Shinty’s key fixture at the weekend was the Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup second-round tie at Strathpeffer between Premiership sides Caberfeidh and Kingussie. The fact the sides drew 1-1 means a replay will have to be scheduled some time after next weekend's MacTavish Cup final at Inverness.

Not that the Camanachd Association’s fixture problems will bother Kingussie, for the Badenoch side were more than a little relieved to remain in the competition, after a match that looked for a time in the second half to be running away from them.

Veteran goalkeeper Craig Dawson can take much of the credit because not only did he pull off an excellent save from an early strike by eventual scorer Graham MacGregor, he also stopped efforts by Caberfeidh’s international striker Kevin Bartlett and wing forward Colin MacLennan. At the other end, Caberfeidh keeper Ewan Pilcher played his own part in keeping the half-time scoresheet blank by making an excellent diving save after 34 minutes to keep out Ruaraidh Anderson.

Caberfeidh eventually took the lead after 51 minutes when slack defending allowed a low ball from a corner fall for MacGregor, who fired past Dawson.

Caberfeidh were in command for a spell but were unable to add to their lead and after 72 minutes they paid the price when Kingussie levelled.

A high floating ball forward from James Hutchison was missed by Pilcher in the air, allowing experienced Kingussie front man Fraser Munro to score from close range.

The goal certainly got Kingussie out of jail and they will relish bringing Caberfeidh back to the Dell for the replay, particularly because on the most recent occasion that these two sides met there in the Marine Harvest Premiership, Kingussie were comfortable 4-1 victors.

Both these sides will be encouraged by the fact the draw for the next round sets them up for a trip to face lower-division side Fort William against whom both will fancy their chances.

The other third-round matches are Kinlochshiel v Newtonmore; Bute v Lovat and Kilmallie/Inveraray v Kyles Athletic. These games are due to be played on July 7.

In the Premiership, Kinlochshiel remain in pole position courtesy of a 2-1 away win over relegation threatened Glenurquhart. In what was a lacklustre performance by the defending champions, they failed to make an early breakthrough, though Glenurquhart had to rely on their former international keeper Stuart MacKintosh to keep them in the match for as long as they were. Eventually, however, Ali Nixon put Shiel ahead in the 57th minute when he found space at the back post to touch the ball past Mac-Kintosh. John MacRae got Shiel’s second soon after with a crisp finish from 20 yards. James MacPherson got a last-minute consolation for the Glen.

Lovat suffered a blow to their title hopes when they went down 4-1 away at Newtonmore. The Kiltarlity side never really got going and trailed 3-0 at the break after strikes from Steven MacDonald, Iain Robinson and Drew MacDonald. Fraser MacKintosh got a fourth More goal early in the second half while a late Greg Matheson penalty was all that the visitors could muster by means of reply.

In the final Premiership match of the day, Lochaber, whose manager, Neil MacDonald, resigned last weekend, lost 7-1 away to Kyles.