Saturday is one of the biggest days on the shinty calendar as the Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup second round brings together the tournament’s top 16 sides.
Holders Kingussie and record winners Newtonmore have raised the famous trophy more than any other club yet one of them will exit the competition at the Dell this weekend in what will be the second of three Badenoch derbies played over a four-week period.
Kingussie won 4-1 in their cottages.com MacTavish semi-final at the Eilan a fortnight ago but Newtonmore co-manager Norman MacArthur dismisses any relevance that has to tomorrow’s tie.
He said: “Our last game against Kingussie could have gone either way but whatever has gone on before in these games means nothing.
“It will be 100 miles an hour and it will be about whoever can take their chances mixed with a little bit of luck on the day.
“We’ll play to our strengths and there is a lot at stake.
“It doesn’t matter how many times we play each other; a Camanachd Cup game will always have added importance. It would be great to get a result.”
Kingussie boss Iain Borthwick also recognises the significance of the tie.
He said: “I can’t wait for Saturday. The Camanachd Cup final is shinty’s end of the season finale and everyone in the shinty family wants to be involved in it.
“The MacTavish and Macaulay finals come earlier in the season and the league doesn’t always go on, but the Camanachd Cup final stretches your season and maintains interest right until the very end.”
Saturday’s game comes too soon for Kingussie’s Roddy Young who is still awaiting a scan on his knee whilst Alexander Michie has been receiving physio on a hamstring problem.
Newtonmore will give skipper Conor Jones every chance to prove his fitness after he missed last Saturday’s win over Beauly through illness.
Changes in store for Evans’ side
Oban Camanachd will make changes against Aberdour, who play two divisions below.
Boss Gareth Evans said: “Daniel Sloss and Malcolm Clark are carrying injuries so we will leave them out and take the opportunity to give a couple of our younger boys some first team action instead.
“The likes of Alexander MacDonald has earned that. Daniel MacCuish completes his suspension, whilst David Lafferty has picked up a knee injury so we’ll miss him for a few weeks.”
Lovat face Fort William at Balgate and their manager Jamie Matheson said: “We are close to having a full squad available. Lorne MacKay is back in full training whilst Graeme MacMillan returned to training this week. Both are still a few weeks away, but they are getting there. Like most clubs, we don’t have the biggest squad so their return will be a big boost.”
Skye Camanachd and Caberfeidh clash in in Portree. Skye boss Kenny Macleod said: “We have keeper Murphy Henderson and wing centre Ally MacLeod both available again.
“Jordan Murchison’s hamstring is our only worry and although we took Kenny Cushnie off against Lovat because of his hamstring, it was more a precautionary measure.”
MacRae faces spell on sidelines
Kinlochshiel meet Kilmallie at Rèaraig, but they will be without Oliver MacRae who suffered a broken thumb in last week’s draw with Oban Camanachd.
Shiel boss Willie MacRae said: “Losing Ollie is a blow. His thumb is broken in six places so he’ll be in plaster for six weeks, but I don’t think he’ll play again for around three months.
“John MacRae is our only other absentee, so I have good selection options.
“I saw Kilmallie beat Fort William a few weeks ago and they looked a fitter side than last season.”
Glasgow Mid Argyll have saved their best form for the cup competitions and the Scottish Sea Farms Glasgow Celtic Society Challenge Cup finalists welcome Oban Celtic to Peterson Park. GMA were humbled by Caberfeidh in their last outing but will start as favourites against a Celtic side which hasn’t played for seven weeks.
Lochaber take on Beauly at Spean Bridge and both sides can be pleased with their starts to the season.
Kyles Athletic have their designated free-Saturday so their tie against Bute has been put back a week. Kyles hope this will give injured players, including Will Cowie and Innes MacDonald, added recovery time.
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