Lovat boost chances in ‘tightest race in years’

SHINTY: Lovat manager Allan MacRae reckons this year’s Orion Premiership could be the tightest ever, so he was delighted to see his side hold on for a superb win over a newly-promoted Kinlochshiel side who have made an outstanding start to the campaign and sit behind leaders Newtonmore.

Lovat, who defeated Newtonmore on the opening day of the season, were 4-1 up on Saturday before a late charge from ’Shiel left them clinging on for a 4-3 victory. Satisfied MacRae said: “This is the tightest league in many years and there will be clubs taking points off one another all the time because there are so many evenly-matched sides. I felt we played really well on Saturday, even though we had to hold on a bit at the end. We’ve had some significant results so far and even the draws have been good for us. I am happy just to be picking up points because they will all count.”

In the Glasgow Celtic Society Cup, holders Kyles’ dream is over for this year after a Euan McMurdo counter gave Inveraray a 1-0 quarter-final win.