Adrian Frater, News Editor
WESTERN BUREAU:
REIGNING CHAMPIONS Glenmuir and the red-hot Godfrey Stewart High will clash in this afternoon's feature Group One game as action continues in the quarter-finals of the 2005 ISSA/Pepsi Jamaica National daCosta Cup with four games which start at 3:30 p.m.
In the other games, first-round losers Cornwall College and Munro College will meet in the other Group One game at Jarrett Park while in Group Two, first-round winners Decarteret College will battle Clarendon College at Manchester High and Happy Grove oppose Mannings at Drax Hall.
The clash between Glenmuir and Godfrey Stewart, which is slated for the St. Elizabeth High School (STETHS) grounds, brings together two teams which are yet to taste defeat in the daCosta Cup this season.
In their first-round, quarter-final games, Glenmuir tagged Cornwall College 2-0 while Godfrey Stewart secured the same result against Munro.
CONFIDENT TEAM
"We are not intimidated by Glenmuir as we believe that games like these bring out the best in my players," said Godfrey Stewart's coach, Carl Palmer. "Our only concern at this time is that we will be without our captain (Dwayne Williams) who is out on three yellow cards. However, we are confident that we can make the required adjustments."
Despite the confidence in the Godfrey Stewart camp, upstaging Glenmuir may require an extraordinary effort as in addition to their impressive 17-game winning streak in all competitions this season, the Jackie Walters-coached team has a fearsome goal-scoring record, scoring more than 80 goals while conceding only three.
The Jarrett Park clash between Cornwall College and Munro, which is a renewal of arguably the longest rivalry in rural schoolboy football, is a crucial game for both teams.
While victory will bring hope, a defeat for either team would signal the end of their championship aspirations.
Based on their form in earlier games, which saw them topping Zone A of the daCosta Cup preliminary round and making the Ben Francis KO final, the Cornwall College team should start favourites to upstage Munro, who finished a distant second to STETHS in Zone E.
However, it is not cut and dry for them as their opponents must have been doing something right to get this far in the competition.
SURPRISE TEAM
Decarteret College, one of the surprise teams this season, are expected to face a stern test at the hands of the Clarendon College team which was surprisingly held to a draw by Mannings in their first-round fixture.
However, with things looking good for them after their win against Happy Grove, the Decarteret camp must fancy their chance to notch another win.
Mannings, currently enjoying their best season in schoolboy football, should start overwhelming favourites against a Happy Grove team, which must be deflated after their loss to Decarteret. Having contained the might of Clarendon College, Mannings should have nothing to fear today.
TODAY'S GAMES
Glenmuir vs Godfrey Stewart at STETHS
Cornwall vs Munro at Jarrett Park
Mannings vs Happy Grove at Drax Hall
Decarteret vs Clarendon at Manchester High
