Adrian Frater, News Editor
Cambridge's Rolando Laird (right) works his way forward with Rusea's Clinton Clarke (centre) and Cambridge's Jerome Eccleston looking on during yesterday's daCosta Cup fixture between the teams at the UDC field in Montego Bay. Rusea's won 2-0. - Photo by Adrian Frater
Western Bureau:
While some teams will be scrambling to secure a place in the inter-zone round of the 2007 ISSA/Pepsi/ Digicel daCosta Cup this afternoon, several teams will also be gunning for group honours, which will earn them a place in the Ben Francis Knock Out competition.
Among the teams that will be on the hunt for inter-zone places are Petersfield (18) and Godfrey Stewart (16) who are vying the one remaining slot in Zone C; Frome Technical (18), which need a win to join Rusea's as the Zone B qualifier; Spalding High (15), who need a draw to leave Christiana (12) and Holmwood (15) behind to battle for the other Zone G slot.
The battle for inter-zone places in some groups remain a wide open affair with several teams still in with a very good chance of advancing should they get positive results. Zone H, which has Clarendon College (25), Denbigh (20) and Lennon (20) all in the hunt, is one such zone. The situation is somewhat similar in Zone K, where Brimmervale (27), Oracabessa (23) and St. Mary Technical (22) are all seeking to join early qualifier Annotto (30).
more complex situation
The situation is even more complex in Zone A, where St. James High (16), which have three outstanding games; and Irwin (10), which have four outstanding games; are both seeking to join early qualifier Cornwall College (21). Should both teams win today, it will take the results of their outstanding games to decide which of them will advance.
In regard to the Ben Francis KO, Munro College, with an unassailable 25 points in Zone E, is the only team already with both feet in the pro-mised land. However, teams such as Zone F's Manchester High (21) and Zone J's Dinthill (35) are poised to join them with either a win or a draw.
In Zone L, which was divided into two preliminary segments then decided by a four-way play-off, Fair Prospect and St. Mary, who topped the play-offs to quality for the inter-zone, will meet today in what is technically a zone final to decide which of them will advance to the Ken Francis KO.
what a win could do
Should Cornwall College win today and St. James High and Irwin falter, they will win the group. However, should St. James High win, they will be in with a chance of moving past the Cornwall to take group honours.
In zones D, F and I, the action should be closely watched as either of the qualifiers could advance based on today's results.
However, ISSA could also be forced to resort to mathematical computations to decide group winners.
The same scenario could also unfold in the zones where no qualifiers have been decided and several teams are still in with a good shot of not only advancing but also topping the group.
Today's games
Zone A
Cornwall vs St. James
Irwin vs Anchovy
W. Knibb vs H. Morrison
Zone B
Rusea's vs Knockalva
Cambridge vs G. Island at the UDC field
Merlene Ottey vs Frome at Cold Spring
Zone C
Petersfield vs L. London
Maud McLeod vs G. Stewart
Grange Hill vs Mannings
Zone D
York Castle vs Ocho Rios at Addison Park
Cedric Titus vs A'Gallimore at Clark's Town
Marcus Garvey vs Brown's Town at Drax Hall
Zone E
STETHS vs Black River
Newell vs Maggotty
Zone F
Decarteret vs Belair
Porus vs Bellefield
Zone G
Albert Town vs Holmwood
Knox vs Christiana
Zone H
Clarendon vs Kellits
Denbigh vs Vere
Lennon vs Thompson Town
Zone I
Garvey Maceo vs Central at York Town Community Centre
Tacius Golding vs Glenmuir
Zone J
Charlemont vs Bog Walk
McGrath vs Dinthill
Glengoffe vs Ewarton
Zone K
Islington vs Oracabessa
Iona vs Annnotto Bay at Rio Nuevo
St. Mary High vs Tacky at High Gate
Brimmervale vs St. Mary Tech.
Zone L
Fair Prospect vs St. Mary Tech at York Oval
