CUP ROMANCE, NO WELLIES...AND SNOW

I asked the question in an earlier post, and I'll ask it again.

Can anyone stop Newtonmore this season?

Saturday was a good day for Norman MacArthur's men, as they consolidated their position at the top of shinty.

Inveraray's McMurdo goes down under Bute pressure - Photo by John MacTavish

It might be May, but snowflakes were spotted in some parts of Scotland, encouraged by an icy north-easterly breeze, but last Saturday was a great day for shinty in most parts.

The driest spell for a year in the west has made pitches harder and faster, and spectators can enjoy their shinty without wellies - or at least leave them in the car, just in case.

Grabbing the headlines (again) were champions Newtonmore, who are winning while league rivals stumble; and mention must also go to Lochaber, who put eight past Lochcarron as second-tier sides joined the Camanachd Cup fray.

The romance of the Camanachd Cup never dims.

Sought-after as the top-tier league title is, most players in shinty have just one dream - to join the pantheon of heroes and win the Camanachd Cup. This is where real shinty heroes are forged. Think Tarzan...think Camanachd Cup. Think Barney Crawford...think Camanachd Cup. Think Fraser brothers...you get the drift.

Last week's first round ties brought first division sides into the competition. Good wins for Beauly away to Oban Celtic; Skye versus Caberfeidh and Lochaber against Lochcarron were some of the highlights. The dream still burns brightly for these and more winners...for another round at least.

Back on Orion Premiership business, Argyll side Kyles Athletic have been homeless this year while repairs are carried out to their Tighnabruaich pitch. So far, they have been tenants themselves while welcoming visiting teams. Ormidale provided a very good early season stand-in, and the club has hired the excellent new Strachur facilities for its last two home ties.

Their form hasn't been great, and after only just being pipped for last season's league title, it's a frustrating time down in the Kyles. They have been missing several key players from a small squad for most of the season through injury and other commitments, and must be missing their home comforts and the noisy Kames support.

Kyles fashioned a draw in their latest premier tie versus Lovat at Strachur - but despite failing to win, the performance will have pleased the royal blues' management team, as it was better than in recent weeks. It had to be against an eager Lovat side who matched the Cowal outfit in its strongest department - energy.
 After a goalless first half, the big crowd was treated to a goalfest in the second. Lovat took the lead fifteen minutes in, through Lewis Tawse. Within ten minutes, Kyles were level before MacLeod gave them the lead five minutes later. Then, with ten minutes left, Lovat equalised through the prolific Greg Matheson. Add to that a penalty miss by Kyles - or rather a great save - and you're left with an entertaining game.

Premier new boys Kinlochshiel have, meanwhile, been battering away at lofty reputations with gay abandon (you know what I mean). This is the surprise outfit of 2012 to date. So far this season, Kingussie, Kyles and Fort William have all failed to beat Shiel.

They are flying - pushing Newtonmore at the top of the league...then they go and lose against bottom side Kilmallie.

Now don't get me wrong. On their day and with a full squad, Kilmallie can match anyone. But this will still have been a disappointment for the Balmacara boys given the clubs' respective league positions. A goal in either half from class act John Stewart secured Kilmallie's points and raised their hopes of premier survival.

Inveraray and Bute battered away at each other in a dour game in front of an unusually sparse crowd at the Winterton; Aray just edging it with a Garry MacPherson penalty with quarter of an hour left.

The sides are due to clash once again next weekend (May 19) in the AJG Parcels Celtic Cup semi-final - this time on the Isle of Bute.

I wouldn't like to select a favourite for that game on Saturday's evidence.

Kingussie - and if you didn't know better, Ronald Ross United on recent scoring form - struggled to a draw versus Glenurquhart. The Drumnadrochit outfit, playing at home, suffered the loss of Lewis MacLennan, who got himself sent off, but still managed to foil Ronald...sorry, Kingussie.
After Kings had taken an early lead through guess who, Glens were level a few minutes later with a goal from Fraser Heath. It was Heath setting the moorland on fire as he fired the homesters into the lead mid-way through the first half, and it was advantage Glenurquhart at half-time. Five minutes into the second period, however, Martin Dallas squared matters. The Badenoch side thought they had won it when Ronaldo scored with just a few minutes left. But Billy Urquhart had other ideas, as he levelled with just a minute to go. 3-3 at full-time.

A good point for Glenurquhart; not so good for a Kingussie side with hopes of wresting the premier trophy from their old rivals and near-neighbours' grasp. And please don't be offended by 'Ronald Ross United'. The man's deadly, so take it as a compliment. But there are green shoots underneath the old master (to crunch together metaphors in a horrible way). It is good to see a good number of young players coming through at the Dell, and their time will come.

And that leaves just the one game from the weekend premier card.

Newtonmore beat fellow title contenders Fort William 3-0 at the Eilan. Danny Macrae (2), Chris Sellar with the other. What more is there to say?

Another two points, and they are two points ahead of nearest rivals Lovat; three ahead of Kyles and Kinlochshiel; and four ahead of Kingussie.

Doesn't really sound like a huge advantage. But on playing evidence, I have to say that Newtonmore are the best side  - on present form - in the league. At the risk of repeating myself, they all look like shinty players.

So, I say again - who will stop them?