Lovat have appeared in five of the last seven Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup finals, with their solitary 2015 success coming against Saturday’s quarter-final opponents Kyles Athletic.
Boss Jamie Matheson must decide whether to recall a familiar face for the trip to Tighnabruaich, as Scotland forward Fraser Heath – who intimated at the start of the season that he was taking a break from the game – turned out for the club’s second team last weekend.
Matheson said: “Fraser played for the second team and has been training the past month or so, which is a massive boost for the club.
“Drew Howie is back in full training following his dislocated shoulder and we’ll put him through a late fitness test, but won’t take any risks if he’s not ready.
“Duncan Davidson returns after missing the Kingussie game.”
Kyles have scored nine goals without reply in their last two fixtures, and player-coach Roddy Macdonald said: “The boys have trained hard and are looking forward to Saturday.
Lovat go in as favourites given their recent performances in the Scottish Cup, but we feel we should have beaten them in last year’s semi-final, so will be doing our very best to try and atone for that.
“We’ll need a huge effort from the whole squad if we are to book our place in the semis.
Oban Camanachd lie in wait for the winners of the quarter-final tie.
Skye look to do Badenoch double in Kingussie clash
In the Mowi Premiership, after beating Newtonmore last weekend, Skye visit the other half of Badenoch to play Kingussie at the Dell.
Kingussie’s Cameron Bremner and Skye’s James Morrison both serve one-match bans.
Kingussie boss Iain Borthwick said: “We know how well Skye did against us in the MacTavish Cup final and, like us, they defend very well.”
Skye boss Kenny MacLeod added: “Kenny Cushnie’s unavailable through work commitments, but Ross Nicolson is back and we’ve been monitoring Jamie Gillies’s ankle injury at training.”
Kinlochshiel have a rearranged league meeting with Newtonmore at Rearaig.
Shiel boss Willie MacRae said: “Keith MacRae and Conor Cormack were left with niggles after last week’s game, but I think both will be fine.
“Zander MacRae and Arron Jack are both unavailable, but we’ll still have a strong 15-player pool.
Visiting Newtonmore co-manager Norman MacArthur added: “We’ll hopefully have Steven Macdonald and Michael Russell back.
However, Duncan MacPherson has a broken bone in his wrist, whilst big Iain Richardson dislocated his shoulder in training, so he’ll be out for a while, and Declan Brannan is suspended.”
Golf commitments affect both sides ahead of Oban v Caberfeidh
Oban Camanachd manager Gareth Evans will need to do a head count ahead of Caberfeidh’s visit.
He said: “It’s a nightmare at moment as we have Daniel MacVicar, Scott MacMillan and Malcolm Clark all suspended, and Daniel Sloss, Louie McFarlane and Andy MacDonald all injured, whilst Daniel Madej is on holiday and Gregor MacDonald is attending the Scottish Open (golf). That’s eight in total and I really hope we can start getting some boys back over the next few weeks.”
Caberfeidh manager Garry Reid has been in Guernsey this week at the Island Games, so assistant Brian MacDonald has prepared the side.
Reid said: “We are short as Liam Symonds is on holiday and Ben MacDonald has returned to his job offshore.
“It is also our local golf club championships, which will affect us.
“We played well against Kingussie last week with no reward, but we need to get some points – it’s never easy in Oban, though.”
The bottom two sides in the Mowi Premiership meet at Peterson Park, where Glasgow Mid Argyll host Beauly.
Lochaber can go top of National ranks, while Col Glen can take step towards safety
Lochaber can return to the top of the Mowi National Division if they beat Inveraray at Spean Bridge, but will have to do so without the suspended Brennan MacDonald.
Newly-promoted Col Glen can go a long way to ensuring their safety if they beat Oban Celtic at Mossfield.
Col Glen’s Andrew MacVicar said: “It’s been a big step up to national shinty, but we are handling it well.
“Our goal is to stay up, so it would be massive for us to win on Saturday.”
Kilmallie look to bounce back from last week’s loss at Inveraray when they welcome Strathglass.
