File
Glenmuir celebrate their daCosta Cup victory over Frome in last year's final.
Adrian Frater, News Editor
WESTERN BUREAU:
HAVING HAD to make three trips to the final before gaining their first hold on the coveted Cup, champions Glenmuir are hell-bent on preventing Garvey Maceo from being first-time lucky when they meet in next Saturday's daCosta Cup final.
However, if the various dynamics are to be judged fairly, while Glenmuir should fancy their chances of winning, the Garvey Maceo team, which has already beaten them once this season, should start favourites to dethrone them.
However, having seen many gifted team including his own 2005 outfit falter in the final over the years, tactically astute Jackie Walters, the coach of the Glenmuir team, is not intimidated by Garvey Maceo's impressive record this season.
"It is looking very good for us," said Walters in evaluating his team's chances of retaining the title. "We are the defending champions, we have been very consistent and, at this point in time, we are just about where we would want to be."
Victories
With recent victories over quality teams such as Rusea's (3-0) and Cornwall College (3-2), Glenmuir appear to be peaking in time for the final and now seem capable and ready to avenge their earlier loss to Garvey Maceo, their only defeat of the season.
In addition, the team will probably want to make up for their defeats to Rusea's in the 1992 final, to St. Elizabeth Technical in the 1999 final and to Cornwall College in the 2001 final.
However, having tasted Cup success this season in winning the Ben Francis KO competition, Garvey Maceo, who have been expertly conditioned by coach Jeffrey Hewitt, have good reason to believe they will win the coveted title.
"We believe we are good enough to win the daCosta Cup and we will be aiming to prove that," Hewitt said. "The players know what is expected of them and we believe they are capable of delivering."
Having previously beaten Glenmuir in addition to conquering other formidable opponents such as Rusea's, Garvey Maceo with their dynamite striker Ashton Bennett, look a worthy candidate for the title.
Hot, bubbling and ready
WESTERN BUREAU:
WHEN CHAMPIONS Glenmuir crushed Old Harbour 6-2 at Jarrett Park on the opening day of the ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel schoolboy season, they left little doubt they were on a mission to retain the title.
"It was quite an encouraging start for us, especially in terms of the number of goals we got," said Glenmuir's coach Jackie Walters, after the game. "However, schoolboy football is very unpredictable, so you can't read too much into just one result," he said.
Now 16 games and 12 additional wins later, Glenmuir are back in the final, chasing a third hold on the coveted Cup which they previously won in 2004 and 2006 after failing to go all the way in their first three forays into the final.
With just one defeat all season, a 1-0 preliminary-round loss to Garvey Maceo, their opponents in the final, a confident coach Walters has made it clear he thinks his Glenmuir team is just about where he would want it to be in terms of readiness for the final.
a competitive final
"We are expecting a very competitive final because Garvey Maceo have shown that they are a good team," Walters said. "However, as champions, we are ready to defend our title."
If one were to judge Glenmuir by their last two games - their gutsy come-from-behind 2-2 draw against Munro in their final quarter-final game and their never-say-die 3-2 extra-time semi-final win against Cornwall College - it would making betting against them in the final difficult. With the gifted John-Ross Doyley, who scored all three goals against Cornwall College in the semi-final, looking increasingly ominous with each game and skipper James Thomas, Trevol Smith and Ricardo Webb all seemingly in top form, one can clearly understand Walters' optimism.
It should be interesting to note that after their 1-0 first-round preliminary loss to Garvey Maceo, the Glenmuir team later held them to a 1-1 draw in another fixture and have been moving from strength to strength in recent games.
- A.F.
DACOSTA CUP HONOUR ROLL
1950
