Kyles Athletic have bounced back from their swine flu disruption to book a Camanachd Cup shinty semi-final against Kingussie.
Goalkeeper Kenny Macdonald, 45, is only one win away from being the oldest performer in the final. He is a survivor of their cup-winning team of 1994 and also of the team that reached the final nine years ago.
Kyles beat Oban Caman-achd 3-0 at Mossfield Park in their first game for three weeks after most of the team was quarantined when Roddy Macdonald was diagnosed with swine flu.
Kyles secretary James Perlich said: “Roddy showed no ill-effects at all and was in great form. It was great to avenge two defeats by Oban this season. If anything, the swine flu lay-off helped us because we hadn’t been scoring goals just before then and our forwards were back in top gear.
“Centre line player Andrew King was injured in training and we brought in Colin Macdonald for his first senior game and he did a great job.
“We won at Kingussie early in the season but the semi-final on August 8 will be a different game.”
David Martin fired Kyles ahead a minute from the interval then netted a second 10 minutes into the second half, with Fraser MacDonald clinching it a minute later.
Fort William midfielder John Macdonald, a former football trialist with Celtic, won the player of the year award following the Clash of the Camans event.
Macdonald joined Fort from Ballachulish and has established himself as a key player. Kingussie’s Jimmy Gow won the coach of the year title after steering The Dell men to another Premier Division title.
Promoted Glenurquhart won the club of the year trophy, which made it a double for the in-form Drumnadrochit men as they also won the Clash of the Camans trophy, beating Kingussie 2-0 in the final with goals from Neil Reid and Billy Urquhart.
Reid had fired the penalty shootout winner after a goalless semi-final with Inveraray. Kevin Thain’s goal helped Kingussie beat Fort William 1-0 in the other semi-final.
Skye won the junior event, beating Fort William A 3-2 with goals from Doug Rankin (2) and Sorley Macdonald with Josh McGhee and Victor Smith responding.
Skye beat Lochside Rovers 3-0 in the semi-final, with Ally Maclennan (2) and Alan Palmer on target, while Fort beat Kilmallie by the same scoreline with a Smith double and one from Dan Stewart.
In the women’s match, Glengarry edged out Tir Conail Harps 2-1.
In the only league game, at Strathpeffer, Lovat beat Caberfeidh 4-1.
