Sutherland Cup Balliemore Cup Strathdearn Cup Bullough Cup
Fort William took a first half lead when a terrific long-range shot from young Victor Smith nestled in the top corner of the net.
It was the only goal of the first half with Lochside unable to convert their pressure into goals.
Lochside brought on Willie Neilson and Scott MacMillan at half time and moved Matt Rippon from defence to attack.
Connor MacRae capitalised on some poor communication in the Lochside defence to make it 2-0.
Matt Rippon pulled a goal back, but Fort William stayed in front to win 2-1.
Lochaber 1 Lovat 4
Lovat beat Lochaber 4-1 in their all-premiership friendly match at Spean Bridge.
The new Lochaber manager was without keeper Callum MacDonald so 19-year-old Ally MacDonald took over in goal and did well. Brian MacDonald and Zandz Ferguson were also missing.
Former Newtonmore player John MacKenzie started at full forward for Lochaber and was joined in attack by Shaun Nicolson, Findlay MacDonald and Stuart Matheson.
Lovat also had a change in goal with manager Fraser Gallacher replacing Stuart MacDonald who was on holiday. Drew Howie and Lorne MacKay were also unavailable for the Balgate side, whilst Martin Mainland was injured.
Lochaber took the lead on 35 minutes when a clearance out of defence from Lovat goalie Fraser Gallacher went straight to Shaun Nicolson who struck the ball first time from outside the ‘D’ to make it 1-0.
Lovat levelled a couple of minutes before half time when Greg Matheson darted into the ‘D’ to turn home a ball across goal with Lochaber claiming for offside.
Greg Matheson put Lovat ahead for the first time in the game on the hour mark when he unleashed a 30 yard rocket-shot on his back-hand.
Marc MacLachlan made it 3-1 10 minutes later, netting from 15 yards to give Lovat a cushion.
A first senior goal for Bailey MacKay followed on 73 minutes. Wing centre MacKay seemed to come from nowhere with a late run at a corner, catching out the home defence. MacKay took a nice touch to take the ball down with his stick and he slipped it past keeper MacDonald only for the ball to come back off the post. However the rebound fell perfectly for MacKay who tapped it into the bottom corner of the net to make it 4-1.
Lochaber substitute Danny Delaney missed a late penalty, sending the ball wide of Fraser Gallacher’s right post.
Beauly 0
Skye Camanachd 5
Skye Camanachd took the field for the first time this year, beating Beauly 5-0 in their 1pm throw-up at Braeview Park.
Whilst Beauly had already appeared pre-season, this was fourth time lucky for Skye as the wet weather had wiped out their pre-season programme.
Skye took the lead after six minutes when Jordan Murchison slipped in Ruaraidh MacLeod who finished well into the top corner from 15 yards for his first goal at senior level.
James Pringle made it 2-0 after 13 minutes.
Pringle went on a great solo run from half-way line and beat the keeper with a great finish.
The second half was just 11 minutes old when Iain MacLellan tucked a back-hand finish past Josh Grant, beating the keeper from 15 yards.
A great turn by Ross Gordon ended with a pass to Jordan Murchison on 76 minutes. Murchison juggled the ball with his back to goal before turning and smashing the dropping ball on his back-hand from 20 yards, past a helpless keeper.
A minute later, Ruaraidh MacLeod nipped in between a defender and keeper Josh Grant to make it 5-0.
Inveraray’s Craig Taylor in action during last Saturday’s pre-season friendly against Newtonmore.
Inverness 0 Kinlochshiel 6
Inverness and Kinlochshiel have been drawn together at Kirkton in the first round of the cottages. com MacTavish Cup and they arranged a friendly at The Bught Park.
Kinlochshiel had Scott Kennedy back in goal but the other end of the park saw most of the action with Jordan Fraser impressing with four goals and Finlay MacRae and John MacRae getting the others.
Glasgow Mid Argyll 1 Kingussie 3
Glasgow Mid Argyll and Kingussie lined up for a 12.30pm meeting at Yoker.
Kingussie travelled south with a young squad but they had keeper Craig Dawson and Fraser Munro back in the side.
GMA were without full back Ryan Harrison who is unlikely to play this season.
Fraser Munro put Kingussie ahead five minutes from the end of the first half.
Munro found the net from left of the penalty spot, crashing the ball high into the roof of net.
Lee Bain made it 2-0 when, standing on the penalty spot, he turned sharply and with a half-swing sent the ball into the bottom corner of the goal.
Darren Hanlan hit Kingussie’s third with a good drive into the top corner of the net from the middle of pitch around 20 yards out.
John McNulty netted for the hosts with literally the last hit of the game. McNulty’s low shot from the right went across keeper Dawson and into the bottom corner of the net.
Kingussie’s Fraser Munro was the game’s stand-out performer, whilst Ewan Murray was best for GMA in a match refereed by Ross Brown.
Glenurquhart 3 Strathglass 0
Glenurquhart retained the MacDonald Cup when they beat Strathglass 3-0 at Blairbeg.
It was a good afternoon for Glenurquhart’s Fraser Heath who scored all three of his side’s goals.
Glenurquhart 2 Strathglass 0
There was a reserve team meeting between Glenurquhart and Strathglass at Blairbeg, with the Ali Bhan Cup at stake. This also went Glenurquhart’s way as they won 2-0.
Bradley Sneddon and Hosie grabbed the goals.
Newtonmore 5 Inveraray 1 Aberdour 1 Col Glen 2 Kingussie 1 Caberfeidh 0
Ben Newtonmore and Inveraray met at The Eilan as part of the host club’s annual open day. All the goals came in the second half.
Ewan Fraser, who has joined the club from Aberdeen University, scored twice, as did Evan Menzies. Glen MacKintosh got the other.
Lewis MacNicol countered for Inveraray, who included new signing Craig Taylor. A mixture of Aberdour first and second team players took on Col Glen at Silversands, with the visitors coming out 2-1 victors.
The Aberdour second team had been due to play Strachur but that game was postponed so coach Lisa MacColl was awash with players and she tried to give as many as possible a game.
This affected the rhythm of the match but the hosts went in front when David MacDougall slotted home a Kieran Burns ball from the wing.
It was a fairly even first half and Col Glen got their reward when Jamie MacVicar set up Donnie McDiarmid to equalise before half time.
Aberdour, with captain Cammy McCue having a fine game, continued to rotate their side and, just when it looked like the game would finish level, Willie MacVicar popped up to score a late winner for Col Glen, with Jamie MacVicar again the provider. The Kingussie colts from Marine Harvest North Division 1 and the Caberfeidh colts from Marine Harvest North Division 2 met in a 2pm throw-up Dunbarry.
A Kevin Thain goal was the difference between the sides, giving Kingussie a 1-0 victory.
Glasgow Mid Argyll 3 Bute 3
The Glasgow Mid Argyll second team and the Bute second team drew 3-3 in their 2.30pm throwup at Yoker.
Scott Anderson, Connor McLeod and Angus MacInnes were on target for GMA but two goals from Bute captain Neil McKirdy and a Chris McGowan goal ensured a share of the spoils.
Tayforth P Strathspey Camanachd P
The game between Tayforth and Strathspey Camanachd at Levenhall Links didn’t go ahead.
Glengarry P Skye Camanachd P
The match between Glengarry and the Skye Camanachd second team at Craigard was postponed on Thursday evening.
Boleskine P Lovat P
Boleskine’s meeting Lovat second team ahead. with didn’t
National First Shinty Festival WCA round-up
the go The National P5 and under and P7 and under First Shinty Festivals takes place in Fort William this Saturday, March 3.
The event is one of youth shinty’s biggest days with teams from all over Scotland taking part.
The competing sides have all won their regional tournaments so a great day’s shinty is guaranteed.
The P5 and under tournament takes place at Lochaber High School whilst the P7 and under competition will be held at The Nevis Centre. The Women’s Camanachd Association Marine Harvest National Division got under way on Sunday February 25.
Fort William 1 Skye Camanachd 15
Champions Skye Camanachd got their season off to a great start, beating Fort William 15-1 at An Aird. Leah Maxtone scored for the Fort but Lorna MacRae and Jenna Beaton both netted five for Skye. Sarah Corrigall scored four and Katherine Dibble got the other.
Ardnamurchan 0 Lochaber 13
Lochaber, who finished second in the division last season, were too strong for newly-promoted Ardnamurchan, winning 13-0 at Strontian.
Kirsty Delaney scored six times whilst Rebecca Masson and Caitlin MacDonald bagged doubles.
Thea Robertson, Christy MacIntyre and Natalie MacDonald got the others for a Lochaber side who gave debuts to Caitlin MacDonald, Thea Robertson and Katie MacRae.
Badenoch 4 Aberdour 1
Badenoch were 4-1 winners against Aberdour at Dunbarry.
Goals from Eilidh Ross, Mairi Stewart, Klaudia Ordys and an own goal counted for Badenoch, with Catriona Chamberlain scoring for Aberdour.
Strathspey 2 Glasgow Mid Argyll 1
Strathspey were surprise 2-1 winners in their 1.30pm throwup against Glasgow Mid Argyll at Grantown Grammar School.
After a goal-less first half, Jade Longworth gave Strathspey the lead soon after the re-start, quickly followed by a Jane Moodie effort which made it 2-0.
GMA pulled a goal back through Rachel McCafferty but Strathspey, with Stacey Hutton having a great game, stayed in front to win.
Scotland Development Squad announced
The Women’s Camanachd Association has confirmed this year’s Scotland senior development squad for the trip to London to take on the British camogie select on Saturday April 14.
The selection criteria for the development squad is that players cannot have participated in the 2017 international squad. It therefore allows anyone who missed out last year, either because they were unavailable or just below the level to be selected, the opportunity to be seen in a squad in a competitive setting.
Women’s Camanachd Association president Lisa McColl explained: ‘The WCA addressed the issue of representative shinty and player pathways above club level for all age categories. The aim was to create a suitable number of development opportunities that look not just at player development but at introducing and up-skilling coaches interested in taking their coaching to a next level.
‘At U14 level, there is opportunities for girls to play in mixed club teams, women’s development and league teams. But, with increasing numbers coming out of primary school age groups, there was a need to look at opportunities above club level. The first rung on the representative ladder is the new U14 North v South representative squad which proved popular last October.
‘At U18/U21 level, the WCA recognised North v South shinty was not working.
‘These players can play mixed club shinty at U17 level and play with their women’s club team but there wasn’t an opportunity for those showing potential to play above club level.’
Lisa went on to explain the measures that have been introduced to fill the gap and said: ‘The WCA has introduced an U18 elite development section for selected players. From this, they will have the opportunity to play as a squad against the senior development squad and then be selected for an U18 Scotland Squad.
‘At senior level, there are plenty of opportunities to play women’s club shinty. The next step on the ladder is the senior North v South representative matches which are always very successful and keenly contested.
‘After this, there is the full Scotland squad. However, with a massively increasing number of players in this category, it has now become difficult for players to break into this squad.
‘We felt there was a need to bridge the gap between club shinty and the full Scotland squad to allow more players exposure to the coaching and experience of playing with players of a similar ability, hence the introduction of the Scotland senior development squad.
‘The players now have the opportunity to address any skill and fitness gap with a goal to strive for the next rung on the ladder later that season or in future years.
‘Both the senior development squad and the U18 squad therefore address the gap we identified in our current player pathway.
‘The new format also allows us to bring in coaches who can be supported and up-skilled as part of the process.’
Scotland Development Squad from: Elizabeth MacGregor, Hazel Hunter, Donna MacKenzie, Joanne Gillanders, Christy MacIntyre, Hanna Dougan, Mairi Stewart, Lucy MacMillan, Nicola MacSween, Zoe Smith, Katie Booth, Grace Drummond, Ilana Paterson, Sarah Corrigall, Elaine Wink, Missy Cameron, Aoife Tangney and Isabelle Law.
Reserves from: Katy Minard, Jenna Jackson, Shaina Archibald, Joanne Ford and Sarah Jane Ferguson.
Marine Harvest Premiership
Kingussie v Caberfeidh Graham Cameron Kinlochshiel v Glenurquhart Innes Wood Lochaber v Kyles Athletic Archie Ritchie
Lovat v Newtonmore Deek Cameron
Oban Camanachd v Skye Lachie Wood
Marine Harvest National Division
Fort William v Beauly Andy MacLean Glasgow MA v Inveraray Ross Brown Inverness v Strathglass John Angus Gillies Kilmallie v Oban Celtic Calum Girvan
Marine Harvest North Division 1
Glengarry v Kingussie Des McNulty Glenurquhart v Fort William Brian MacKay Newtonmore v Aberdeen Uni John Wood
Skye v Kinlochshiel
Iain Kennedy
Marine Harvest South Division 1
Aberdour v Bute David Mitchell Inveraray v Ballachulish Alex MacVicar
Kyles Athletic v Kilmory Graham Fisher Tayforth v Col Glen Euan Pearson Taynuilt v Lochside Rovers Ronnie Campbell
Marine Harvest North Division 2
Beauly v Lochaber Scott McNeil Boleskine v Lochcarron John Matheson Caberfeidh v Lewis TBC Strathglass v Inverness TBC Strathspey v Kilmallie Neil MacDonald
Marine Harvest South Division 2
Glenorchy vAberdour Euan Pearson Oban Celtic v Bute Jim Innes Strachur v Glasgow MA Ewan MacDonald
Throw-ups 2.30pm
unless stated.