Tricky opening in store for 'More
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NEWTONMORE begin the defence of their Orion Group Premiership title with a home fixture against Lochaber on Saturday.
This could well prove a tricky hurdle for Paul John MacKintosh’s double winners.
Runners-up Lovat will hope to continue their good run of results against 2012 Camanachd Cup winners Kyles Athletic, who make the long journey north to Kiltarlity.
Lovat took three points off Kyles last year with their final match being a 1-1 draw when the Tighnabruaich men visited Balgate in mid-October.
Glenurquhart, fresh from two impressive pre-season wins against North Division One opponents Skye and Strathglass, welcome Kinlochshiel to Blairbeg Park where Glen took the points last year in a 3-1 win in June.
This was one of two wins in three fixtures last year against the Wester Ross outfit who will have Colin Fraser in charge after Johnston Gill stepped down as manager.
Kingussie begin their campaign at The Winterton against Inveraray and will be hoping their good pre-season will place them in good stead for this difficult encounter against last year’s third-place finishers.
In National Division One, four North v South fixtures make up the card.
Fort William will be expected to take care of Glenorchy at An Aird, while Fort’s rivals from across Loch Linnhe, Kilmallie journey south to Rothesay to face Balliemore Cup holders Bute, who usually show up well on their own pitch.
Many have tipped Fort William and Kilmallie to be the front-runners in the race for the title and the sole promotion spot.
Beauly, with new manager Roger Cormack at the helm, begin their quest for glory against Glasgow Mid Argyll at Braeview Park and, while the threat of the 2013 South Division One champions cannot be underestimated, Beauly should have the firepower necessary to get their campaign off to a winning start. At nearby Strathpeffer, Oban Camanachd provide the opposition for an emerging Caberfeidh side who have the potential to make the start to Oban’s season a miserable one.
This will be only the second time since a national premier league has been in existence that Oban have competed outwith the top level.
North Division One favourites Skye should not have trouble accounting for Beauly reserves in Portree, while Strathglass will look for a home win when the second string of neighbours Lovat take to the field at Cannich.
Inverness have the toughest of the five former North Division Two sides to face up to when champions Newtonmore reserves travel to the Highland Capital.
Making up the North Division One schedule is the meeting of the reserve teams of Kingussie and Glenurquhart at The Dell.
