Gilbert could leave Dinthill after d’Cup final defeat

After guiding Dinthill Technical High School to the final of the ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup, coach Xavier Gilbert has hinted that he might be leaving the Linstead-based school.

Gilbert, who took charge of Dinthill in 2018, was hoping to end the school's 38-year wait to lift rural area coveted schoolboy football title, but his side suffered a 3-0 defeat to Clarendon College last Saturday at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.

The back-to-back daCosta Cup champions were also their Achilles heel last season with a 4-0 elimination at the semi-final stage.

Despite admitting that the future looks bright for Dinthill with a good crop of youngsters coming through, Gilbert outlined that his contract runs out at the end of the month and he can't guarantee he will be on the bench next season.

"Dinthill has a good crop of youngsters. My contract expires at the end of December so I don't know, there are no guarantees. I really wanted to bring the trophy home but we will see where it goes from here," said Gilbert, who is the sports master at Excelsior High School.

"Right now I just want to digest the season. It was a rough season, with all the travelling and I just need some time to relax. I just have to take my time and see what happens," he said.

Dinthill lost their first three games in the group stage of the daCosta Cup and was virtually out of the competition before a boardroom decision saw them picking up points from Charlemont High School, who had used an ineligible player.

Despite Saturday's disappointing loss, Gilbert saw it as a positive season for the Linstead-based team, which won seven games on the trot in the daCosta Cup to the final.

"It wasn't to be, but I'm proud of my boys and what they did for the entire season. I have to commend them," he said.