Lovat's MacKay treading disciplinary tightrope
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INDISCIPLINE reared its ugly head on Saturday leaving three clubs counting the cost and two facing possible further sanctions from the Camanachd Association.
In an explosive Marine Harvest National Division match at Dalmally, both Glenorchy and Caberfeidh finished the match with nine players, perilously close to the minimum number of eight allowed before the referee would be forced to call abandonment.
Match official David Stafford sent the Cabers trio of Liam Symonds, Jack Pilcher and Blair Morrison for an early bath, while the Glen’s Duncan Smith, Fulton Ronald and Kieran Gallagher suffered a similar fate.
While the six players each face a minimum suspension of two games, it seems inevitable that the clubs will face a behaviour in sport disciplinary committee hearing that could impose further sanctions.
That the Caberfeidh trio are all under 20 years of age will be of particular concern to the ruling body, who have vowed to clamp down hard on player misbehaviour.
Despite six players seeing red, the match did finish with Cabers running out 2-1 winners to move into third place in the table.
Meanwhile, Lovat endured a calamitous 90 minutes that left their Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup dreams in tatters.
There could be further bad news for Lovat as a key player picked up a bizarre booking which leaves him walking a suspension tightrope with the MacTavish Cup final less than two week’s away.
Lovat’s 2-1 home defeat by Kingussie in the second round of the Camanachd Cup came as a huge disappointment to the Balgate fans, but Lorne MacKay’s booking for swearing following an exchange of views with team boss Alan MacRae means he will have to avoid further trouble if he wants to help his side to retain the trophy against Glenurquhart on Saturday 21st June.
MacKay missed the 2013 final through suspension and his absence would be a huge blow for the Kiltarlity club, who are already struggling with an ever-lengthening injury list.
Hopes were high in the Lovat camp that this would be their time and a 61-year Camanachd Cup hoodoo could finally be ended, but instead it was Kingussie who summoned up their famous cup-winning tradition to produce a performance full of desire and commitment that ultimately fashioned a deserved victory.
A hamstring injury kept Lovat’s top scorer Greg Matheson out of the match and his brother Jamie was also unavailable with a back problem.
Kingussie started without Fraser Munro, but it was the Badenoch side that made the more confident start with Thomas Borthwick opening the scoring in the fourth minute when Lovat goalkeeper Stuart MacDonald allowed his long range strike to squirm through his legs.
Kingussie are chasing their first Camanachd Cup success since 2006 and they continued to set the pace. As the Lovat defence began to wilt ,a Borthwick shot then struck the post.
MacDonald redeemed himself with a series of fine saves, but was powerless to stop Kingussie doubling their advantage in the 64th minute through Savio Genini.
Lovat made a belated fight back and with 10 minutes remaining Kevin Bartlett fashioned an opening but watched in anguish as his strike sailed wide of the mark.
With just a minute remaining, Bartlett did reduce the leeway and in a dramatic finale, Lovat substitute Iain Nicholson missed a glorious opportunity to level the tie and force a replay.
Kingussie, however, held on to book their place in the quarter-finals where they have a home match against Kyles Athletic.
Inveraray made light work of their passage through to the last eight of the competition as they hammered Inverness 61 in the Highland capital.
The hosts opened the scoring through Martin Davidson in the fourth minute, but goals by Dave MacPherson, Neil Campbell and Chris Crawford put the Royal Burgh side in command at the interval.
A second half hat trick from Peter MacIntyre completed the scoring to set up an all-Premiership quarter-final clash with Glenurquhart.
GLENURQUHART’S three-match winning run in the Orion Premiership came to an end as they went down 1-0 to Kyles at Tighnabruaich with Roddy MacDonald striking in the fourth minute.
Reigning champions Newtonmore extended their lead to three points after a 2 -1 triumph over basement club Lochaber.
Liam Mullender struck midway through the first half for ‘More, but Lochaber drew level five minutes after the break with Donald MacRae on target.
A goal on the hour mark from Glen MacKintosh proved to be decisive for the champions, leaving Lochaber still chasing their first league win of the season and with just six games left to escape the drop.
At Invergarry, Fort William became the first-ever winners of the RBS MacTavish Cup Plate competition following an extra time 2-1 win over Skye. Gordy MacKinnon was the toast of the town, scoring both his side’s goals.
Beauly and Lovat were surprise winners in the quarter-finals of the Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup following close victories over Kingussie and Glenurquhart respectively.
Beauly player/manager Stephen MacLean was the hero for the Greens as he scored in the dying minutes to knock holders Kingussie out curtesy of a 3-2 success, while Lovat’s Tom Fraser hit a hat-trick to secure a 4-3 win at Glenurquhart.
In North Division One, Strathglass’ title bid looks to be over after they crashed to a 3-1 defeat to Newtonmore.
