SHINTY: Beauly lose fight against relegation after late strike sends them down
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Beauly’s stay in shinty’s Premiership will be a short-lived one after defeat to Kingussie on Saturday confirmed their relegation.
The Braeview Park outfit stepped up to the top flight for the time in their history for 2023, and started the campaign brilliantly – winning four out of their opening six matches.
Since then, though, things have not been so rosy. Just one win in the next 11 games put them in danger of the drop, and their relegation was confirmed on Saturday after losing 2-1 to title favourites Kingussie.
Finlay MacLennan had given Beauly the lead, only for Savio Genini to quickly equalise. Ruaridh Anderson then scored a winner for the Kings in the 87th minute.
At the other end of the table, Newtonmore and Kyles Athletic each kept the pressure on Kingussie in the title race with a 3-1 win over Glasgow Mid-Argyll and a 5-0 victory over Kinlochshiel respectively.
Skye, now safe from the drop, picked up a similarly convincing 4-0 win over Oban Camanacd.
In the National Division there was bad news for Strathglass, whose relegation was also confirmed after a 6-1 defeat at the hands of Kilmallie.
Rivals at the bottom Oban Celtic claimed a 2-2 draw against Lochaber.
The North Division One saw Inverness pick up a 4-3 win over Newtonmore, who have already been crowned 2023 champions.
Only one match went ahead in the North Division Two, with Boleskine coming from behind to claim a point against Aberdeen University in a 1-1 draw.