Camanachd Cup reaches last 16
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SHINTY’S Premiership clubs join six qualifying area league sides for tomorrow’s second round of the Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup as competition for the sport’s most prestigious trophy reaches the last 16.
There are 10 former winners left in the competition, including the three top ranking clubs in the all-time winners list — Newtonmore, Kingussie and Kyles Athletic.
Several Premiership clubs drawn against lower league opposition face potential embarrassment with Glenurquhart not relishing playing Skye in Portree, while Bute are looking vulnerable for their tie against North Division One side Lochaber at Spean Bridge. Other potential giant killers are Glasgow Mid Argyll, who take on Kyles Athletic at Yoker.
Holders Newtonmore begin their defence with a home tie against Beauly and manager Norman MacArthur has already stated that he will not be underestimating this challenge.
Last season, ‘More ended a 25-year barren spell in the competition when they beat Kingussie 4-3 after extra-time in a modern day classic at the Bught.
For Beauly, however, that run has been significantly longer with the last of their three triumphs in the tournament coming in 1913.
Beauly fans have endured a difficult season so far and have watched as their side’s league challenge has faltered, while their 6-1 defeat by Glenurquhart in the Co-operative MacTavish Cup quarter-final was a particular low point.
But joint managers Iain Morrison and Stephen MacLean may have engineered a mid-season revival with back-to-back wins over Glenorchy and Inverness, which has taken the club into the last four of the Balliemore Cup.
They know that tomorrow’s challenge is vastly different, but the side does look to have better balance about it with Conor Cormack playing a deeper role at half back and his fellow Scotland under-21 player David MacLean anchoring the midfield at full centre.
Upfront Marc MacLachlan is a powerful presence and crucially is starting to find the net more regularly, while teenager Jack MacDonald has a lethal burst of pace and is increasingly influential.
Beauly hope to be full strength and the match has come at the right time for midfielder Innes Simpson, who has had two games under his belt since returning from a thigh injury that sidelined him for six weeks.
Newtonmore have struggled in recent matches and their penalty triumph against Glenurquhart in the MacTavish Cup aside they have failed to win in their last three outings.
They will add Chris Sellar to the side held by Kingussie last Saturday, but Danny MacRae remains doubtful with a knee injury.
Elsewhere, Glenurquhart face Skye in Portree seeking redemption after their demoralising 5-1 league defeat against Lovat last weekend.
Potentially the Glen are a good outside bet in this year’s competition, but appear to be plagued by injury and player unavailability, which has prevented managers Fraser MacKenzie and Drew MacNeil from consistently fielding their strongest line-up.
The hope is that Eddie Tembo may be back, however, after he missed the Lovat match.
Lovat face Kilmory and will be strongly favoured to progress. The ace in their pack is top scorer Greg Matheson and he has managed to crack the tightest of defences this season.
In other ties, Strathglass are in Inveraray against a side who appear to be finding a lethal scoring touch, netting 13 against Premiership opposition in their last two matches.
It could be a case of damage limitation for Robert Geddes’s side, who sit bottom of North Division One.
Fort William and Kilmallie clash for the second time in a week with the Corpach side having John Stewart available for selection after suspension.
The Fort’s recent record in the competition is unmatched, winning five times in eight successive cup final appearances. They will be favourites tomorrow, although they are missing a number of established stars including Gary Innes and Neil Robertson.
The closest tie is likely to be at Kirkton where Kinlochshiel play host Kingussie.
Meanwhile, Inverness are back in league action and face Caberfeidh in North Division One at the Bught. Three successive wins have rocketed Cabers up the table and a win tomorrow would see them sit top.
Inverness are probably out of contention in the race for the title, but they are strong enough to provide difficult opposition for any title pretenders.
In North Division Two, Glenurquhart and Lovat are both in action, while in North Division Three, league leaders Beauly face Lochcarron and Inverness take on local rivals Boleskine with a noon throw-up time.
