Artemis Macaulay Cup - first round

Kinlochshiel gained revenge for their opening day Mowi Premiership defeat to Newtonmore with a 3-0 win in their 3pm throw-up at the Eilan.

Newtonmore defenders Steven Macdonald and Declan Brannan were both banned, but Rory Kennedy returned to the side.

Kinlochshiel were at full strength for the second successive Saturday in what was arguably the tie of the first round.

On a day when Newtonmore marked club stalwart Rob Ritchie being honoured with a BEM medal, the hosts fell behind to a John MacRae goal after just two minutes. Ali Nixon knocked down Donald Nixon’s ball from wide on the left and MacRae fired low into the net from the right of the ‘D’.

Keith MacRae added a second on 74 minutes as he ran onto John MacRae’s ball from the left. Keith MacRae’s initial shot was saved by Newtonmore keeper Owen Fraser but MacRae was in quickly to force the rebound into the net.

It was 24 hours John MacRae will never forget as he had been up most of the night for the birth of his second daughter and he marked the occasion with his second and Kinlochshiel’s third goal five minutes from time. It was a great strike as MacRae turned on Donald Nixon’s free-hit from midfield, his superb back-hand effort from wide on the left going low into the net to make it 3-0.

Artemis Macaulay Cup holders Kingussie are through to the quarter-finals after beating Fort William 4-0 at the Dell.

Skipper Savio Genini gave Kingussie the lead on 19 minutes and the side took control with two more goals late in the half. Roddy Young added a second on 41 minutes with James Falconer celebrating his return from injury with a strike on 44 minutes.

Savio Genini got his second on 51 minutes to complete the scoring.

Kilmallie and Lovat played the first part of a cup double-header at Canal Parks.

Lovat have started the season well and they took the lead through Greg Matheson on 15 minutes. But Stuart Callison’s effort on 24 minutes meant the sides were all-square at the break.

Lovat pulled away in the second half with the returning Lewis Tawse scoring on 65 and 80 minutes, either side of Marc MacLachlan’s 70th minute strike.

The sides meet at Balgate this Saturday in the cottages.com MacTavish Cup quarter-finals.