Shinty: Bute too strong for top-flight's new arrivals

GLASGOW hosted its first Premier League shinty match for 13 years on Saturday but there were no home comforts for Glasgow Mid Argyll on the opening day of the new season.

George Hay's newly promoted outfit went into the match hopeful of picking up points at Yoker ahead of what will be a testing double header with Kyles and Kingussie.

It was not to be, however, as Bute ran over the top of them 4-0. Hector Whitelaw (pen), John MacCallum and Robert Walker (2) did the damage for the islanders, for whom it was the perfect start after only escaping relegation on the final day last term.

"It was good to get off the mark, especially because we didn't know an awful lot about Glasgow Mid Argyll and it could have been a banana skin for us," said Bute manager Barry Martin.

"It took us a wee while to find the pace but after that I didn't think we were overly threatened. Mid Argyll had a couple of good players. They might find the jump up the divisions tough to start with but once they get up to speed it might be different."

In the day's other main fixtures, Fort William beat Oban 3-1 while Inveraray defeated Kyles 2-1. Glenurquhart v Newtonmore finished 0-0.