Play-offs provide the focus of attention on today's shinty card, even if neither of the two big games involved is in fact a play-off. And come this afternoon, shinty pundits and fans far and wide could be reaching for the calculators to establish the outcome of two crucial races, the first to beat the drop from the national premier league, and the second to clinch the north first division championship race.

The outcome of today's match between Glenorchy and Inveraray at the Mart Park, Dalmally, is intriguing and could lead to an unprecedented three-way tie, which will see a complicated series of home and away matches played stretching the shinty season well beyond next Saturday's official concluding date.

The position at the foot of the premier league, as Inveraray and Glenorchy take the field for their last scheduled match, is as follows. Inveraray have nine points from 13 games, Glenorchy seven points from the same number of matches. Glenurquhart, the innocent party in all this, who have had to wait and sweat it out while matters elsewhere are being resolved, have nine points from 14 games.

If Glenorchy win in today's 90 minutes, they stay up and it's a three-way tie between Glenorchy, Inveraray and Glenurquhart. Goal difference does not count, so if Glenorchy draw they go down. If Glenorchy lose they go down. So they simply have to win.

If they do win, it will be the nightmare scenario, the three-way tie and a home-and-away round robin. No games are possible for the next two Saturdays due to the Camanachd Cup final and representative games, although Inveraray and Glenorchy could play midweek. Even then, there is the clear possibility that at the end of it all, there could be yet another tie.

Glenorchy have most to gain in a scenario which could not have been envisaged 14 games ago when the 10 teams in the national top flight set out on their way.

Kingussie of course wrapped up the title, more or less, before Christmas. They have simply won it by a mile, scoring 94 goals in their 13 games to date. They still have to play Oban Camanachd in an outstanding league game, now due on June 27.

The irony in all this is that the league has been reasonably competitive, if Kingussie are removed from the equation, and positively cut-throat at the bottom for most of the season. At one stage, any one of the bottom six or seven clubs could have been considered candidates for the chop.

In any event, Glenorchy will start favourites today. They are on their own pitch and have a recent Celtic Society Cup final win,

(2-1) against their opponents, under their belts, not to mention a crushing 5-0 victory as well.

Inveraray are blighted by suspension, their behaviour having let them down on the last few outings. The absence of key play-maker Garry Macpherson could well be the single biggest factor in the outcome of what promises to be a tension-packed affair, watched from afar by Glenurquhart.

Meanwhile at Caol, the outcome of the North division one championship, and the right to represent the area in the play-off to step up to the premier league next season, has gone to the wire.

Kilmallie have to beat Lochcarron to clinch the title. A draw will see them embroiled in yet another play-off, this time against Caberfeidh who are their title rivals, and who beat them

3-1 last Saturday.

Defeat for Kilmallie would make Caberfeidh champions and they would head for the play-off with Tayforth.

Kilmallie got back on the rails in midweek with a crushing 8-1 win over Kinlochshiel which has teed up the most dramatic of finishes. They have Keith Blackhall back, but have lost the unfortunate John Stewart with a recurrence of his back injury.

Stephen Jamieson found the net three times in midweek after a barren spell and he could well be the man Kilmallie will be looking towards for their goals at Caol.

There are no nails left to bite in Kilmallie, or at Drumnadrochit. It has been that sort of season. Kilmallie's chairman Hugh MacIntyre says Kilmallie are ''raring to go'' after the set-back at Strathpeffer last weekend.

Lochcarron on the other hand are desperate to do their Ross-shire compatriots a favour. It has been a rollercoaster season for Kilmallie, as MacTavish Cup finalists and Camanachd Cup semi-finalists. Victory today would see them edge closer to their ultimate goal of premier league shinty.

Defeat is unthinkable and would leave them with nothing to show for what has been a historic and invigorating season.