Shinty: Kyles and Kinlochshiel to meet in MacAulay Cup final

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Kinlochshiel battled past Lovat to reach the MacAulay Cup finalImage source, Neil G Paterson
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Kinlochshiel battled past Lovat to reach the MacAulay Cup final

Holders Kyles will meet Kinlochshiel, the 2016 winners, in the final of the MacAulay Cup final in Oban on 18 August.

Shiel squeezed past Lovat 1-0 in the North semi-final at Beauly while Kyles edged Oban Camanachd 2-1 the South tie in Oban.

With their two closest league rivals in that North semi, Newtonmore went two points clear in the Premiership with a 5-1 victory on Skye.

Glenurquhart lost 2-1 away to Lochaber and both losing sides now find themselves in dire relegation danger.

The day's other Premiership game produced a 3-3 draw between Caberfeidh and Kingussie in Strathpeffer.

Jordan Fraser's only goal of the game at Beauly kept Shiel's hopes of a second MacAulay Cup success alive.

Kyles will be looking to lift the trophy for a 13th time. Sandy MacKenzie gave the holders the lead just before half time and Lorne Dickie equalised for Camanachd just after it.

MacKenzie then struck Kyles' winner which atoned for their defeat by the same opponents in the Celtic Society Cup final three weeks earlier.

Newtonmore had the points done and dusted by half time in Portree after two from Michael Russell and one each from Glen MacKintosh, Evan Menzies and Ewen Fraser put them 5-0 up. John Gillies got a late consolation for the island side.

Eddie Tembo's early strike gave Glenurquhart brief hope in the relegation four-pointer at Spean Bridge but Stuart Callison soon equalised for Lochaber and then inflicted Glen's second stoppage-time defeat in a week.

Craig Morrison gave Caberfeidh a quick breakthrough but strikes from Rory MacGregor and Roddy Young in the first half and Alexander Michie in the second put Kingussie 3-1 up. However, Cabers refused to accept defeat and Morrison got another before a late equaliser from Colin MacLennan.

This leaves Newtonmore two points clear of Shiel, who have a game in hand, and Lovat who have played one extra.

At the bottom of the top flight, Skye's defeat sends them back below Glenurquhart on goal difference, but Glen have used up three more games and both are six points adrift of Lochaber.

Local rivals Kilmallie and Fort William both strengthened their promotion chances with home wins in the National Division.

Callum MacDougall, 24 hours before leaving for Ireland with the Scotland under 17 team, and Michael Rodger, gave leaders Kilmallie a 2-0 victory over challengers Inveraray. Meanwhile, Lewis Morrison got two in a 4-1 success over Strathglass for Fort William who built up a three-point cushion in the second promotion place.

Glasgow Mid Argyll scored five in eight minutes on their way to a half time score of 7-0 which they later built to 10 without reply against bottom side Inverness at Yoker.