Mowi Premiership
Newtonmore 4
Lochaber 1
Newtonmore beat Lochaber 4-1 at the Eilan in the only Mowi Premiership match to go ahead.
Newtonmore’s Steve MacDonald was only fit enough to take a place on the bench, whilst injury continued to rule out Michael Russell. Conor Jones returned to the midfield.
Lochaber’s Shaun Nicolson was missing from the matchday squad, as was Pat Toal.
Newtonmore opted to play against a strong wind in the first half.
Iain Robinson gave Newtonmore the lead on 33 minutes, gathering a ball from Arron MacBean before moving to the right and seeing his initial strike blocked. Robinson went onto his left and hit a backhand strike into the top corner of the net to the keeper’s left.
It was Robinson again on the stroke of half-time. Iain Robinson first saw his shot saved with his foot by keeper Ali MacDonald, but Craig Ritchie picked up the resultant clearance and found Robinson to the right of the penalty spot and this time he shot over the keeper’s right shoulder.
The second half was just a couple of minutes old when Craig Ritchie took Drew MacDonald’s ball from the right and, at the second attempt, shot low into the net to make it 3-0.
Lochaber responded almost immediately when, three minutes later, Martin Johnstone’s ball forward fell kindly for Max Campbell in space at the front of ‘D’ and he finished well.
Cameron McNiven completed the scoring on 82 minutes. Iain Robinson and Craig Ritchie were involved in the lead-up play with McNiven’s turn and shot from the right of the ‘D’ making it 4-1.
Lochaber manager Ally Ferguson said: “We were up against a good Newtonmore side and the difference was when their half chances came along, they took them. I felt our team gave everything and we never gave up.
“Ali MacDonald in goals for us had some good saves and at the opposite end, Max Campbell gave Rory Kennedy something to think about.
“Conditions weren’t ideal for either side with a strong wind, rain and difficult underfoot conditions but they adapted better. Our hitting wasn’t the best at times and the goals either side of half-time were a blow. We had our chances, but we made errors which we got punished for.
“We are competing and we know the areas we need to continue to work on. We are creating chances and normally we would have scored more goals today.
“We will look back over the match in more detail, but I felt the game was closer than the scoreline reflects, although Newtonmore were worthy winners.”
Newtonmore co-manager Norman MacArthur said: “We didn’t have the same severe weather here as elsewhere. There was a strong wind in the first half, and we opted to play into it which worked well for us. The third goal should have settled us but Lochaber got one back straight away.
“Other than that blip, I thought our defence were well on top. Rory Kennedy was outstanding. He put in some shift given he had been unwell ahead of the game.
“Struan Ross had a good game at wing centre, but they all played their part in securing another two points.”
Skipper Drew MacDonald added: “It was a good team performance in very difficult conditions and we weren’t at full strength. In previous games, we have been poor in the second half, but I thought we were much better today so that’s a positive.
“It was important to win at all costs and keep trying to build momentum. There are no easy games this year so it’s important to keep training well and we’ll move onto next week with confidence.”
Iain Robinson took his goal count to four for the season but feels he should have had more. He said: “I’ve had plenty chances over the games but haven’t taken them. It doesn’t really matter too much though as long as the team is winning.
“We’ve had a poor start to the season by our standards, but we’re delighted with the win. We played well as a team and showed a bit more confidence in our play so hopefully we can push on from here.”
Oban Camanachd P
Glenurquhart P
Heavy overnight rain in Oban led to the postponement of the game between Oban Camanachd and Glenurquhart at Mossfield.
Oban Camanachd manager Gareth Evans said: “There was really heavy rainfall throughout the night with more rain forecast through late morning although, frustratingly, it never came.
“There was a strong wind and, who knows, the game might have been able to go ahead by the time 2.30pm came around. However, we had to be mindful of Glenurquhart who could have travelled all this way and if the morning rain had fallen as predicted, the game would have been a late call off.
“So we had a week off but still jumped a place in the league table following other results.”
It is Lovat next at Balgate in the Mowi Premiership for Oban Camanachd, who are sponsored by TSL Contractors.
Saturday’s postponement means the third game of Daniel MacCuish’s three-match suspension carries forward a week, so he misses the Lovat clash.
With several HIS Sutherland Cup first round ties rescheduled for this weekend, Mowi South Division 1 leaders Lochside Rovers are without a fixture for the second successive Saturday.
Skye Camanachd P
Kingussie P
Skye Camanachd’s 3pm meeting with league leaders Kingussie at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree, was called off on Saturday morning as overnight rain left the pitch unplayable.
Lovat P
Kinlochshiel P
The 3pm throw-up between Lovat and Kinlochshiel at Balgate was also called off because of an unplayable field.
Kyles Athletic P
Caberfeidh P
The wet weather meant the match between Kyles Athletic and Caberfeidh will have to rescheduled as the Playing Field, Tighnabruaich, was ruled unplayable on Friday afternoon.
Kyles players Innes Macdonald, broken foot; Cammy Keith, broken thumb; Will Cowie, knee, as well as Callum Millar will have a week longer to recover from injury, as will Caberfeidh’s Scott MacPhail.
Mowi National Division
Beauly P Bute P
League leaders Beauly and bottom side Bute were to meet in a 3pm throw-up at Braeview Park but the game was called off 24 hours earlier because of an unplayable pitch.
Fort William P
Oban Celtic P
Fort William’s meeting with Oban Celtic was another that fell to an unplayable pitch with An Aird failing an inspection.
Fort Willian have a second team derby at Kilmallie on Saturday, whilst Oban Celtic travel to league leaders Beauly.
Inveraray P
Kilmallie P
Inveraray and Kilmallie were to have a 3pm throw-up at the Winterton but the game was called off on Friday afternoon because of a waterlogged pitch.
Highland Industrial Supplies Sutherland Cup – first round
Section 1
Kingussie 3 Glenurquhart 1
The Kingussie colts beat the Glenurquhart colts 3-1 at the Dell.
All the goals came in the second half with Sven Pederson and Miko Berowski putting Kingussie two up. Oliver Black pulled a goal back five minutes from time, but Robert Shiells restored Kingussie’s two-goal cushion a couple of minutes later.
Boleskine 1
Inverness 2
The Inverness colts led Boleskine at Smith Park through Ruairidh Boag before Gary Marshall levelled from the penalty spot.
However, Skye MacIntosh sent Inverness through, making it 2-1 with 12 minutes remaining.
Inverness now host Kingussie in the second round.
Section 2
Lovat P Kinlochshiel P
The noon throw-up between the Lovat colts and the Kinlochshiel colts at Balgate was another weather casualty.
The winners travel to Beauly in the next round.
Caberfeidh P
Lewis Camanachd P
The noon throw-up between the Caberfeidh colts and Lewis Camanachd at Castle Leod was called off on Friday afternoon because of a waterlogged pitch.
The eventual winners travel to Skye in the next round.
Section 3
Kilmallie P Oban Celtic P
There was disappointment for the Kilmallie colts and the Oban Celtic colts when the Canal Park was deemed unplayable.
The winners welcome Lochside Rovers in the second round.
Scots Camanachd v Lochaber w/o
The Lochaber second team were given a walk-over when Forces side Scots Camanachd were unable to field a team for the tie.
Lochaber now have a derby meeting with Fort William at An Aird in the second round.
Mowi North Division 1
The Newtonmore second team came from behind to beat the Fort William second team 2-1 in their noon throw-up at the Kincraig.
Newtonmore’s Ross Haig and Fort William’s Struan Stephen both missed out through suspension.
With their first team game postponed, Fort William resisted the temptation to beef up their squad. Newtonmore’s Glen MacKintosh and Jamie Ross were unavailable, but Evan Menzies came into their side.
Fort William had a strong wind in their favour in the first half but Newtonmore made the better start. However, good saves by Stuart Disher in the visiting goal kept the first 45 minutes scoreless.
Fort William broke the deadlock on 68 minutes when Jack Kearney smashed the ball high into the net from the tightest of angles.
The visitors only stayed in front for three minutes though as Joe Coyle turned home a re-bound after Xander Ross had hit the post.
Xander Ross got the winner on 79 minutes, again from a re-bound after Stuart Disher made a top drawer save from Joe Coyle. It was one of several super saves from Disher during the second half.
Strathglass edged Glengarry 3-2 in their match at Craigard.
Seth Jones cancelled out Nick Dalgety’s opening goal for Glengarry. Steven Hyslop and Penri Jones had Strathglass 3-1 up and although Steven Cameron pulled a goal back five minutes from time, the visitors took the points.
The noon throw-up between the Beauly seconds and the Skye Camanachd seconds at Braeview Park was called off as the pitch was unplayable.
All throw-ups were at 2.30pm unless the match report states differently.
Women’s Camanachd Association
There were a limited number of Women’s Camanachd Association fixtures played over the weekend.
WCA Mowi National Division
The match between Glenurquhart and Kinlochshiel was switched from Blairbeg to Kirkton with a 2pm throw-up on Saturday.
Kinlochshiel led 3-0 at the break and ran out 8-1 winners. Lexi MacKenzie scored four times, whilst Lorna MacRae and Eilidh MacInnes added doubles. Hazel Hunter countered for Glenurquhart.
Saturday’s noon clash between Skye Camanachd and Inverness at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree, was postponed due to an unplayable field.
WCA Mowi North Division 2
Isla Strachan grabbed a hat-trick as Strathglass beat Glenurquhart B 3-0 in their 11am throw-up at Blairbeg.
Lochaber B won 9-1 against Strathspey at Spean Bridge. Stephanie Spiers and Leah Maxtone both grabbed hat-tricks, with Brooke Falconer scoring twice and Elaine Wink getting the other. Charlotte Bisset replied.
Inverness B beat Glengarry 6-5 at the Bught Park outside pitch. A hat-trick for Kamryn Hughes, a double from Orlagh Moran and Isla McNeil’s effort counted for Inverness, whilst braces from Elaine Cameron and Leona Falconer and Ruby Robson’s effort made up Glengarry’s tally.
Lovat’s match with Skye Camanachd B at Balgate was postponed because of an unplayable field.
MacTavish Cup quarter final draw
When Mowi National Division sides Fort William and Beauly were paired in the cottages.com MacTavish Cup semi-finals, it ensured at least one side from out-with shinty’s topflight will reach the semi final stage of this all-north competition.
Fort William co-manager Alan Knox said: “We’re excited to welcome Beauly to An Aird for what will be the first meeting between the sides this season. We are aware they are a good side, scoring lots of goals, but we will do our preparation as normal and it’s a good opportunity to reach a semi final.”
Skye Camanachd’s bid to go further than last year’s runners-up spot sees them face Mowi North Division 1 side Inverness at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree.
Skye boss Willie MacDonald said: “We are more than happy to be at home. It means we have a run of home matches this month against Lochaber, before Inverness, then Kyles Athletic the week after. We follow that up at home to Kinlochshiel in the Macaulay Cup in early May.
“We have made a decent start to the league and that is where our focus lies for now.”
Kilmallie’s young squad will be put to the test against record winners Newtonmore at the Canal Park.
Kilmallie manager Mark MacPherson said: “We know this will be a difficult tie, but we are at home. There will be a big crowd behind us and it will be a good chance for us to gauge the progress we have made this year.
“We played premiership opposition in Glenurquhart in the last round, but we’d already matched Glenurquhart a couple of times the year before, so we went into that tie with confidence. This one will be much harder.
“We are underdogs, but we can give anyone a game at the Canal Park.”
Newtonmore co-manager Norman MacArthur said: “Kilmallie manager Mark MacPherson is fielding a young side who are coming together nicely. We last played them a couple of years ago, when we had two close games, but I think they have changed quite a bit from then.
Holders Kingussie will travel to play the winners from the remaining first round tie between Caberfeidh and Kinlochshiel. This match was abandoned last weekend when referee Steven MacLachlan took unwell and required life-saving medical attention.
The draw was made by youngsters Maisie Ewing and Taylor Cameron who were both attending the Camanachd Association girls camp in Kirkhill. Also present was Heather Grant, Business Development Manager for sponsors cottages.com.
The quarter final ties will be played on Saturday April 20 with the cottages.com MacTavish Cup final taking place at the Eilan, Newtonmore, on Saturday June 8 as redevelopment work continues at Bught Park, Inverness.
Defibrillator fundraiser
Shinty referee Steven MacLachlan took time out from his recovery to thank those who came to his aid after suffering a cardiac arrest during last week’s cottages.com MacTavish Cup first round tie between Caberfeidh and Kinlochshiel at Castle Leod.
He said: “I wouldn’t be here today had it not been for the actions of Conor Cormack and Keith MacRae. Thanks are also due to Caberfeidh Shinty Club for having the foresight to have a defibrillator in place and to Lucky2BHere for providing it. Everything came together just when I most needed it most.”
The MacLachlan family has set up a JustGiving fundraising page to make more defibrillators accessible to the public with training sessions also planned. A £500 target was set with £3,125 raised so far.
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