Lovat thrash Inverness to progress in MacTavish
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LOVAT rediscovered their scoring touch on Saturday as they trounced Inverness 11-0 in the first round of the Co-operative MacTavish Cup.
Strikers Kevin Bartlett and Greg Matheson both ended their goals drought in emphatic style, grabbing eight between them. Bartlett struck five and Matheson hit a hat-trick as the gulf between the sides quickly became evident.
Inverness were in trouble as early as the first minute as Lovat opened through Lorne MacKay. The goals kept flooding in at regular intervals as MacKay bagged his second and Lewis Tawse got in on the act with a goal in the 11th minute.
By the time the interval came around, Lovat were seven to the good with their place in round two a formality.
Inverness, without influential midfielder Sorley MacDonald, had no answer to Lovat’s rampaging form and they will now face Lochaber in the second round.
Beauly are also through following a 3-1 win over Strathglass at Braeview. Barrie MacDonald fired the greens into the lead in the 13th minute, but as half time approached Michael Stokes levelled for the Claret and Blues.
The hosts had the better of the second half and in the 65th minute William Ferguson finished off a neat move to beat the Strath goalkeeper from close range. Marc MacLachlan then sealed the tie for Beauly, who will now play Kilmallie in round two, with a strike in injury-time at the end of the match.
Strath manager Calum Duff could find himself in trouble with the Camanachd Association after he became involved in a heated discussion with referee Innes Wood at the end of the match.
Referee Wood showed Duff a red card and now he will await his punishment as the sport’s disciplinary committee study the contents of Wood’s report on the incident.
Caberfeidh put up a dogged resistance against Premier Division side Kinlochshiel before a late surge by the Wester Ross outfit clinched a 5-0 victory.
Finlay MacRae gave ‘Shiel the lead in the fifth minute, but Cabers hung on before an uncharacteristic collapse saw them concede four goals in the final 20 minutes.
John MacRae struck a hat-trick and a Donald Nixon goal in the 90th minute completed the scoring as Kinlochshiel booked a tie away to Glenurquhart in the next stage of the competition.
Both sides of the Badenoch ‘Old Firm’ had narrow escapes before making it through to meet each other in round two.
Holders Newtonmore struck at the death to take their clash with Fort William into extra-time where they pulled away with goals from Danny MacRae and Fraser MacKintosh to clinch a 5-3 win over Fort William.
Earlier, Fort William had built a 3-1 lead with goals from Duncan Rodger and a brace from Garry Innes. Newtonmore, however, were kept in the game by a 45th minute goal from John MacKenzie and a Danny MacRae strike midway through the second half. MacKenzie’s last gasp goal saw the record holders of the trophy escape by the skin of their teeth.
Kingussie also looked to be doomed against Skye as they trailed to a 79th minute Neil MacVicar goal, but Fraser Munro converted a free hit with the last move of the 90 minutes. Extra time remained deadlocked before Kingussie seized their opportunity, winning the penalty shootout 3-2.
It has taken five matches, but Glenurquhart are finally on the winning trail following a 2-1 triumph over Oban Camanachd in an Orion Premiership clash at Drumnadrochit.
It was a struggle for the Glen who never remotely looked like repeating last season’s 6-0 MacAulay Cup final win over the Oban side.
Early goals from Neale Reid and Liam Girvan gave the Glen the perfect start, but Scott MacMillan drew one back for the visitors in the 35th minute to set up an uncomfortable second half for the Blairbeg faithful.
Inveraray are the surprise leaders of the Premiership after a 3-1 win against early pace-setters Kyles Athletic.
The result goes some way to avenging Inveraray’s agonising 6-5 Camanachd Cup final defeat at the hands of their Argyllshire rivals just seven months ago.
Lewis McNicol gave the Royal Burgh side the lead midway through the first half and new recruit Peter MacIntyre doubled their advantage on the stroke of half-time.
In an even second 45 minutes, player/manager Garry MacPherson secured the points with a strike in the 71st minute. Thom Whyte hit a 90th minuter consolation for the Tighnabruaich side.
Meanwhile, Glenurquhart and Lovat continue to hod sway at the top of the Marine Harvest North Division Two after victories over Kinlochshiel and Kingussie respectively.
