Lovat facing crucial match
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WITH the memory of last Saturday’s dramatic Camanachd Cup final still fresh in the mind, Newtonmore manager Norman MacArthur switches his attention to the retention of the Scottish Hydro Premier Division.
Trailing current league leaders Kyles Athletic by two points, the reigning champions have no room for error as they face relegation-threatened Inveraray at the Eilan.
The Royal Burgh side took MacArthur’s men to extra-time in their Camanachd Cup semi-final earlier on this season and will be fighting for their Premier Division survival.
There are four matches scheduled in shinty’s top league and only the Glenorchy versus Kingussie match at Dalmally is a match with nothing at stake.
Lovat face Kilmallie at Canal Parks in a rearranged match after their original game was cancelled when Kilmallie’s pitch was waterlogged. With heavy rain during the week, however, the match is under threat again.
With their recent game against Glenorchy also a victim of an unplayable field, Lovat have had a frustrating time as they battle for the points that would ensure their Premier Division status for another season.
"It is hard to deal with when you do all the preparation only for the match to be cancelled on a Saturday morning," said Lovat manager James Gallagher.
"Buses have to be unbooked and also some of the players have had to give up shifts for the match. Maybe it is time for the Association to step in and move the game to a different, playable, venue."
With Kilmallie not free of relegation trouble themselves, it is unlikely that they would agree to moving the fixture.
Gallagher is targeting the Kilmallie match for at least a point and estimates that his side needs at least three points from their remaining three matches to reach safety.
"I think it is between us and Inveraray as Oban have three of their last four games at home," he said.
"Inveraray are away to Newtonmore and Kyles, which will be difficult for them, although they should get the points against Glenorchy.
"They have a better goal difference than us, so we need to take one more point than them from our last three games."
Lovat’s hopes of victory over Kilmallie have been strengthened with the news from Canal Parks where Kilmallie have been hit by a massive double injury blow. Talismanic striker John Stewart is likely to miss out as he recovers form a broken finger, while his brother Martin is also out with a broken leg.
Gallagher, however, has his own selection problems to deal with as Euan Ferguson is unavailable and Fraser Gallagher is likely to miss the rest of the season as he recovers from a serious bout of food poisoning.
There is some good news though with Drew Howie in the squad as he starts his comeback from a knee ligament injury sustained against Fort William at the start of the season.
Howie came through a light workout on Sunday when he took part in a challenge match against a team of Californians who are visiting Scotland.
In the final game, Oban Camanachd entertain league leaders Kyles in what is certain to be an exciting match with both teams in desperate need of the points.
In the Marine Harvest leagues, the North Division One encounter between Lochaber and Lochcarron at Spean Bridge brings the curtain down on the season, while in North Division Two Glenurquhart will be watching with interest for the result from the Kinlochshiel versus Kilmallie match where a victory for the latter would set up a relegation decider against the Glen at Canal Parks. Loose or draw tomorrow, however, and Kilmallie take the drop into North Division Three.
