of a bereavement. This is due to the sad passing of former Glengarry stalwart Finlay Nicolson who played for the ‘Garry in the 1970s & 1980s. He is also father of Lochaber players Shaun Nicolson and Finlay Nicolson. He passed away on Monday after a short illness and his funeral will take place at Fort Augustus Parish Church on Wednesday 18 July 2012 at 1pm. The internment will take place at Strathoich Cemetery thereafter.
Strathdearn Cup – Quarter Final Beauly v Kilmallie There is an all-Marine Harvest North Division 3 Strathdearn Cup quarter-final tie between Beauly and Kilmallie at Braeview Park. Both sides reached the quarter-finals of this season’s Sutherland Cup before exiting the competition to higher league opposition. The sides have yet to meet this season as Kilmallie were unable to raise a team for their league meeting at Braeview Park in May. The prize for the winners is a home match against Skye Camanachd in the semi-finals.
Strathdearn Cup – Semi-Final Fort William v Glenurquhart Fort William play Glenurquhart at the Black Parks. These sides were the beaten semi-finalists in the Sutherland Cup so one team will go a stage further in this competition. The Glen will be without Drew MacLennan as he is recovering from a nasty accidental facial knock picked up against Kinlochshiel last weekend.
Bullough Cup – Quarter Finals Lochside Rovers v Inveraray Lochside Rovers and Inveraray meet at Ganavan, Oban. The sides have already met twice in the league this season with table-toppers Lochside Rovers coming out on top in both occasions. Gordon Watt returns from suspension for Inveraray. Throw up is at noon. Bute v Ballachulish The tie between Bute and Ballachulish takes place at the Meadows. Late goals from Ally Carmichael and Gordon MacMillan cancelled out Garry Young’s opener to give Bute a 2-1 win in the side’s league meeting on Rothesay earlier in the season. Throw up is at noon.
Orion Group Premiership Bute v Glenurquhart Bute and Glenurquhart meet at the second match at the Meadows. Bute will try to end their run of seven straight league defeats and they sit 5 points adrift at the bottom of the table. To add to their woes, Scotland international defender Iain MacDonald, who had recovered from a hamstring injury, broke his toe in an accident at work.
Marine Harvest North Division 1 Lochcarron v Caberfeidh Lochcarron take on Caberfeidh at Battery Park. Lochcarron survived a late onslaught to record a 2-1 win when the sides met at Castle Leod last month. The Battery Park side now enters their final phase of six league fixtures having already played each side home and away. Graham MacGregor is available for Cabers before starting a two match suspension for a points accumulation. Inverness v Beauly Inverness return to action and they welcome Beauly to the Bught Park, Inverness. Inverness have Davie Glass free of suspension but Somhairle MacDonald is unavailable. Jack MacDonald returns from holiday for Beauly.
Marine Harvest South Division 1 Glenorchy v Aberdour Second place Glenorchy have home advantage against bottom side Aberdour. The sides were due to meet in Fife on league duty last weekend but the match was scuppered because of an unplayable pitch. Alex MacPherson is free of suspension for Glenorchy. Throw up is at 1.30pm. Glasgow Mid Argyll v Oban Celtic Third place Glasgow Mid Argyll meet fourth place Oban Celtic at Yoker. Mark Bain is an injury doubt for GMA after suffering a cut hand last weekend. A run of four straight victories have taken the Oban side right out of the relegation zone into the top half of the table. Throw up is at 1.30pm.
Marine Harvest North Division 2 Glengarry v Newtonmore League leaders Newtonmore head for Craigard to play Glengarry. Skye Camanachd v Kinlochshiel There is a local derby at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree between Skye Camanachd and Kinlochshiel. Skye defender Neil John Campbell misses out through injury. A good recent run of league results has seen Kinlochshiel climb to second place in the table. A big crowd is expected as this game will follow the Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup tie between Skye Camanachd and Kyles Athletic. Throw up is at 3.30pm. Aberdeen University v Lovat There is a Granite City meeting between Aberdeen University and Lovat. The visitors will look to build on successive league wins over Skye Camanachd and Lochaber. Lochaber P Kingussie P The match between Lochaber and Kingussie at Spean Bridge has been postponed at Lochaber’s request because of a bereavement.
Marine Harvest South Division 2 Kyles Athletic v Tayforth Second place Kyles Athletic and fourth Tayforth clash in Tighnabruaich. With Lochside Rovers in league action, Kyles have the chance to narrow their six point lead at the top of the table. Kyles were unable to raise a team for their trip to Tayforth earlier in the season. Ardnamurchan v Col Glen Ardnamurchan have home advantage against Col Glen. An Iain MacKellar goal gave Col Glen a 1-0 win when the sides met at Glendaruel in April. Ardnamurchan’s Liam Thornton starts a two match ban. Aberdour v Glasgow Mid Argyll Aberdour meet Glasgow Mid Argyll in Fife. Aberdour are at the foot of the table but GMA are only three points better off with a game more played.
Marine Harvest North Division 3 Lochbroom v Caberfeidh Second place Lochbroom and sixth place Caberfeidh meet in Ullapool. Blair Morrison and Colin MacLennan hit doubles when Cabers won the corresponding fixture 4-2 in April. Lochcarron and Beauly are the only other sides to have defeated Lochbroom in the league this season. Strathglass v Boleskine Strathglass take on third place Boleskine at Cannich. This is the sides’ first meeting of the season. Boleskine’s Michael Pirie is suspended for this one. Inverness v Lochcarron There is a noon meeting between Inverness and Lochcarron at the Bught Park. Lochcarron are on a great run having won their last four league fixtures and they will start as favourites. Hebridean Celtic Festival – Cup Final Lewis Camanachd v Uist Camanachd Lewis Camanachd and Uist Camanachd clash in the sixth Hebridean Celtic Festival Cup Final at Bayhead Pitches. This keenly-contested match between the two Hebridean clubs has become a traditional part of the HebCelt Festival’s Saturday events. Lewis Camanachd are the current holders but Uist will be confident that they can reclaim the title they last won in 2009. The 2011 fixture drew a record crowd and another big day is anticipated. The match throws-up at 2pm and entry is by donation. |