Lochaber to get another crack at Newtonmore

THE draw for the quarter-finals of the Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup has thrown up four fascinating ties.

Hydro-sponsored professional golfers Callum Macaulay and Chris Doak helped make the draw at the Spey Valley Golf Course, Aviemore, as the Scottish Hydro Challenge got under way.

Holders and Premiership champions Newtonmore, who thumped North Division One side Lochaber 5-1 in the MacTavish Cup last weekend, will play host to the Spean team.

There are also all-Premier contests as Lovat are home to Kingussie or Kinlochshiel and Inveraray visit Kilmallie.

North Division One title hopefuls Skye, meanwhile, face Kyles Athletic or Glasgow Mid Argyll.

The ties will be played on Saturday, July 14.

Jonny Petrie, Scottish Hydro sponsorship manager, said: "At Scottish Hydro, supporting our local communities is very important to us and with this high profile golfing event, the Scottish Hydro Challenge, coming to the shinty heartland, it’s a great opportunity for two of the sports we’re proud to be involved with to meet up and maybe even get to share some tricks of the trade with each other!"

Also in attendance at the draw were shinty players Craig Dawson from Kingussie and Lovat’s Drew Howie, who, as well as looking ahead to the next round, compared their shinty swings with that of the golfers.

Kings' ace Dawson said: "First and foremost we have our second round replay match against Kinlochshiel this Saturday, before we can look to the quarters. This is the competition everyone in shinty wants to win and hopefully if we can maintain some good form, we can progress.”

Howie added: "As Craig said, this is the one we all want to have in the trophy cabinet at the end of the season. Lovat have so far put out some strong performances against big teams this season, but there are no easy ties from now on in, we will just have to play as well as we can do in the hope that that will be enough."