BY PAUL A REID Observer writer
Saturday, October 11, 2014
MAY PEN, Clarendon — Half of the 16 spots in the expanded quarter-finals of the ISSA/LIME daCosta Cup football competition could be filled after this afternoon’s second round of matches in the Inter-zone round.
The top two teams in each of the eight zones will advance to the next round and eight of the nine schools which scored wins in Wednesday’s first set of games could secure a place in the quarter-finals.
The race, however, will be for the coveted place in the first round of the inaugural Lime Super Cup Knockout that offers the winners $1 million plus an impressive crystal trophy. Only the winners of the zones will be eligible for the LIME Super Cup, however, and they will battle the top eight from the Manning Cup.
Today, former champions Glenmuir High and St James High will clash in the feature game of the round in the second game of a double header at Juici Field in May Pen where the winner will advance, while another seven schools will also advance with wins.
Petersfield from Zone 1, Frome from Zone 2, defending champions St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) and Manchester from Zone 3, Clarendon College from Zone 4, Cedric Titus and Old Harbour from Zone 5 were winners on Wednesday and are in the drivers’ seats in the zones.
Glenmuir High and St James, who both advanced to the Inter-zone round via different routes, were winners on Wednesday and no quarters will be asked and none given in today’s game that could decide the zone winners.
Glenmuir, winners of Zone M in the first round, were 2-0 winners over Morant Bay High, while St James High, one of the best third-placed teams, blanked another former champion Vere Technical 3-0.
Defending champions STETHS along with Manchester High will start favourites to win their games in Zone 3 against Edwin Allen High and Holmwood Technical, respectively, and set up a winner-take-all clash next Tuesday.
Edwin Allen High are coming off a 0-2 loss to Manchester High on Wednesday and will have to create the biggest upset of the season to deny STETHS in their own backyard.
Holmwood Technical will also need to lift their game several levels if they hope to keep their chances of advancing alive at the expense of Manchester High.
At Jarrett Park, Petersfield High will be confident coming off a win over a depleted Rusea’s High team but will face a Cornwall College team that was held goalless for the first time this season and will be desperate for goals.
Cornwall College led the competition with 33 goals in the first round but a combination of poor finishing and excellent goalkeeping by Muschett’s David Swaby frustrated them for 90 minutes at Jarrett Park on Wednesday. Today, top scorers Jourdaine Fletcher and Alrick Ottey, who have combined for 16 goals, will resume their hunt for goals against Petersfield.
In the first game at Jarrett Park, Muschett High will seek to keep their qualifying hopes alive as they take on a Rusea’s team that lost its three best players to the National Under-17 team preparing for a World Cup qualifying tournament in Haiti later this month.
Green Pond High have not won any of the four Inter-zone games played between last year and this year and will face a tough Frome Technical team at Frome Sports Grounds.
Frome are coming off a win over a good Godfrey Stewart team and their confidence will be up against Green Pond in a meeting between the teams for the first time.
Clarendon College will be odds on favourites to beat Christiana High at Kirkvine and book their place from Zone 4 ,while Cedric Titus and Old Harbour High are also expected to get by Fair Prospect and Brimmervale, respectively, in Zone 5.
Garvey Maceo will have their sights set on returning to the finals after last year’s meltdown against STETHS and should make another step in that direction when they take on first-time Inter-zone qualifiers Ewarton High at the Bramwell Clarke Complex in Linstead.
The race in Zone 6 is wide open after both games ended in draws on Wednesday, leaving all four teams on one point each.
Another first-time Inter-zone qualifier Oracabessa High will face former champions Dinthill Technical at the Oracabessa Community Centre in one game with Marcus Garvey High and Titchfield meeting at Drax Hall in the other game.
Games today
Christiana vs Clarendon College @ Kirkvine @ 1:00 pm
Rusea’s vs Muschett @ Jarrett Park @ 1:00 pm
Cornwall College vs Petersfield High @ Jarrett Park @ 3:00 pm
Frome Tech vs Green Pond High @ Frome @ 3:00 pm
STETHS vs Edwin Allen @ STETHS @ 3:00 pm
Mile Gully High vs Lacovia @ Manchester High @ 3:00 pm
Manchester High vs Holmwood Tech @ Kirkvine @ 3:00 pm
Brimmervale High vs Old Harbour High @ Oracabessa Comm Centre @ 1:00 pm
Oracabessa High vs Dinthill Tech @ Oracabessa Comm Centre @ 3:00 pm
Fair Prospect vs Cedric Titus @ Snow Hill Field @ 3:00 pm
William Knibb vs Godfrey Stewart @ Drax Hall @ 1:00 pm
Marcus Garvey vs Titchfield @ Drax Hall @ 3:00 pm
Glenmuir High vs St James High @ Juici Field @ 3:00 pm
Vere Tech vs Morant Bay High @ Jamalco @ 3:00 pm
Ewarton High vs Garvey Maceo High @ Bramwell Clarke @ 3:00 pm
Paul Bogle High vs Kemps Hill High @ Lysson Field @ 3:00 pm
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Leaders look to cement places in next round
