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D-day for d’Cup quarter-finalists
November 15, 2024
There is absolutely no room for error concerning teams looking to advance, when the final round of the ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup football competition quarter-finals resume on Saturday with four matches, all set to start at 3 p.m.
With Group A's Glenmuir High School already advanced to the semi-finals and Champions Cup, three schools are set to book their spot.
In Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth, the Omar 'Rambo' Wedderburn-coached St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) will host Glenmuir, favourites to win it all, in the feature match.
STETHS, who have all cylinders firing at the right time, need a draw to advance to the next round. However, a win will assure their spot as group winners and certify home advantage in the next round. They are second on four points after a commanding 3-1 victory to eliminate Frome Technical High School on Wednesday at Llandilo Sports Complex in Westmoreland.
Frome, whose last match was marred by an ugly confrontation, are among the quarter-finalists of the Ben Francis KO. In the meantime, they will at least look to finish their final game with some pride, when they face McGrath High at Dinthill Technical High School.
The wounded McGrath will need to win big to have any chance of advancing in the daCosta Cup. They suffered a 3-1 whipping to Glenmuir on Tuesday at Glenmuir. McGrath, meanwhile, are third in the group on one point, having drawn 1-1 with STETHS in their opening match.
At Malvern, St Elizabeth, many-time champions Munro College's hopes of breaking their 60-year championship drought are slipping away. Group B's Munro College find themselves in a must-win situation when they face Central High at Munro College, and hoping the results go in their favour to give them a superior goal difference in case there is a tie on points.
After a hard 3-0 loss against former champions Garvey Maceo at Glenmuir High on Wednesday in Clarendon, the Kemar Ricketts-coached Munro will be putting all cards on deck to take them over the line. Munro College's hopes of getting a shot at the title rests on Ocho Rios winning big against Garvey Maceo. Any other result means Munro are doomed.
On the north coast in Drax Hall, St Ann, Ocho Rios High will tackle Garvey Maceo. First-time quarter-finalists Ocho Rios will look to create history if they advance to the semi-finals. On two points in Group B, they rallied to draw 1-1 with Central on Wednesday at the Wembley Excellence Centre in Clarendon, courtesy of a goal from their youngest player, 14-year-old Dario James.
Having scored his 10th goal for his first and last season, added to 15 assists, James will need the help of his big brothers (teammates) to keep them alive.
Both Central and Ocho Rios will need a win to boost their chances of advancing to the semi-finals and Champions Cup, depending on goal difference.
