Big Ally Nixon is doubly unlucky and will be missing from the Kinlochshiel attack in Saturday’s Cottages.com MacTavish Cup Final against Kingussie at Inverness (2pm).
The powerful 25-year-old hydro linesman missed Shiel’s Camanachd Cup triumph with a hamstring injury, but made his comeback in a league clash with Lochaber on October 9 – only for the problem to flare up again and keep him out of a second final.
“It’s most unfortunate that Ally, who has contributed so much in our fine campaign, hasn’t been able to train this week and is a non-starter for our bid to win the MacTavish trophy for the first time”, revealed Johnston Gill, manager of the Wester Ross club.
“To play all our games and then miss two historic cup finals is really bad luck for the lad – and also for the club, as we have Paul MacRae out after shattering his knee at Spean Bridge.”
Johnny Macaskill and 16-year-old Archie MacRae are candidates to replace Nixon.
MacAulay Cup winners Kingussie, also going for their second piece of silverware, are boosted by the return of Ryan Borthwick and Fraser Munro as they bid for their first MacTavish success since Ronald Ross was skipper in 2011.
“Ryan missed the last round win against Strathglass because of a back problem, but he’s been in full training this week, so he’ll play”, said manager John Gibson.
“Fraser was unavailable, but is OK now, and our fortnight without a fixture has enabled Calum Grant and Liam Borthwick to recover from heavy colds, so we’ve a full squad.
“Fraser Munro, James Hutchinson and Lee Bain are the only survivors of our 2011 team, so all the rest are chasing their first MacTavish winners medals.
“The Bught Park pitch looks like being heavy, so we’ll have to be at our battling best.”
Kinlochshiel reached this final for the first time in 2018, losing 2-1 to Newtonmore, and they will take another good support with them from the west in their bid to capture the only trophy they have never won – the rose bowl donated by Duncan MacTavish of Stratherrick in 1898.
Kingussie have won it 27 times.
These are the season’s form teams, each having lost only once, Lovat knocking Shiel out of the MacAulay Cup and then beating Kingussie in the Camanachd Cup semi-final.
Meanwhile, Lochside Rovers, the holders, travel to Tighnabruaich, where 2014 winners Kyles Athletic have home advantage for the Bullough Cup Final, the south second team championship.
The only senior Mowi League fixtures see Lovat without the suspended Callum Cruden for their visit to Caberfeidh, while Glen Urquhart face Fort William at An Aird.