Cup holders Fort William will have to travel to Oban on Saturday for their postponed Camanachd Cup quarter-final – despite Fort president Richard Gall claiming that Oban Camanachd should have been expelled.
Oban originally had home advantage but gave it up as their pitch was booked for a football tournament. But Fort’s An Aird pitch was affected by rain and by council staff returfing parts for this weekend’s Balliemore Cup final between Lochaber and Kinlochshiel.
On Friday night, Fort secured Kilmallie’s Canal Park as an alternative and maintain that Oban manager Nigel Evans and fixtures secretary Peter McCuish were agreeable to the switch.
But Forst claim that on Saturday Camanachd Association director Donald Stewart agreed to an e-mail from Oban secretary Daniel MacIntyre requesting the tie be put off.
Gall said: “The rule book is very clear and Oban should be thrown out of the tournament. But that’s not going to happen so we have to get on with it and go to Mossfield Park this weekend. But it’s a total shambles and we need to clarify procedure for the future.”
South sides Kyles Athletic and Inveraray have booked their places in the semi-final draw after wins against north opposition. Kyles beat Newtonmore 6-3 and Inveraray beat Skye 5-1.
Norman MacDonald, manager of last year’s runners-up Kyles, feels his team have a great chance of reaching the final in Inverness in September – nomatter who they draw in the semi-finals. “We are coming in to form at the right time,” he said.
The Premier Division leaders never recovered from a whirlwind eight-goal first half. Dave Cheyne twice fired the visitors ahead, Roddy MacDonald equalising each time then Tom Whyte put Kyles in front and Colin McColl added a quick double to make it 5-2 before comeback man Danny MacRae netted for More right on half time.
The visitors played hard in the second half but Duncan Kerr’s 70th minute goal ended their hopes for another year.
Inveraray, runners up in the last Inverness final in 2007, are also eyeing a return to the Bught Park after thrashing Skye – the last non-Premier survivors – at Winterton Park.
Skye did well to hold the Celtic Society Cup winners to 1-1 at half-time, Danny Morrison levelling after Euan McMurdo had slotted the Argyll men ahead. But a second-half burst of four goals in eight minutes floored the islanders.
Grant Griffin started the goal rush in 65 minutes, Garry MacPherson netted a penalty five minutes later and two minutes after that Griffin thundered home his second. A minute later Russell MacKinlay completed the win which boosts the aspirations of the 2004 cup winners.
The semi-final draw will now be made next midweek following the two overdue quarter finals between Oban and Fort Wiliam and Glenurquhart and Kingussie.
The Sutherland Cup final for the national junior championship on July 31 will be an all-north affair after Glenurquhart knocked out South hopes Kyles Athletiic 2-0 in the semi-final, with Ruaridh Cameron striking just before half time then Ewan Brady slotting a second-half penalty. Lovat face Kingussie in the other semi-final this weekend.
A red card for Roberto Zavaroni two minutes from half time was a body blow for Bute, beaten 2-1 at Lovat in the only Premier Division game. It lifts the Kiltarlity men four points clear of the drop zone.
Jamie Matheson gave them an interval lead then Jimmy MacKenzie made it 2-0, with Robert Walker converting a late penalty for Bute.