Lovat look to maintain title push
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LOVAT continue their quest for the Orion Premiership championship tomorrow when they face Glenurquhart for the first time since that dramatic triumph over their close rivals in last month’s RBS MacTavish Cup final.
The pressure is on the Kiltarlity side to take both points tomorrow as the battle at the top intensifies, but they face a Glen side buoyed by progressing to the semi-finals of the Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup and intent on avenging that MacTavish Cup humbling.
Lovat were idle last Saturday as Glenurquhart were involved in a tough struggle to overcome Inveraray in the Camanachd Cup quarter-final.
The enforced lay-off has been welcomed by the Kiltarlity side, allowing several players more time to recover from injury. Top scorer Greg Matheson is suffering from hamstring damage and a knee problem picked up in the MacTavish Cup final, but should be ready to face the Glen. Kevin Bartlett is missing through suspension.
For Glenurquhart, the victory over Inveraray has transformed a season that was in danger of petering out.
Co-manager Billy MacLean, reflecting on the semi-final draw which pairs the Glen with Skye, insists that it is now the job of himself and Dave Menzies to manage expectations.
"We could fall into the trap of underestimating Skye given that they play two divisions below us," he said.
"But they took us to extra-time in the MacTavish earlier in the season and the way they disposed of Kilmallie last Saturday shows they are a side to be reckoned with.
"We have a month to prepare for that match, but I think it is important to go into tomorrow’s match with the right attitude. Anything less and, as we know from experience, Lovat will punish you."
The Glen, who have endured a difficult time with injury to key players, may choose to rest full back John Barr, who has yet to recover fully from a hamstring problem. Barr played at full forward against Inveraray, but is thought to be some way short of full fitness. Midfielder Dave MacLennan begins a two-match suspension.
Meanwhile, Lovat’s title rivals Newtonmore have four games of their programme left, all of them away from home. They start their run-in at Kirkton tomorrow where relegation-threatened Kinlochshiel are battling for their Premiership survival.
Newtonmore, chasing their fifth successive Premiership title, go into the match as clear favourites and have developed the knack of grinding out victories when the chips are down.
For their part, Kinlochshiel are desperate to stay in the top league and even a point from this encounter would be welcome and create clear water between themselves and bottom side Lochaber.
Kinlochshiel are slowly returning to full strength and long-term injury victims Paul MacRae and Gordie MacDonald, who have missed most of the season, made a welcome return last Saturday.
The final match is a re-run of last Saturday’s Camanachd Cup quarter-final clash between Kingussie and Kyles Athletic with the fixture reversed to Tighnabruaich.
Kyles are still smarting from that defeat, but manager Norman MacDonald will want his troops to refocus quickly given that they still need points to avoid being sucked into a relegation dog fight. He adds Roberto Zavaroni to last Saturday’s squad.
Elsewhere, the battle lines for the title in the Marine Harvest National Division have yet to be clearly formed given the disparity in the number of games played.
Fort William have played just five matches, while second place Beauly have eleven encounters already under their belt. Beauly are idle tomorrow, as are league leaders Oban Camanachd, but title-chasing rivals Kilmallie and Fort William are both in action.
The Fort are in Rothesay and will be favourites against Bute, although Kilmallie could be in danger when they take on Caberfeidh at Castle Leod.
The Canalsiders will be without influential duo Peter Carmichael and Michael Rodgers, both red carded against Skye last Saturday. Duncan Kelly’s side cannot afford a further slip after losing 5-1 to Fort William in their last league outing.
In the area leagues, there are three attractive matches in North Division One and Strathglass can go top if they overcome Beauly colts at Braeview.
There is a basement tussle between Inverness and Lovat at Bught Park with the hosts two points ahead of the Kiltarlity side and looking to finish their season off with a move into the top half of the table, while Glenurquhart face Kingussie with both sides comfortably placed in mid-table.
The match of the day in the south is at Taynuilt in Argyllshire where Ballachulish and Skye clash in the final of the Balliemore Cup.
Underdogs Ballachulish are bidding to become the first team to win both the Sutherland Cup and the Balliemore Cup in consecutive years.
Skye, for their part, find themselves in the unlikely position of chasing the Balliemore and Camanachd Cups, although the former looks to be the more realistic target.
The game starts at 2.30pm and will go to extra-time and penalties if necessary.
