Lovat face long wait to play crucial game
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John MacNulty opened the scoring for the hosts, but it was a familiar tale for the Dalmally side, who have scored just five goals while conceding 94 in what has been a difficult campaign in shinty’s top flight.
Doubles from John Barr and Liam Girvan sealed the points that hoist the Glen up to fourth in the table, which could see them achieve their best finish in the Premier Division, although Kingussie can overhaul them if they win their final match of the season.
Glenurquhart have finished their season with a flourish and followed up their defeat of Oban Camanachd with a 4-1 victory over Glenorchy.
‘More, who need to close the goal difference gap between themselves and Kyles, were expected to score heavily in the second period, but Oban dug in to thwart them, although MacKintosh did manage his fourth goal in the final minute.
Newtonmore were quickly into their stride and Camanachd Cup final hero Danny MacRae cracked in the opener in the 10th minute. Glen MacKintosh converted a penalty nine minutes later and added two more goals before the interval, while Oban had David MacInnes red carded in a disappointing first half for them.
Oban crashed to their second defeat in successive matches as Newtonmore, who look to be finding their best form at exactly the right time, pulled level with league leaders Kyles Athletic.
The defeat for Oban also means that Kilmallie are safe, leaving the relegation dogfight to be settled between Oban, Lovat and Inveraray, who each have one match left to play. Oban trail their rivals by a point, but have a home fixture against Kilmallie in their favour.
There was some good news for Lovat, however, when relegation-threatened Oban Camanachd were thumped 5-0 by reigning champions Newtonmore at the Eilan on Saturday.
A rescheduled date has yet to be confirmed, but with Kilmallie also due to play Oban Camanachd, Lovat’s game against the Caol side could be delayed until as late as 19th November.
Pressure is now mounting on the Camanachd Association to step in and order the match to be transferred to a more suitable venue.
Good weather in midweek had held out the promise that the encounter would finally go ahead, but those hopes were dashed by heavy rain on Friday.
The saga of their crucial relegation clash with Kilmallie continued on Saturday when, for the fourth time, the match was postponed after Kilmallie’s Canal Parks pitch was deemed unplayable.
Lovat were also victims of the weather and are now looking at a delay of up to a month or more before they will know their fate in this year’s Premier Division.
Kingussie and Kyles made the long journey to Oban only to be told that Mossfield was unplayable after heavy rain in the morning. Mossfield had been chosen as an alternative after Kyles’ pitch was ruled out earlier that week.
CHAOS reigned on Saturday when only two of the four scheduled matches in the Scottish Hydro Premier Division went ahead.
