Cormack looking for Beauly to spring a surprise
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SIX ties in the second round of the Camanachd Cup dominate the schedule tomorrow with three local clubs dreaming of a place in the quarter-finals.
Caberfeidh, Beauly and Glenurquhart are in action, while the ties involving Lovat and Inverness have been held over to a future date.
Inverness, who have been drawn at home to Inveraray, have had to delay their tie after it was discovered that the match clashed with the South Highland Inter Schools Championships, held annually at Bught Park.
Lovat, due to face Kingussie, will also have to wait due to their opponents having a pre-arranged free Saturday, taken to allow their players to attend the wedding of team-mate Fraser Munro.
Beauly face old adversaries Kinlochshiel in a highly attractive tie at Braeview and manager Roger Cormack is relishing the prospect of locking horns with the Premiership side.
"This will be an excellent test of how far we have come this season," he said. "They are established in the top league and it will be interesting to see what progress we are making.
"We are really looking forward to this. It is a break from the league and, in a way, all the pressure is on Kinlochshiel."
Cormack fully expects a ‘Shiel backlash following their 4-0 defeat at Kiltarlity last Saturday as they tamely exited the MacTavish Cup at the semi-final stage.
"They certainly did not do themselves justice against Lovat and I expect to see a big reaction from their players," he said.
"But we have to concentrate on our own game. We have been working on boosting team work and trying to get everyone pulling together."
Cormack hopes to have a full strength squad at his disposal as the Braeview outfit bid for their second successive quarter-final placing in Shinty’s blue riband event.
Glenurquhart are also looking to book their place in the last eight for the second year in a row as they take on Great Glen rivals Lochaber at Spean Bridge.
The Glen struck a blow for the cause in last Saturday’s Orion Premiership clash between the clubs, but their managerial duo of Billy MacLean and Dave Menzies expect a much tougher challenge from the league’s basement club tomorrow.
MacLean and Menzies hope to have Andy Corrigan back in the ranks after missing the wins over Newtonmore and Lochaber, but serious doubts remain over the fitness of full back John Barr and utility defender Ally MacKintosh.
Youngsters James Hurlwood and Euan Lloyd have impressed this season and James MacPherson, last year’s signing from Lovat, looks to be settling in to provide a cutting edge to the Glen attack.
Lochaber have hardly had their troubles to seek as they chase their first win in 2014. In the league, they have taken just one point from their seven matches and fell to early exits in both the MacTavish and Macaulay Cups, before losing to National Division One side Skye in the RBS MacTavish Plate competition.
They hope to add Zander Ferguson to last Saturday’s squad as manager Robert Johnstone searches for a spark from his side to halt the alarming slide in their fortunes.
Caberfeidh face fellow National Division side Fort William at An Aird with both sides experiencing a stutter in their league form.
With Niall MacPhee back from suspension, the Fort, semi-finalists in 2013, will start as clear favourites. The outcome of the match could well hinge on MacPhee’s ability to restrict Ally MacLennan, Caberfeidh’s powerhouse full centre. The clash between those young titans promises to be worth the admission money alone.
The Camanachd Cup is the only knockout competition in the sport where ties do not automatically go to extra-time and penalties on the day. Cabers, with Lee Nicol in outstanding form at full back, would probably settle for a draw tomorrow and relish a return with the Fort at Castle Leod.
Kyles and Newtonmore face each other at Tighnabruaich for the second week in succession with ‘More banking on a repeat of their 1-0 triumph.
The match was the first on Kyles’ pitch this season, but its condition, with areas still badly waterlogged, attracted criticism from players on both sides and spoiled the match as a spectacle.
In other ties, the clash of the island teams sees Bute entertain Skye with the north area club, first round conquerors of National Division side Glenorchy, looking to bag another higher league scalp.
There is a Lochaber area derby where Kilmallie entertain Ballachulish and the with the Canalsiders in top scoring form, they will be odds-on favourites against the South Division One side.
Only one match in the Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup takes place with Beauly making the long trip south to face army side The SCOTS at Musselburgh in a rearranged second round tie. The winners take on Kingussie in the quarter-finals.
There are several important league matches with Lovat travelling to Inveraray in the Orion Premiership looking for both points to draw level with Newtonmore at the top of the table.
