Glen look to end Lovat's unbeaten run
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GLENURQUHART begin the defence of the Artemis MacAulay Cup with a derby against Lovat at Balgate and joint manager Drew MacNeil is hopeful that last year’s success will not be a one-off.
The last club to hold onto the trophy was Inveraray in 2008 and 2009, defeating Kingussie and Newtonmore respectively in two memorable finals.
But the Glen are coming up against a Lovat side who are unbeaten this season, so MacNeil is well aware of what is at stake in this first round tie tomorrow.
"Winning a trophy in sport is never easy, but retaining it is even more difficult," he said. "That is the challenge facing our players, but I honestly think they are capable of doing it.
"I am pretty confident that this one will be worth watching. Something has to give over the 90 minutes. Either we surrender the MacAulay or they loose the unbeaten record they have built this season.
"We are certainly aiming to be in the next round, but Lovat are going incredibly well, so we will have to be at our best."
MacNeil has watched his side pick up after a shaky start to the season and a win tomorrow will see the Glen extend their winning streak to five matches.
"People might think that we are disappointed at the way the team has performed this season, but that is not the case," he said.
"In just about every game we have been close, but we have just lacked that wee spark that we enjoyed last season.
Fraser (MacKenzie, Glen co-manager) and I are pleased with the effort from the players and although the league is gone, we are still in the three major cup competitions."
For tomorrow MacNeil is remaining fairly tight-lipped about his starting line-up with one or two players carrying niggling injuries.
Rhuaridh Cameron looks to have recovered from a hamstring problem which has sidelined him from the Glen’s last two matches, while Lewis MacLennan, injured in last weekend’s league win over Kingussie after colliding with his team-mate Eddie Tembo, looks to have fully recovered and will almost certainly start.
Tomorrow is the first meeting of the sides in the 2013 season, but last year it was honours even with the Glen winning 3-1 at home, while Lovat responded courtesy of a 5-1 success at Balgate.
Lovat hope to be at full strength and manager Allan MacRae may continue the experiment of playing Kevin Bartlett in a deeper role, leaving Greg Matheson as the main striker.
In other ties, the Lochaber derby sees Fort William entertain Kilmallie with Duncan Kelly’s side well placed to pull off the day’s giant killing act against an inconsistent An Aird side.
It could take something special to separate Kingussie and Kinlochshiel, who meet at the Dell, but Kingussie could edge it as they appear to play best at home.
Newtonmore will be odds-on favourites to see off the challenge of Lochaber as PJ MacKintosh’s side build towards a possible grand slam of the sport’s four major trophies.
Meanwhile in a rearranged first round tie in the Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup, Beauly face Strathglass with the winner going through for a home tie against Oban Camanachd in round two.
Strath manager Callum Duff begins his three-match suspension leaving his assistant Innes Simpson to carry out the role of player/manager for the day, but with former bosses Robert Geddes and Brian MacKay on hand, Duff’s absence may not be too sorely felt.
The match itself is too close to call with Beauly the form team, but Strathglass improving rapidly in their last few games and very dangerous opponents. Beauly await fitness tests on several players, while Jack MacDonald sits out the second of his two-match ban.
North Division Two is shaping to be one of the most competitive in the sport and two of the leading challengers — Glenurquhart and Lovat — meet in Drumnadrochit with the latter favoured to take both points as the Glen struggle with an extensive absentee list.
Kingussie and Newtonmore play tonight at the Dell, while second place Skye face a fast-improving Fort William side in Portree.
In North Division Three, Boleskine will aim to get their league challenge back on track after the 4-1 loss to Lochcarron when they face Lochbroom at Smith Park tomorrow.
GLENURQUHART defender Stuart Reid has been confirmed as the 2013 Scottish women’s international coach.
Reid, who works as an active schools co-ordinator in Aberdeen, is a former under-21 international and has a depth of experience in coaching.
"I’m very proud and excited to be offered the role of women’s international coach," he said.
"Last year’s squad performed superbly to win over in Ireland and the challenge now is for the women to raise the standard even higher this year, in order for us to have the best possible chance of success."
Reid’s first training session will take place at 1pm on Sunday at The Dell, Kingussie.
