The Shinty Preview – Saturday 2 June 2012 | |
01 June 2012 The Orion Premiership sides enter the Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup as the second round takes place on Saturday 2 June 2012 with any ties level after 90 minutes going to a replay.
Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Newtonmore v Beauly Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup holders Newtonmore start the defence of their trophy against Beauly at the Eilan in what is one of three clashes between sides from the Orion Group Premiership and Marine Harvest North Division 1. Newtonmore’s Fraser MacKintosh picked up a knock in the draw with Kingussie last weekend whilst Danny MacRae remains on the sidelines. However Chris Sellar returns after a two match ban. Beauly turned in an impressive second half performance against Inverness last weekend when they scored five goals in a 6-1 win with Marc MacLauchlan getting three of them. Newtonmore were 5-0 winners when the sides met at Braeview Park in the Co-operative MacTavish Cup earlier in the season. Throw up is at 3pm and this tie will also be recorded for the Camanachd Association’s archive. Kinlochshiel v Kingussie Kinlochshiel face Kingussie at Kirkton. The sides met at the same venue in the Co-operative MacTavish Cup when a Ronald Ross inspired Kingussie ran out 6-2 winners. Kinlochshiel boss Johnston Gill was at a loss to explain his side’s collapse against Inveraray last weekend and he will certainly be looking for a positive reaction from his players in this match. Kingussie boss Russell Jones has been hit with a couple of suspension blows as Lee Bain misses out because of his red card last week’s 2-2 draw against Newtonmore and Fraser Munro is serves a one match ban because of a points accumulation. Throw up is at noon and this tie will be recorded for the Camanachd Association’s archive. Kilmallie v Fort William Kilmallie and Fort William meet at the Canal Parks for the second successive Saturday. The Fort ran out 3-1 winners last week. Kilmallie are boosted by John Stewart’s return in attack following a two match ban and co-manager John Morrison is sure to be looking for a direct approach in front of goal from the Scottish international. Martin Stewart serves a one match ban for the home side and Euan Stoddart is again off-shore once again. Stevie Stewart returns from suspension for Fort William but Duncan Rodger and Bryan Simpson are both banned and Gary Innes is again unavailable because of commitments with his band Manran. Liam MacIntyre is free to play before a one game ban next weekend whilst Alex Duncan starts a two match suspension next weekend. Skye Camanachd v Glenurquhart Skye Camanachd welcome Glenurquhart to Pairc nan Laoch. Both teams will be missing key players for this one. Skye Camanachd manager Willie MacRae could be minus as many as nine players from his first choice squad. He is definitely without full back Steven Morrison who is on holiday whilst Iain Nicolson is working and Danny Morrison and Allan MacLeod are unavailable. Chris Rose and Darryl Macintosh are major injury doubts whilst Iain Morrison misses out with a hand injury. Jamie MacDonald and Gilleasbuig MacDonald are also definitely missing with a broken knee-cap and a broken hand respectively. Glen co-managers Fraser MacKenzie are without Scottish international Andrew Corrigan who is suspended for the tie although he also has a broken toe. The Glen also have injury doubts over Liam Girvan and Ruairidh Cameron but Eddie Tembo could return after missing last week’s defeat at Lovat. There will be live commentary from the whole game on Cuillin FM which can also be accessed on the internet at www.cuillinfm.co.uk Lochaber v Bute The meeting between Lochaber and Bute at Spean Bridge is one of four North v South ties. The sides met in a titanic battle last season’s Balliemore Cup semi-finals last year which ended 3-3 after extra-time. Bute eventually won on penalties before going on to lift the trophy. Hugh Innes should return for Lochaber after missing last weekend’s extra-time victory over Oban Camanachd. Bute’s Scottish international Iain MacDonald is an injury doubt but boss Barry Martin will give him until the last minute to prove his fitness. Throw up is at 1.30pm. Glasgow Mid Argyll v Kyles Athletic Kyles Athletic head for Yoker to play Glasgow Mid Argyll. Captain Mark Bain should return for GMA after missing last week’s win against Skye Camanachd in Portree. Exiting last season’s Camanachd Cup at the semi-final stage to eventual winners Newtonmore was a big disappointment for Kyles and they are determined to go a step further this year. Throw up is at 3pm. Inveraray v Strathglass Inveraray meet Strathglass at the Winterton. Inveraray can be a formidable outfit on their own pitch so Strathglass face a tough afternoon. How Inveraray manager John Smylie must wish that he can have the forward line of Garry MacPherson, Russell MacKinlay, Euan MacMurdo and Chris Crawford available every week as the quartet played a major role in the side’s 7-1 win over Kinlochshiel last weekend. Throw up is at 3pm. Lovat v Kilmory Lovat take on Kilmory at Balgate. Lovat will start as favourites and Drew Howie and Michael MacKenzie have been in good form at the back recently for Allan MacRae’s side whilst Lorne MacKay continues to impress in midfield. Kilmory are in a mid-table position in Marine Harvest South Division 1.
Marine Harvest North Division 1 Inverness v Caberfeidh The only match in this division sees Inverness and Caberfeidh clash at the Bught Park. Inverness co-managers Stevie Munro and James MacDougall stepped down this week, citing work commitments. However both have agreed to look after the team until a replacement is found. The Capital side does not have a fixture for the following two Saturdays by which time Club President Peter Gow hopes to have a replacement in post. Caberfeidh are on a run of three consecutive league wins which has lifted them from bottom of the table to third place. They have the added incentive of knowing that victory will take them above Skye Camanachd and Lochaber to the top of the table. Kevin Bartlett will be their danger-man.
Marine Harvest South Division 1 Oban Camanachd v Glenorchy League leaders Oban Camanachd play Glenorchy at Mossfield. It has been a difficult week for Oban Camanachd after the events of last weekend and indiscipline deprives them of the services of the suspended quartet of James MacMillan, Craig MacMillan, Alan MacGregor and Matt Rippon. The latter could face a long ban following his dismissal against Lochaber last weekend. Gary Lord remains a doubt with a foot injury. Second place Glenorchy are level on points with Oban Camanachd although they have played a game more. They may never have a better opportunity to topple a depleted Oban outfit. Oban Celtic v Taynuilt Oban Celtic have home advantage against Taynuilt. Oban Celtic are bottom of the table with only three points from their seven league games. Taynuilt are a couple of points better off in third bottom position. However if Oban Celtic are to climb off the bottom of the table, they will have to do it without Gary McKerracher and Alan Duffy who are both suspended for a points accumulation. Aberdour v Strachur The clash between Aberdour and Strachur in Fife means that the bottom four sides in the table meet this weekend. Strachur are two points better off than their rivals but they have played two games more. Points will again be at a premium in what is another four-pointer.
Marine Harvest North Division 2 Newtonmore v Skye Camanachd League leaders Newtonmore play fourth place Skye Camanachd in a noon throw up at the Eilan. Neil Stewart is a long term absentee for Newtonmore. Jack Latton misses out for the Islanders with a dislocated shoulder. There will be other absentees too for manager Murdo Morrison to contend with, including his assistant managers David Grant and John MacLeod, as the Skye first team is short of players through injury, work commitments and unavailability. Kinlochshiel v Aberdeen University Fourth place Aberdeen University make the long journey west to play second place Kinlochshiel at Kirkton. Colin MacDiarmid is still banned for ‘Shiel whilst the Students will be without former Skye Camanachd player Jamie Beaton. Throw up is at 3pm. Fort William v Glengarry Fort William have a local derby against Glengarry at the Black Parks. The Fort have been on a good run of late, winning their last four games – two league and two cup – in a row. However Peter McIntyre is likely to call up some players to replace first team absentees. Ewan Brady is free from suspension for the visitors but Michael Brady is still banned. Play-maker Steven Cameron is a longer-term injury absentee. Kingussie v Lovat Kingussie host Lovat at the Dell. The sides unusually occupy the bottom two places in the league. The influential Greg MacRae is nearing a return for Kingussie. Jamie Matheson is a doubt for Lovat with a hamstring problem. Lochaber v Glenurquhart Lochaber and Glenurquhart have a 4pm throw up at Spean Bridge. Both sides lost out the MacTavish Juvenile Cup semi-final stage during the week to west coast sides Skye Camanachd and Kinlochshiel and both will feature several of their starlets in this one. The division is extremely tight with only six points separating second place Kinlochshiel and tenth place Lovat who are at the foot of the table.
Marine Harvest South Division 2 Inveraray v Lochside Rovers Inveraray are at home to Lochside Rovers. Both sides had contrasting fortunes last weekend with Inveraray racking up 15 goals without reply against a depleted Glasgow Mid Argyll second string whilst Lochside Rovers suffered their first league defeat of the season when they lost 9-4 to Kyles Athletic. Lochside will again find several of their players stepping up to cover absentees in the Oban Camanachd first team. Ballachulish v Bute Third place Ballachulish have home advantage against Bute. Late goals from Ally Carmichael and Gordon MacMillan gave Bute a 2-1 win when the sides met earlier in the season. Ardnamurchan v Tayforth Second place Tayforth travel west to play Ardnamurchan. Tayforth still trail leaders Lochside Rovers by eight points despite the Oban side’s defeat last weekend but they do have three games in hand. Glasgow Mid Argyll v Col Glen Glasgow Mid Argyll and Col Glen have a noon throw up at Yoker. An under-strength GMA side was well beaten at Inveraray last weekend but they should have more selection options for this one. Kyles Athletic v Aberdour Kyles Athletic welcome Aberdour to Tighnabruaich, boosted from their big win over leaders Lochside Rovers last weekend.
Marine Harvest North Division 3 Lochcarron v Beauly Lochcarron host leaders Beauly at Battery Park. Beauly’s Martin Davidson is suspended as he serves the second game of a two match ban. Inverness v Boleskine There is a derby at the Bught Park between Inverness and Boleskine. Throw up is at noon. Strathglass v Strathspey Camanachd Strathspey Camanachd have the chance to extend their unbeaten run to three games when they play Strathglass at Cannich. Lewis Camanachd v Kilmallie Lewis Camanachd face Kilmallie at Shawbost as the Island side continues their run of home fixtures after playing away games during the earlier part of the season. |