Lovat blow championship chance
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IN the most decisive weekend of the 2014 Orion Premiership campaign, Lovat squandered a glorious opportunity in their bid for the title when they lost 3-1 to Kyles Athletic.
Ahead of their clash with Kyles at Tighnabruaich the Kiltarlity side’s championship hopes were given a massive boost when Kingussie edged out Newtonmore 3-2 in a thrilling Badenoch derby the previous evening.
That result put Lovat in a favourable position to win the title if they took maximum points from their last three matches, including the decider against Newtonmore in little under two weeks’ time.
But Saturday’s disastrous result means that even if they beat ‘More and then round off their season with a victory over Kingussie, Newtonmore would almost certainly take the league crown by virtue of their vastly superior goal difference advantage that Lovat would find almost impossible to overhaul.
The loss to Kyles has left Lovat counting the cost of a calamitous few weeks which has seen them glean just three points from their last four league matches.
If the semi-final defeat against Newtonmore in the Macaulay Cup and a loss at home to Kingussie in the Camanachd Cup is added, it has undoubtedly been a shattering period for the club.
Lovat travelled south minus their manager Alan MacRae, who was away on Commonwealth Games duty, and half of their regular strike force with Kevin Bartlett and Lorne MacKay unavailable. With Drew Howie still sidelined by injury, this was almost a shadow of the side which had performed so impressively earlier in the season.
Kyles edged a closely fought first half and pulled in front with Roddy MacDonald scoring in the 34th minute. Lovat’s hopes faded on the hour mark with Dunkie Kerr doubling the home side’s advantage.
Lovat continued to make a fight of it, however, and their tenacity was rewarded in the 85th minute when Fraser Gallagher scored, but MacDonald had the final say with a strike in the final minute.
Glenurquhart rounded off their season with a 3-3 draw at Kirkton as Kinlochshiel grabbed a single point that almost certainly assures the Wester Ross club of their fourth successive season in shinty’s elite league.
But the Glen, who have finished the season strongly with an unbeaten run that has seen them take six points from their last four matches, will be kicking themselves for twice letting a lead slip.
Fraser Heath hit the opener in the sixth minute and ‘Shiel’s day went from bad to worse when their top player Finlay MacRae deflected the ball beyond his own goalkeeper to double the Glen’s advantage.
Kinlochshiel’s fight back began in earnest on the hour mark when Keith MacRae atoned for his big brother’s mistake with a goal to reduce the leeway. Youngster Duncan MacRae then levelled four minutes later, but with 10 minutes remaining Neale Reid swooped to restore the Glen’s lead.
Gordie MacDonald, however, continued his impressive contribution since recovering from injury with an almost instant reply to restore parity.
The match marked the end of the Glen’s 2014 league campaign and they have now leapfrogged Lovat into second place in the table, although their lofty perch is likely to come under pressure with Lovat and even Kingussie capable of finishing above them.
Down at the bottom, the point moves ‘Shiel two points ahead of bottom club Lochaber, who will now need to win at Kyles Athletic by a substantial scoreline, although that game will become irrelevant if Kinlochshiel take a point from Saturday’s home clash with Kyles.
The dream of a first Sutherland Cup final between rivals Beauly and Lovat is over after both experienced defeats in the semi-finals with Fort William and Kyles respectively winning through to the televised final set for Newtonmore on Saturday 30th August.
Beauly were left to rue a sluggish start that saw them trail to goals from Ryan Campbell and Scott Knox, but veteran Jamie MacLennan reduced the deficit and youth player Robbie Brindle then struck the equaliser.
Despite mounting such an impressive comeback, the Braeview Park side slackened their grip on the match and Knox punished them with the winning goal 20 minutes from time to complete a 3-2 victory.
Lovat fell to a similar scoreline at Ballachulish’ s Jubilee Park where luck appeared to have deserted the Kiltarlity side as they had two goals chalked off and also failed with a penalty conversion.
Kyles won through to their second final in three years courtesy of goals by Roddy MacColl (two) and Matt MacColl. Lovat’s scorers were Tom Fraser and Danny Kelly.
In the Marine Harvest Leagues, Fort William tightened their grip on the National Division title with a 5-1 home win over Beauly, although Kilmallie kept in touch following a 4-0 success at Dalmally over Glenorchy.
Skye also closed in on the North Division One title following a 9-1 thumping of Inverness and now two wins from their remaining five matches would see them secure the title and become the north’s representatives in the National Division promotion play-off.
Caberfeidh became the first league winners of the season when Strathspey’s 2-1 win over Lewis ended the islanders outside chance of pipping the Strathpeffer side to the championship.
