Wedding bells mean Kingussie will not be playing in the Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup this weekend and their midfielder Fraser Munro will be out for three weeks.
Munro is getting married on Saturday and Kingussie have chosen it as the one free day a year to which they are automatically entitled. This pushes their Camanachd Cup match at Lovat back to June 7.
Inverness have been forced to ask for a free day for their home tie against Inveraray because Bught Park is booked for inter-school sports. This tie, too, will be on June 7.
Kingussie co-manager Russell Jones said: “It’s a pity but the timing can’t be helped, the wedding was arranged some time ago. Fraser will then be off on honeymoon so he’ll miss the Camanachd tie, a league game and the next round of the Macaulay Cup, which is a loss.”
Jones and fellow co-manager Davie Anderson were frustrated as Kings slumped to a 2-0 Orion Premiership defeat at Inveraray to bring their winning run to an end.
Veteran Ruaridh Graham, who had retired two years ago but was pressed back into service due to Inveraray’s injury crisis, came on as substitute and scored goals in the 67th and 82nd minutes to hoist the Winterton Park club from second bottom up to fifth top.
Jones said: “Our good run of form came to a shuddering halt. We were very poor.
“But Inveraray are a good side and when they get player-manager Garry MacPherson back they could be a threat in the Camanachd Cup.”
Champions Newtonmore cleared a potentially difficult hurdle with a 1-0 win at Kyles Athletic to go two points clear of Lovat at the top.
Defences were on top but Glen Mackintosh scored the only goal in the opening minute of the second half.
In the final minute, veteran Kyles goalkeeper Kenny MacDonald conceded a penalty, then redeemed himself by saving Glen Mackintosh’s spot hit.
Kyles secretary Mick Harrison said: “Newtonmore dominated the game and the scoreline was deceptive. We’ll need to raise our game significantly when they come back here next weekend in the Camanachd Cup.”
Glenurquhart stayed in fourth place after a 2-0 home win against Lochaber, who have now completed the first half of their programme without a victory and are three points adrift at the bottom.
“Consistency of selection has been our bugbear,” said Lochaber coach Robert Johnstone. “We’ve had so many injured or unavailable, we just haven’t managed to get a settled team. When we do, it could make all the difference.”