Lovat and Glen aiming to maintain winning start
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
LOVAT fans who have been savouring their team’s fine win over champions Newtonmore will be hoping for more of the same against Kilmallie in the Orion Group Premiership at Canal Parks tomorrow.
Coach Alan MacRae has spent the week keeping a lid on the euphoria that followed the 3-1 win over Newtonmore as past results against the Lochaber side suggest that Lovat will not find it easy.
Lovat hope to be at full strength, although Ryan Ferguson, who missed the Newtonmore match, will be added to the squad, while Kilmallie have forward Michael Roger on his way back from suspension.
Glenurquhart are at home to Inveraray and will be confident of picking up their second win in succession.
Forwards Neale Reid and Rhuaridh Cameron missed the win over Kilmallie and face a fitness test ahead of the Inveraray match.
Reid was the Glen’s top scorer last season and manager Drew MacNeil will be keen to have him back to partner the powerful John Barr up front.
It is very early days, but the sight of Newtonmore and Kingussie propping up shinty’s top league will have been met with disbelief in Badenoch.
Newtonmore seek redemption from their Lovat nightmare at the Meadows in Rothesay and Norman MacArthur’s side will be have to be at their liveliest to subdue the newly-promoted Bute.
For Kingussie, defeat on the opening day against Kinlochshiel will have come as a shock and they face Kyles Athletic at the Dell in a bid to get their season back on track.
In the final match, Kinlochshiel, on cloud nine after their sensational win over Kingussie, entertain Fort William and will be quietly confident of maintaining their winning start to the season.
In the Marine Harvest leagues, the North Division One match of the day is at Spean Bridge where Skye are the visitors.
Strathglass open their season at home to Inverness and with Robert Geddes back in the Cannich dugout, fans of the Claret and Blues will be anticipating an upturn in their fortunes.
Inverness lost their opening match of the season, but look to have improved since last season. The key could be the striking partnership between James Cameron and new recruit Sorley MacDonald, which showed promise against Beauly last Saturday.
Beauly are up against the league’s dark horses Lochcarron, who proved their credentials with a draw against Lochaber in their opening match.
