Adrian Frater, News Editor
Cornwall College's captain, Omroy Wilson, (left), and Keegan Brackett of Grange Hill High battle for possession of the ball during the recent daCosta Cup inter-zone game last Saturday. Cornwall, which won 2-1, face a much more difficult challenge today against defending champions Glenmuir. - Adrian Frater Photo
WESTERN BUREAU
CHAMPIONS GLENMUIR High School will be hoping to repeat their Ben Francis KO success over Cornwall College this afternoon when the teams meet in their big first round Group One quarter-final ISSA/Pepsi/Jamaica National daCosta Cup fixture at Brancourt, in Clarendon.
In other scheduled games today, Godfrey Stewart tackle Munro College in the second Group One game at St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), while Clarendon College will oppose Mannings at Mile Gully and Happy Grove battle Decarteret College at Carder Park in the two Group Two games.
The showdown between the unbeaten Glenmuir and Cornwall College, which they humbled 4-1 to capture the Ben Francis KO final, should be an epic affair. While the champions will be seeking to prove that they are indeed a quality team, the Montego Bay team will be aiming to end their 100 per cent win record and prove that they can be beaten.
Following the Ben Francis loss, a philosophical Cornwall College's coach, Dr. Dean Weatherley, told The Gleaner that he saw enough flaws in the Glenmuir team to suggest that they are not invincible. In fact, he promised that the result would be different should the teams meet again.
However, with 29 consecutive victories under their belt this season and an incredible 80 goals for and two against record, the Glenmuir camp, while not over-confident, is quite optimistic although coach Patrick 'Jackie' Walters, an astute tactician, made it quite clear that he was fully aware that there are no guarantees in football.
WELL-COACHED TEAM
"We are looking forward to the game because Cornwall College is a well-coached team with a wonderful tradition," said coach Walters, noting that the Montego Bay team represents the type of benchmark one would use to judge how well your team is doing. "My hope is that the players will go out there and do what is expected of them. Once they do that we should be okay."
In what should be the secondary feature today, a classic match-up is anticipated in the Group Two clash between the high-riding Clarendon College and Mannings.
While Clarendon College should start favourites after their impressive inter-zone campaign, which saw them beating STETHS 6-0, Manchester High 8-0 and Spalding 5-1, the Savanna-la-Mar based Mannings, which is enjoying their best season ever, must be having giant-killing thoughts.
The second of the Group Two games between Decarteret and Happy Grove could go either way as while both teams are playing well, they have not been dominant. In fact, both teams buckled relatively early after promising much in qualifying for the Ben Francis KO.
In the inter-zone round, Decarteret defeated the fancied Denbigh High 2-0, Christiana 1-0 and drew 1-1 with Munro, while Happy Grove were quite good in taming Vere Technical 3-1, Tacky 4-0 and drawing 1-1 with Old Harbour.
Godfrey Stewart, still unbeaten in the daCosta Cup, will be going all-out to preserve that record against a Munro team in the second Group One game.
Although Munro appear to be a reasonably good team, the Carl Palmer-coached Godfrey Stewart is a strong team with championship qualities.
