Focus on options to ease backlog problem

Camanachd Association chiefs are to discuss fixture congestion.

The Premiership will not be completed until November 16 at the earliest but the biggest problem lies with the North First Division.

Only Inverness have completed their 20 league fixtures and the title race is in the balance. Newtonmore and bottom team Aberdeen University have four games still to play, concluding by playing each other at the Eilean on November 16.

Given there has not been an unduly high level of weather postponements, it seems this division has a recurring difficulty.

One possible solution to be examined is the scheduling of some localised fixtures in midweek in summer, but the association accepts consultation would be necessary before going down that route.

The backlog means the North First Division is the one title still be to decided. Glengarry are top with 29 points, five clear of Newtonmore, who have three games in hand.

Newtonmore colts have a tricky game tomorrow against fourth-placed Fort William at An Aird, but next weekend Glengarry visit the Eilean in a potential championship decider. Glengarry edged the Badenoch men 4-3 at Craigard Park on October 5 and have not played since.

Clubs are likely to press at next month’s Camanachd Association AGM for ways to stop the Premiership drifting into October. Cup competitions make fixtures manager Astie Cameron’s league scheduling difficult.

Starting the cups a week or two later to allow more league games to be played early is one of the likely suggestions.