CHAMPS STAY TOP AS KYLES BEAT KINGS

Photo by www.john-mactavish.com

In a fantastic day of shinty in conditions the summer season was made for, Newtonmore held on to top spot in the Orion Premiership with an emphatic win over Inveraray, while Kyles battered Kingussie in a game on the sea (well, almost).

Shintyfan today managed to glimpse four of shinty's big recent trophy wining sides in action, along with a newly-promoted division one team starting to find its feet.

126 miles and three games later, I witnessed bits of Kyles v Kingussie at the unusual venue of Ormidale, and most of the second half at another from the the top division as Inveraray took on champions Newtonmore at the Winterton. 

Sandwiched between was the South Division One tie at Lochgilphead as home side Kilmory took on newly-promoted Strachur.

A 5-2 victory for Kyles seemed unlikely after an uninspiring first half at a really good match venue - and one that should at the very least be kept in reserve for any future standby matches. The sun probably helped at this exposed location in a bend of the River Ruel, but this place is a real find.

A goal from Kings' Fraser Munro with five minutes of the first half remaining was cancelled out by an equaliser by Roddy MacDonald before ref Ted McDonald's half-time whistle. Summed up a first half in which the sides in all honesty looked as if they were at less than full throttle and cancelling each other out.

The second half burst into life with a goal five minutes after the re-start by Kyles' Fort William import Euan Campbell being cancelled out by a Ryan Borthwich strike on 55 minutes.
Two further goals by Thomas Whyte and another by Dunky Kerr in-between Whyte's strikes finished the scoring.
It is hard to avoid the conclusion that this, at last, is the season started in earnest for Kyles, avenging a 3-1 away defeat to Kingussie a couple of weeks ago.

Photo by www.john-mactavish.com

The side that narrowly pipped Kyles for the title last season travelled to Loch Fyne-side to face an Inveraray side more confident than it's been for a while - having seen off Glenurquhart a couple of weeks earlier. They had a free Saturday last week, but this did not appear to have dampened Aray's momentum a jot as Russell MacKinley opened the scoring on 20 minutes.
A Danny Macrae brace and a single from Glen MacIntosh took the champs into a 3-1 lead, but Strachur man Stuart Robertson pulled one back for the Fynesiders on 60 minutes. That, however, was as good as the second half got for Aray.
Superior hitting and strength from the Badenoch side took their toll.
Pressure gradually mounted on keeper Graeme 'Toad' MacPherson's home goal, and he had little chance with 'More's final strikes, with defenders failing to close down some sharp forward play by four-goal hero Macrae and MacIntosh, who finished with two goals.

Premier new boys Kinlochshiel continued a great start to the 2012 shinty season by defeating Glenurquhart 2-1 - despite the match being transferred to Glens' home pitch at Drumnadrochit.

 In the final premier game of this sunny Saturday, Lovat and a much-depleted Bute side fought out a goalless draw.

Oh - and I mentioned a promoted first division side finding its feet. That side is Strachur.
After an all-conquering season last year, the Fyne-side club, with no pre-season matches played due to the winter weather, has struggled to come to terms with  the greater pace of south division one.
The Strachur boys are - no doubt - sick about hearing of past glories from ancient has-been former players around the Cowal glens, and it was good to see the young players getting their first point of the season against Kilmory, a club with much greater experience in the division. There are some good sides in south division one, and Kilmory and Strachur each fit the bill. But the spectacle was not helped by a very wet and spongy Kilmory pitch that defied anyone to play fast, attractive shinty.

Ach, it was a good day. I enjoy the shinty, especially when the sun shines.