Gaelic TV channel BBC Alba is set to broadcast the maiden event and, so far, the ruling Camanachd Association have been keeping plans under wraps.

However, speaking to The Oban Times, association president Duncan Cameron confirmed that talks are underway to host the match on a synthetic park.

And the competing clubs will be asked their opinions on a smaller-sided game, potentially played to altered rules.

The brave move follows prior comments issued by Cameron that the Camanachd Association must investigate the use of plastic, with unpredictable weather and poor parks often causing fixture havoc.

The 2008 programme, just finished, has run closer to the published timetable than recent years but problems still existed in the early part of the season.

This will be the first time such a move has ever been attempted.

The Association is to seek advice from Fort William and Scotland centre Niall MacPhee on the way forward; the player currently working for a leading synthetic park supplier in England.

‘It might be that the Champion of Champions game brings in the idea of using artificial pitches, revealed Cameron.

‘We are trying to negotiate with different people at present and it would also only be fair to consult with clubs because they would need to agree the type of hybrid game that could be played on the surface and have time to practise.

‘We were anxious that this was an occasion that was worthy of television coverage.’

Meanwhile, Cameron has also disclosed that Oban Camanachd’s appeal for a revised youth set-up in the south is being debated at the sport’s Inverness HQ.

Oban Camanachd Club secretary Daniel MacIntyre wrote to local MPs and MSPs recently warning that having only three games in the U-14 and U-17 south leagues would drive kids away from shinty.

While commenting that finding a solution to what is a complex problem that has been affecting south shinty for sometime cannot be done on a single-club basis, Cameron conceded there is now a need to address the old boundary divisions of north and south in order to keep young players in competitive matches.

‘This is something we need to look at. The idea is to get young people playing shinty. I think there needs to be a breaking down of the old idea that a young player must play for one club in one area and can’t play anywhere else.’

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