The Shinty Preview – Saturday 7 April 2012 | |
06 April 2012 The Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Preliminary Round takes place on Saturday 7 April 2012.
Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup – Preliminary Round Oban Camanachd v Glenorchy Oban Camanachd and Glenorchy meet at Mossfield. Both sides were relegated from shinty’s top division last season and the home side’s early season form suggests they are favourites. Gareth Evans misses out for Oban Camanachd as he serves a one match ban whilst Glenorchy will be without John Sartain. Inverness v Caberfeidh Inverness welcome Caberfeidh to the Bught Park with a trip to Portree in the first round awaiting the victors. Forward James Cameron returns from a two match ban for the Capital side. Caberfeidh have been playing Scottish international Kevin Bartlett in his more usual advanced role after he started the season against Skye Camanachd at buckshee back. Throw up is at 3pm.
Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup Lochside Rovers v Kingussie Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup holders Kingussie have a difficult start to this year’s competition as they head for Oban to renew rivalries with Lochside Rovers. Kingussie are a much changed side from last year whilst Lochside Rovers have made a good start to life in Marine Harvest South Division 2. The winners will have home advantage against Skye Camanachd in the next round. Kyles Athletic v Lochbroom 2011 runners up Kyles Athletic have home advantage against Lochbroom. Lochbroom will have to snuff out the threat of nine goal Roddy McColl if they wish to progress. Lochbroom are without the suspended James Stewart. Aberdeen University v Newtonmore Aberdeen University hosted the 2011 final and they are at home to Marine Harvest North Division 2 champions and Strathdearn Cup holders Newtonmore in the first round. Newtonmore will travel without David Campbell who serves the second match of a two game ban. Glengarry v Kinlochshiel Kinlochshiel make the short journey to Craigard to play Glengarry. Michael Brady serves the last match of a three game ban for Glengarry but Daniel MacLennan returns following his two match suspension. Glasgow Mid Argyll v Fort William Glasgow Mid Argyll have home advantage against Fort William. Fort William will be without Jack Fraser as he is representing Scotland in Iomain Cholmcille a Coig. Aberdour v Lochaber Aberdour and Lochaber meet in Fife. The visitors will start as favourites. Inverness v Lovat Marine Harvest North Division 3 side Inverness play Lovat who are in a league above in a noon throw up at the Bught Park. Throw up for this derby clash is at noon. Col Glen v Boleskine Col Glen have home advantage against Boleskine. Neither side got past the first round last year so one of them will at least go a stage further this time around. Strathglass v Inveraray Strathglass welcome Inveraray to Cannich. Both sides went out in the second round last season. Throw up is at the slightly later time of 3pm. Beauly W/O v Tayforth Tayforth were unable to raise a team to play Beauly at Braeview Park so Beauly go through to the next round. Kilmallie W/O v Lochcarron Kilmallie are through to the next round as Lochcarron were unable to raise a team for the trip to the Canal Parks.
Orion Group Premiership Newtonmore v Kilmallie Its top plays bottom as Newtonmore and Kilmallie clash at the Eilan. Newtonmore boss Norman MacArthur will give David Cheyne a late fitness test. Alan MacDonald made a late substitute appearance for Kilmallie last week and manager John Morrison will give him every chance to prove his fitness for a place in the starting line-up. Stephen McAlister should also return. Kinlochshiel v Kyles Athletic The match of the day in the top division could be the first meeting in living memory between Kinlochshiel and Kyles Athletic at Kirkton. Forward Fraser MacVicar looks to have shaken off his hamstring problem but Gordie MacDonald is still out for the home side. Donald Irvine could return to the Kyles’ ranks. Inveraray v Fort William Inveraray and Fort William both have four points from their opening three games. Russell MacKinlay should be back in contention for the home side. Lovat v Kingussie Lovat will look to bounce back from the disappointment of last week’s derby defeat against Beauly when Kingussie visit Balgate. Lovat boss Allan Macrae hopes to have Craig Mainland and Martin Mainland available again. Iain Borthwick is a major doubt for Kings boss Russell Jones after coming off early in the game against Kinlochshiel last week. The Kingussie manager will also assess whether Ronald Ross has suffered any ill-effects from his first appearance of the season against Kinlochshiel last weekend. Glenurquhart v Bute Crucial points are at stake when second bottom Glenurquhart play draw specialists Bute at Blairbeg. The Islanders are just a point better off than their rivals after drawing three of their opening four games. Neither side has been particularly potent in front of goal in the league so far.
Marine Harvest North Division 1 Beauly v Lochaber League leaders Beauly play third place Lochaber at Braeview Park. These sides started the season as title favourites so this should be a cracker. Innes Simpson misses out for Beauly after picking up a thigh injury in the win over Lovat last week. Throw up is at noon. Strathglass v Lochcarron Strathglass and Lochcarron meet in Cannich. Lawrence Jones is still out for Strathglass and the teenager could miss a year’s shinty as he recovers from a knee injury. Both sides have struggled to get a regular team selection this season. Throw up is also at noon for this one.
Marine Harvest South Division 1 Kilmory v Glasgow Mid Argyll Kilmory have home advantage against Glasgow Mid Argyll. Both sides are level in the table on four points. Kilmory’s Adam Johnston is free from suspension following a two match ban. However Ally Cunningham will be suspended. Taynuilt v Oban Celtic Taynuilt welcome Oban Celtic. Bottom side Taynuilt picked up their first point last weekend following a draw with Kilmory. The home side will have to do without Willie Gillies who starts a two match ban following his sending off against Kilmory last weekend. Strachur v Aberdour Second bottom Strachur host on-form Aberdour. The visitors have won their last three matches so they will go into this one with confidence. However work commitments are likely to rule out at least three of the Aberdour players.
Marine Harvest South Division 2 Bute v Ballachulish Ballachulish head for Rothesay to play Bute. Both sides go into the game on the back of defeats last weekend. |