ABERDOUR Shinty Club are setting their sights on Balliemore Cup progression this weekend after their Macaulay Cup ambitions ended at the first round stage.
The Silver Sands' club's first team hosted Bute, of the National Division, on Saturday a week on from bowing out of the Camanachd Cup to Inveraray.
The West Fifers, who play in the tier below Bute, Mowi South Division One, in the league structure, competed well and were only a goal behind at the break thanks to Craig Fisher's early effort.
Aberdour's young side continued to play in encouraging fashion in the second half, but Iain McDonald put Bute two ahead just after the hour, before he and Josh Cowan added further goals inside the final seven minutes.
"We lost quite an early goal but it was a lot better performance than against Inveraray," club coach and founder, Lisa MacColl, said.
"We didn't probably still start as strong as we could, but it was only 1-0 at half-time. They caught us on the back foot and got a goal, but we held them out for the rest of the half.
"Our hitting probably still lets us down a little bit, our challenging in the air, but we spoke to the lads at half-time and, I have to say that the second half performance, although we lost three goals, I thought we challenged better in the air. Our hitting was slightly better, our attacking was a wee bit better as well.
"Bute are a good, strong side. They've come up together as a young team from under-14s, under-17s, and have got a few experienced players in their team too. They've just got that confidence in front of goal that we probably still don't have with some of our younger players.
"It was definitely a better game. At half-time, 1-0, we weren't out of it, but we always knew it was going to be a tough game against a team playing in a higher division.
"I think it shows we did take on board things from the week before. We were a bit quicker, we challenged better for the ball, and were a bit more determined and committed.
"There's of good things week from week. Moving forward, there's positives to take."
Kilmory, who are also in Division One, are the opponents for Saturday's Balliemore Cup first round tie, which has a 2.30pm throw-up at Silver Sands, and MacColl hopes her team can utilise the experiences of their last two matches to help them find victory.
"This is where we'll be looking for our players to step up and demonstrate everything that they've learned against higher-level opposition the last few weeks," she said.
"This is the sort of level where we'll probably be asking a bit more of them in terms of our expectations. They gave us 100 per cent effort last week - we can't ask any more than that - but what we need to ask from them this week is to stay together as a team and try and be a bit more composed on the ball.
"The game maybe won't be as fast-paced as it would be against Inveraray and Bute, but we will not underestimate Kilmory at all, because they're a good young side that have been where we were a few years ago, and are now rebuilding.
"Every game we've got to play is a tough game. We'll certainly not underestimate their abilities, but we have to go in a little bit more confident, and with a bit more belief in ourselves, knowing this is a game we could, and hopefully will, go out and win."
Meanwhile, Aberdour's seconds saw their scheduled Bullough Cup first round tie at home to Oban Celtic called off when their opponents conceded, meaning they have been given a walkover to the second round.
This Sunday, Aberdour's ladies - who were unable to field a team for their scheduled Women's Camanachd Association (WCA) Mowi National Division clash with Skye at the weekend - host Glenurquhart in the WCA Valerie Fraser Camanachd Cup, first round.
Throw-up is at 2pm at Silver Sands.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here