'Shiel eyeing chance to send Kings spinning
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IT’S quarter-final day in the RBS MacTavish Cup on Saturday with Kinlochshiel’s clash with Kingussie at Kirkton being the only all-Premiership affair.
Kings, the 2011 winners, held the upper hand over ’Shiel last season, winning both league encounters.
However, ’Shiel sent them crashing out of the MacAulay Cup at the first round stage before Kings engineered ’Shiel’s exit from the Camanachd Cup.
Holders Lovat begin the defence of their trophy against 2010 finalists Kilmallie at Canal Park in a 4pm throw-up.
These teams met in the semi-final last year with Lovat defeating their then North Division One opponents 2-1 after a closely-fought contest.
Lovat are in a rich vein of form and with seven wins from seven games played to date, will take some stopping.
Glenurquhart, who endured the agony of losing to Lovat in last year’s final after a penalty shoot-out, have home advantage over a buoyant Caberfeidh side who are showing up well in Marine Harvest National Division One and will travel to Drumnadrochit with two recent victories under their belts.
Cabers will test their Premiership opponents to the full, however Glen should have what it takes to book a place in the last four.
Newtonmore, who lifted this trophy in 2012, meet Beauly at The Eilean where the Green and Whites will be hoping to spring a surprise result. The teams last met on competitive business in the second round of the Camanachd Cup in June 2012 when ’More cruised to a 7-0 victory at home. A ’More victory of this magnitude seems unlikely this time around.
In the newly-introduced MacTavish Plate competition, which has not met with widespread approval, two quarter-finals are scheduled.
Strathglass will do well to end Fort William’s interest in Cannich, whilst in Portree, Skye will be aiming to prevent Lochaber registering their first win of the year.
With all of the cup action, only one fixture features on North Division One card.
Inverness meet Glenurquhart’s second team at the Bught and should pick up both points to move from second bottom place to joint third alongside Kingussie reserves.
In the restructured Balliemore Cup, Lochcarron are fellow North Division Two side Aberdeen University’s hosts at Battery Park.
