Cup matches take top billing
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CLUBS take a break from league action as the area championships in the north and south both take centre stage.
That means MacTavish Cup action for clubs north of Ballachulish, while in the south shinty’s oldest trophy, the Celtic Society Cup, sees six clubs in the opening round.
In tomorrow’s first round ties, four of the local clubs are in direct opposition with Inverness facing Premier Division side Lovat, while Beauly and Strathglass renew hostilities a week after their league meeting at Braeview.
Lovat will start as odds-on favourites, but there is concern in the camp that they are not hitting the back of the net as regularly as last season.
The eagerly-anticipated new strikeforce of Greg Matheson and new signing Kevin Bartlett has yet to gel with Matheson scoring just two goals in the opening four league matches and Bartlett yet to open his account.
It could all change tomorrow, however, against an Inverness defence that has leaked 22 goals in the first four matches of the season.
But Inverness manager Allan MacLeod will point to the fact that three of those matches were away to the strongest teams in North Division One, while in the only match they have played at home so far ended in a 4-2 victory over Strathglass.
Lovat should progress and manager Allan MacRae, while not getting too far ahead of himself, will have noticed that the draw offers a route to the final which avoids Newtonmore, Fort William and Kingussie.
The winners tomorrow have an away tie against Lochaber, who along with Glenurquhart and Kilmallie, were given a first round bye.
The winners of the Beauly versus Strathglass game will be rewarded with an away tie to Kilmallie.
In last Saturday’s league clash, Beauly dominated possession, but Strathglass were far from out of it with a rejuvenated Robert Geddes (48) looking a genuine threat upfront.
With home advantage, Beauly will start as favourites, although Strathglass will be eyeing a shock. Utility defender Donald Fraser is on the mend after tweaking his hamstring at the beginning of the season, but is unlikely to fit in time to face the Green and Whites.
Kinlochshiel will not be relishing a trip to Strathpeffer where Caberfeidh lie in wait. Despite losing several key players this season, the Sky Blues remain a tough nut to crack and ‘Shiel will underestimate them at their peril. The winner of this tie will be away to Glenurquhart in round two.
The match of the day sees holders and record winners of the trophy Newtonmore begin their defence at home to Fort William.
The Fort have a decent record in the competition over the past decade or so, but in the middle of a major rebuilding effort they will struggle against Newtonmore at the Eilan.
The return of Duncan Rodger and Bryan Simpson, and the re-signing of Euan Campbell, from Kyles, will boost the Fort, but Newtonmore are the form team and should progress to the next round where they will face the winners of the Skye versus Kingussie tie.
This is a contest that has the potential for an upset with Skye, in good form in North Division One, up against Kingussie, who look far from convincing in the Premier Division.
There are two matches in the Orion Premiership where Glenurquhart and Oban Camanachd meet for the first time since the MacAulay Cup final, which ended in a memorable 6-0 triumph for the Glen.
It is a fair bet that scoreline will not be repeated tomorrow with the Glen struggling to convert chances, while Oban are showing good promise under the stewardship of Gus Campbell.
The only other top flight fixture is a clash between second place Inveraray, who host leaders Kyles Athletic.
