A new season, a new sponsor; no wonder the Camanachd Association's chief operating officer Torquil Macleod is looking forward to Saturday's opening fixtures of the 2012 season with such relish.
"A fresh sponsor for the Premier League in the shape of the Orion Group is an appropriate curtain raiser for the new shinty season," says Macleod. "Last season we had increased attendances at all our major finals and the league went right to the wire when Newtonmore's Danny Macrae hit a goal in the 90th minute to give his side the title in their final match. This season we are looking for more of the same and on top of that our two-year deal with the Orion Group will allow us to develop youth shinty and that should help secure the future of the sport."
It is not only at Camanachd HQ that a spirit of optimism prevails. At club level there has been work to revamp Ballachulish's Jubilee Park and Oban Camanachd's Mossfield, while Premier League newcomers Kinlochshiel have revealed plans to develop a new ground on a greenfield site at Balmacara, though that will not see action in this year's campaign.
On the down side, Fort William have found that much-needed pitch restoration will prevent them playing at their An Aird stadium until at least August. Not that the venue of their opening game will trouble them as they are away, heading to Rothesay to face newly-promoted Bute. More worrying for the side will be the absence this season of a number of established stars with internationals Adam Robertson, James Clark and John MacDonald having called it a day, while Gary Innes' commitments as a traditional musician will curtail his appearances.
The other newly-promoted side, Kinlochshiel, welcome Kingussie for their opening match of the season and it could be a tricky journey for the visitors, who will be without Ronald Ross, for the opening weeks of the season due to injury, with the MacRae brothers, Finlay and Keith, having notched 50 goals between them in last season's promotion campaign.
Champions Newtonmore open with a home tie against Lovat. 'More should be at full strength and new Lovat manager Alan MacRae will be hoping his young defence can keep 'More's ace predator Danny Macrae at bay long enough to win at least a point.
In the remaining fixtures Glenurquhart, managed by Scotland boss Drew McNeil, meet Kilmallie at Drumnadrochit, while the all-Argyll clash between Inveraray and Kyles goes ahead at the Winterton.
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