Glen into Camanachd Cup last four
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AFTER the massive disappointment of the RBS MacTavish final, Glenurquhart’s season has been turned on its head and now the red and blacks are within touching distance of the Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup final.
Their semi-final win over Inveraray saw them take their place in yesterday’s last four draw where they have been paired with area league side Skye on 16th August in Fort William.
A week earlier and also at An Aird, Kingussie will face Fort William for a place in September’s final, which takes place in the Highland capital.
In the quarter-finals it was a case of upsets and controversy with the favourites crashing out and two non-Premiership sides forcing their way through to the last four.
The Skye versus Kilmallie match at Portree saw the latter’s discipline let them down as two of their players were red carded with one now possibly facing a Camanachd Association probe for pushing a spectator.
And for the first time in a generation, Glenurquhart are through to the semi-finals of the sport’s top trophy following a 3-1 win over Inveraray and now have an outstanding chance of progressing to the final, thanks in part to a double by James MacPherson.
His team-mates call him ‘Frostie’ and MacPherson certainly froze out the Royal Burgh side with crucial goals, banishing unhappy memories of his performance in the recent RBS MacTavish Cup final when he suffered the indignity of being substituted in front of his former Lovat team-mates.
MacPherson’s day of redemption started in the 39th minute when he fired home an equaliser after Lewis MacNicol had given Inveraray the lead from a well rehearsed free hit move in only the second minute.
It ended when he swooped three minutes from time to clinch the victory and send the Blairbeg faithful home jubilant.
The match had been a nail biter from the start with Inveraray dominating the first half, but the tables were turned after the interval. As the visitors effort waned, the Glen took advantage with Neale Reid firing the them ahead for the first time in the 82nd minute before MacPherson applied the killer blow.
Inveraray came north seeking to banish the memory of a 6-2 defeat by Kyles in the final of the AJG Parcels Celtic Society Cup and were seen as real contenders for the Camanachd Cup. It will have come as little consolation that Kyles, their arch-rivals, are also out after losing 1-0 at Kingussie.
Kyles looked to be coming into form at just the right moment, but they failed to overcome a first minute strike from Kingussie youngster Savio Genini, despite dominating the match for long periods after that.
Kingussie’s stars were in defence where former Strathglass stalwart Lee Bain was outstanding, putting the shackles on Kyles’ danger man Roddie MacDonald.
Veteran James Hutchison slotted in at full back and marshalled the King’s defence against the waves of Kyles’ attacks. Kingussie’s hunger for success was evident throughout and they will be eyeing their semi-final draw with relish.
While the favourites succumbed at the Dell, there was an even bigger shock at Portree where the home side handed out a 4-1 thrashing to National League side Kilmallie.
The islanders stunned the Lochaber side as they raced into a 3-0 lead with Jordan Murchison (two) and Jonathon MacLennan on target.
A half-time dressing down saw Kilmallie transformed after the break and they reduced the leeway in the 55th minute through Martin Munro.
Skye were under the cosh as the Canalsiders upped their effort even further, but in a moment of madness their hopes crashed after Peter Carmichael was red carded after pushing a spectator in a touchline incident. Michael Rogers, who had already been booked, waded in to voice his opinion and he too received his marching orders. Carmichael could now be facing the behaviour in sport panel and may incur a lengthy suspension.
The double sending-off ended Kilmallie’s fightback and Skye rubbed salt in the wound when Murchison completed his hat-trick.
Skye now become the first area league side in years to make it through to the last four and they were joined by Fort William from the National Division after the An Aird club eliminated Kinlochshiel in a dour struggle at Kirkton.
It took a Gordie MacKinnon first half strike to break the deadlock, but there was little to enthuse the crowd, although those in the sport who tipped the Fort as the competition’s dark horses will feel vindicated.
There were no matches in the Orion Premiership, but in the Marine Harvest National Division league leaders Oban Camanachd tightened their grip following a 5-0 demolition of Caberfeidh.
An understrength Beauly side recorded a fine 2-0 triumph against Bute in Rothesay with a second half double from David MacLean doing the damage. Bute remain on the minus-two points mark and their hopes of avoiding the drop are beginning to look increasingly doomed.
Managerless Strathglass shocked Inverness with a 4-1 victory in their North Division One clash at Bught Park. All the goals for the Strath came in the second half courtesy of strikes by Gary and Darren Reid, Robert Geddes and Johno Price. Liam Girvan struck a consolation for the hosts.
In the various reserve cup competitions, Glenurquhart lost 3-1 after extra-time to Newtonmore, while Skye edged out Strathspey 4-3 in the Strathdearn Cup semi-finals.
In the Plate competition, there will be a Beauly versus Lovat final after the Aird rivals enjoyed comfortable 5-0 wins over Inverness and Kingussie respectively.
