Hot conditions and greeted both teams as they took to the field on a sunny Saturday afternoon and the match did not take long to get started.
The opening minutes of the first half went to Bute who showed composure on the ball and created their fi
rst chance just before the tenth minute - Robert Walker forcing the home keeper to make a good save after hitting his shot on target.
With the home advantage and the sun in their back, Glenurqhart soon found got into the game and most of the half was a tale of the two defensive teams. The lack of rain created a very hard pitch whose unpredictability caused many a surprising bounce for both sides as they went at each other to open the score.
Due to the recent suspension of Robert Zavaroni, Iain Donald and Graham Fisher played in half back position, with John McCallum going on the wing.
Though a good deal of the first half possession went to the home team, Bute stepped up a gear in the last ten minutes with forwards Hector Whitelaw and Stewart Strathie both getting chance - but it was winger McCallum who had the closing opportunity of the half when his powerful shot just skimmed the top bar.
Bute started the second half determined to take control of the game and Walker got through the home team's defense and went one on one with the keeper - his shot though going tentalisingly wide of the post.
The sun now facing the home side's defense, the forwards took advantage and seemed to be setting the tempo until an incident in the sixtieth minute - David Whitelaw caught a Glenurqhart player on the ankle with his stick following a tussle between the two to win the ball.
The injured party punched Whitelaw in retaliation and referee Cloin MacDonald had no choice but to send both players both off.
After a quick reorganisation, it appeared Bute had adapted better to the space left by the sudden exit of the two players - and their attacking efforts paid off five minutes when captain Hector Whitelaw held the ball up in the D ain typical fashion and unleashed a shot which flew past the keeper and into the net.
The islanders almost extended their lead ten minutes later when Strathie got hold off the ball and was about to hit the ball on the by line for Bute's second. But he was denied by the Glenurqhart keeper who took both the ball and him out to avoid them doubling their lead.
Desperate to equalise, the home team powered on and won over possession after a Bute error in midfield - a mistake would cost dearly as the ball was hit into the D, and as keeper Kevin Queen came out to clear it, Glenurquhart's Calum Millier forward came out of nowhere to hit the ball past him for the equaliser.
The final few minutes of the went on with both sides fighting to clinch that elusive win. But despite a last minute chance by Walker the score remained level until the final whistle blow.
"They have taken a few scalps this year,"Bute coach Barry Martin said of Glenurquhart," and considering they are second in the league it is not a bad result.
"If you'd asked me before the game if I'd been happy with clinching a point here I would have said yes.
"Both teams, given the conditions, were a credit to the game."
* Bute's first and second teams both have home games on Saturday, July 4. The first team face Newtonmore, winners of the Mactavish Cup last month, with a 2.30pm throw-up - players should meet at 1pm and anyone not available for the game is to contact Barry Martin ASAP.
* Bute's second team, meanwhile, welcome Glenorchy to the Meadows in a South Division Two fixture. Throw-up is at 12 noon and anyone not available is to contact Duncan Simpson or Tom McMillan.
* In other news two Bute players, Robert Ferguson and Leighton Reid, have been selected to play for Scotland in an under-17s competition in Ireland this weekend.
* Finally this weel, the Camanachd Association has announced that both semi-finals in this year's Scottish Hydro Electrice Cup wil take place at Jubilee Park in Ballachulish on Saturday August,15.
Bute's tie against Fort William, with a 1.30pm throw-up, is the first half of a double-header, with Kingussie and Kyles Athletic facing off for the other final berth at 4pm.
