- CARLINGTON WILMOT/Freelance Photographer
Excelsior's Ricardo Ximinies is kept off the ball by Glenmuir's Unace Wright. Ximinies scored in Excelsior's 2-1 Olivier Shield defeat at the National Stadium yesterday. He has so far scored in every final this season - the Manning and Walker Cups and now the Olivier Shield.
Daraine Luton, Freelance Writer
GLENMUIR ARE just a draw away from crowning themselves kings of schoolboy football having drawn first blood against Excelsior in their urban leg of the ISSA/Pepsi/Sportsplus Olivier Shield finals at the National Stadium yesterday.
The Clarendon school, through goals from Cornel Learmond (25th minute) and Shawn Francis (49th minute), eked out a come-from-behind 2-1 victory after Ricardo Ximines had launched Excelsior in front with a wicked 30-yarder which nearly tore the net behind Aaron Brown.
But Excelsior might consider themselves unlucky as goals were scored against them when they were a man down. Learmond's goal originated on the right flank where Andrew Morris was marshalling. The defender was cut on the forehead after being caught by an elbow from a Glenmuir player. Eric Vernon made use of the extra real estate presented to him and swung a cross into the Exelcior area which eluded goalkeeper Damion Reid and fell safely for Learmond to slot home.
EXTRA MAN
Glenmuir again benefitted from having an extra man on the pitch when Francis got his goal. Then Narado Brown was off the field receiving treatment. Vernon sent across the ball from the corner flag which was headed on by Learmond before Francis, unmarked at far post, stabbed past Reid after defenders failed to clear.
Excelsior tried to fight back but were kept at bay by a spirited and much more organised Glenmuir team. In fact, were it not for poor shooting on the part of the Glenmuir attackers, in particular Learmond, substitute Cornelius Henry, Vernon and, to a lesser extent, Steven Morrissey, Excelsior could have been out of the race for schoolboy football's most prestigious title.
Learmond, although being one of his team's goalscorers, missed some easy opportunities to put Glenmuir further ahead. His most glaring miss came in the 33rd minute after a Dushain Ashman square, which required only a tap, was hit high from point-blank range even though the goalkeeper was caught in no man's land.
MORRISSEY SHUT OUT
Vernon drove a couple of shots wide while it was just not Morrissey's day. The latter, shut out of the game for most of the first half by Jaron Richards, gave glimpses of his brilliance in the second half but was obviously not wearing his shooting boots. In the 57th minute he turned away from his marker and cannoned a right footer that flew right. He also had an 81st minute shot which seemed to have goal written all over it brilliantly saved by Reid. And on the stroke of full time was forced to hold his head in awe after he beat last man back Robert Coley, pulled Reid out of position and then crossed to Henry only to see the latter boot high from six yards.
Leebert Halliman, whose team lost its first game this season, gave credit to the Clarendon aggregation for their performance.
"They are the best team. There is no doubt about that. They are better stronger ... I tried my best to get a win at home where I knew the conditions would have being against them but we never prevailed," Halliman said.
Knowing that his side has to win by two clear goals on Wednesday, Halliman said: "It is an uphill task, very stiff. But we are going there and we are going to give it our best shot. When you are not on your face you are on your back so you have to get up and fight again."
Meanwhile, Patrick 'Jackie' Walters said that with yesterday's display, Glenmuir strengthened their claim as the best schoolboy side.
"I think we are the better team. We proved it out there today," Walters said. "They were a bit unfortunate for us to score when they were a man down both times but we clearly are the better team," he said.
Despite this however, he is not prepared to take Excelsior lightly when they show up at Brancourt for the return leg.
ALL-OUT
"They are going to come all-out. They know they have to beat us at Brancourt to win and we are determined that they won't do it."
Glenmuir have already placed the daCosta and Ben Francis cups under their Christmas tree and are looking to become the first rural team since Cornwall in 2001 to take the triple. On the other hand, Excelsior, who shared the Olivier Shield crown with Frome last year, are trying to land the triple - a feat no Corporate Area team has accomplished since Charlie Smith in 1995.
