'More and Kyles aim for cup final spot
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SCOTTISH Hydro Camanachd Cup holders Newtonmore take old adversaries Kyles Athletic at Mossfield Park Oban tomorrow in the second semi-final of the sport’s most prestigious trophy.
With Inveraray safely through, there is the opportunity for Kyles to make it the first all-South final since 1983 when Kyles met Strachur.
Newtonmore, however, start as favourites as Norman MacArthur and his squad build a momentum towards a league and cup double. With the MacTavish Cup already in the locker, that would give ‘More their most productive season in decades.
MacArthur hopes to name a full squad with talisman Danny MacRae slowly returning to peak fitness.
Kyles manager Norman MacDonald and coach James Perlich have taken the squad to the brink of the Premiership title once again, although ‘More remain favourites to retain it.
Therefore, the Camanachd Cup is Kyles last chance of silverware and Mossfield’s excellent playing surface will provide the perfect platform for their free running, pacey, forward line.
Last year’s win saw Newtonmore emerge from a quarter of a century in the Camanachd Cup wilderness and with the weight of expectation now off the club, they will go into tomorrow’s match in a relaxed frame of mind.
Kyles, third in the all-time winners list, have failed to win the trophy in almost 20 years and they are now the club under pressure to move on from the past.
The match will go out live at 4.05pm tomorrow on BBC Alba.
In the Orion Premiership, former title holders Fort William and Kingussie play a meaningless end of season match with just club pride at stake — quite a turnaround for these proud clubs who until as recently as five years ago enjoyed some epic battles for the league title.
In the Glenurquhart versus Lovat clash at Blairbeg, there is also little at stake other than club pride. The Glen will be motivated to avenge a 5-1 defeat by Lovat earlier in the season, but with next Saturday’s MacAulay Cup final at the back of their minds, they will be anxious to stay free of injury and suspension.
One player likely to receive a frosty reception from the Lovat squad will be former player James MacPherson as he faces his former team mates for the first time since he jumped ship to join the Glen in mid-season. MacPherson has been a useful acquisition for the Glen and has become a regular scorer, hitting a hat-trick against Kyles two weeks ago.
Bute will be relegated unless they get maximum points from the visit of Inveraray, who need just one point to avoid being demoted.
In the Marine Harvest leagues, Strathglass face title chasing Lochaber in a noon throw-up at Cannich in North Division One, while Inverness, second from bottom, entertain Lochcarron, who sit just one place above them in the table.
The match of the day in this league is Portree where Beauly are the visitors. Skye remain Lochaber’s only credible challengers and will be confident of taking both points at the expense of an inconsistent Beauly side.
This is Beauly’s first outing since the disappointment of losing in the Balliemore final last month and much interest will be on how the players react to that. Joint managers Iain Morrison and Steve MacLean have reported a strong, positive reaction from the squad and a win over Skye would be the perfect antidote to the Balliemore blues.
In the lower leagues Lochaber and Kingussie battled out a 3 - 3 draw in their North Division Two clash earlier this week — a result that does little to help Lochaber’s position at the foot of the table.
Meanwhile, Beauly will be confirmed as champions of North Division Three if they can take a point or more form the visit of Lewis Camanachd.
Elsewhere Strathglass lost their midweek clash with Caberfeidh, going down 5 - 2 at home to the Strathpeffer side.
