Glen thrashed at home
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
In the lower leagues, Lovat were thrashed 5-1 by Glengarry, while Glenurquhart recorded their first victory of the season in North Division Two with a 4-1 win over Aberdeen University to partially lift the gloom at Blairbeg.
Jordan Murchison (two), Alan Palmer and Gilleasbuig MacDonald were on target for the home side, who recorded their second win of the season to move into second place in the league.
Meanwhile, Strathglass were beaten 4-1 in Portree as the islanders recovered from the loss of an early Robert Geddes strike to go on a win comfortably.
Earlier, Sorley MacDonald and Cameron had scored for the city side, but a late strike by Mark Sproule earned a point for the Wester Ross team
To compound their woes, striker James Cameron was red carded in the final minute by referee Innes Wood for an off the ball incident that also involved Lochcarron full back Allan MacKenzie. The sending-off marred what had been a terrific match with Inverness hotly disputing the decision.
The hosts were well short of their strongest line-up with centre line players Craig Nicholson and David Higham among six first picks missing.
Inverness picked up their second draw in a row after playing out a 2-2 stalemate with Lochcarron at the Bught.
A David MacLean strike in the 43rd minute had given Beauly the lead at the interval, but overall this was a lacklustre performance by the Green and Whites.
Beauly were denied both points by an Ally MacLennan injury-time leveller, but this was no more than the Strathpeffer side deserved after dominating for long periods of the second half.
League leaders Beauly dropped their first point in North Division One as they were held 1-1 at Castleod by Caberfeidh.
In the final match to take place, Kilmallie got their first point of the season after holding Bute to a 2-2 draw in Rothesay.
Kingussie slumped to their second defeat in three games when they lost 3 - 0 to Fort William at the Dell. Fort’s young side heaped pressure on the Kings with quickfire second half goals from Daniel Stewart and Scott Henderson doing the damage.
‘Shiel made a brisk start after the interval with Finlay MacRae scoring in the 47th minute and he brought his tally for the season to five just after the hour mark, but Steven MacDonald calmed Newtonmore’s nerves with the final goal of the game in the 76th minute.
The reigning champions raced into a 3-0 lead with David Cheyne (two) and Danny MacRae, making his first start of the season, hitting the target.
Elsewhere in the top league, Lovat, who were idle for the day, lost their top perch to Newtonmore as they battled through a tough encounter with Kinlochshiel, winning 4-2.
David Smart scored a late consolation for a demoralised Glen outfit.
It was a fitting end to his Kyles career for Currie with the midfielder playing his final game for the Blue and Whites before making a permanent move to California. He spent the evening celebrating with family in Strathglass.
The second half proved no better for the Glen as Kyles scored seemingly at will with the Whytes once again on target and Peter Currie also getting his name on the scoresheet.
With the scoreline at 1-0, however, Glenurquhart spurned an excellent opportunity to get themselves back in contention when Lewis MacLennan failed to convert a penalty, hitting his shot weakly past the post.
The Glen’s makeshift team were three behind at the interval with Ewen Campbell and the Whyte brothers — John and Tom — on target.
Posted missing for the Glen were Scotland players John Barr and Andy Corrigan, who were both working offshore, while Stuart Reid and Andrew MacDonald were in Rome to watch the Italy versus Scotland Six Nations match. Neale Reid, David Girvan and David MacLennan were also missing through injury.
MacNeil and MacKenzie will point to the fact that seven of their first choice players were unavailable, but Kyles were also short with five of their strongest line-up from last season missing, including their top scorer Dunky Kerr and internationalists Donald and Grant Irvine.
It is the biggest loss suffered by the Red and Blacks since their return to shinty’s top flight four seasons ago and leaves their new management team of Drew MacNeil and Fraser Mackenzie with some early season problems to solve.
GLENURQUHART’S 6-1 home defeat at the hands of Kyles Athletic in the Orion Group Premiership was the biggest shock on the third Saturday of the new season.
