Lovat prevail in cup cracker with Glen
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GLENURQUHART’S tenure as Artemis MacAulay Cup holders is over after they lost 4-2 to Premiership rivals Lovat in a dramatic match at Balgate.
The Glen’s defence of the trophy got off to the best possible start when Neale Reid fired them ahead after just seven minutes.
The visitors were good value for their lead and had the best of the opening exchanges before Lovat gradually gained a foothold in the match.
Five minutes before half-time, Martin Mainland grabbed a lifeline for the home side as he scored his first goal of the season.
The match was turning into an absorbing struggle and midway through the second half Glenurquhart’s David Smart edged his side in front.
But Lovat responded positively and in a sensational four minute spell, scored three goals to dump the holders out of the competition.
The first came in 75th minute from top scorer Greg Matheson, before Kevin Bartlett struck a minute later to put Lovat ahead for the first time.
Only a further two minutes had subsided when Matheson hit his second and there was no way back for a shell-shocked Glenurquhart.
Lovat will now face Kinlochshiel for a place in the north section final after the Wester Ross side enjoyed an equally dramatic win at Kingussie.
Kingussie grabbed an early advantage when Louis Munro scored in the seventh minute, but ‘Shiel were back on level terms five minutes later, Keith MacRae on target.
Six minutes before half-time, Gordie MacDonald put Kinlochshiel in front to leave the tie on a knife edge.
Fraser Munro restored parity for Kingussie seven minutes after the restart and then scored again in the 75th minute as the Badenoch side homed in on place in the last four.
Kinlochshiel, however, had other ideas as MacDonald grabbed an equaliser a minute later and then completed his hat-trick in the final minute to end Kingussie’s interest in the tournament.
On the other side of the draw, Newtonmore and Fort William are through at the expense of Lochaber and Kilmallie respectively.
But competition favourites Newtonmore struggled to subdue a lively Lochaber side whose fighting qualities kept the match scoreless for almost an hour.
And even after Fraser MacKintosh had fired ‘More into the lead, the outcome remained in the balance until a treble from Danny MacRae and a late strike by Glen MacKintosh put them into the next round where they will face Fort William.
The Fort put their league problems behind them as they enjoyed an emphatic 4-1 win over rivals Kilmallie.
Goal-less at the interval, Fort William dominated the second half with Gary Innes scoring twice and Daniel Stewart also on target. Kilmallie defender Iain Robertson put through his own net before Mark Graham scored a late consolation for the area league side.
Two first round ties in the south section failed to go ahead as a result of waterlogged pitches, but Inveraray and Oban Camanachd are through after comfortable wins over Glasgow Mid Argyll and Glenorchy, who had John MacNulty and Alex MacPherson both red carded, respectively.
Meanwhile, Beauly are through to the last 16 of the Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup and a home tie against Oban Camanachd following a 5-2 win over Strathglass.
The build-up for both sides was disrupted by player unavailability with the Strath perhaps worst affected as had regular goalkeeper Steve MacLachlan absent.
Josh Grant (17), loaned to the Cannich club at the start of the season by Beauly, was drafted in to keep goal and played a stormer with several crucial saves.
Darren Reid opened the scoring for Strathglass in the 12th minute, but Beauly were not to be denied and stormed into a 3-1 courtesy of Ross Forbes, Calum Morrison and Sean Stewart all striking in a devastating five minute spell.
Forbes increased the home side’s lead with a strike in the 52nd minute, but the Strath, who had lost top scorer Robert Geddes to a first half injury, then found their best form and in the 65th minute forced a penalty with Ally MacAdams converting.
There was to be no dramatic fightback by Strathglass, however, and Beauly ended the match as a contest with a Barrie MacDonald goal in the 83rd minute.
In Marine Harvest North Division One, Inverness were beaten 5-0 by Skye, who consolidate their place in the top three.
Elsewhere, Skye moved to the top of North Division Two following a stunning 8-1 win over Fort William, but fellow title contenders Glenurquhart and Lovat could not a muster a goal between them as they shared the points at Blairbeg.
Beauly produced the shock result of the day, beating Glengarry 3-2 at Craigard Park, while Newtonmore won the Badenoch derby with a 4-1 win over Kingussie.
