Richard Bryan, Freelance writer

The outstanding Garvey Maceo goalkeeper Andre Lindsay (right) blocks a shot from Glenmuir's Drion McNain during last Saturday's daCosta Cup final at Brancourt. LIndsay made several outstanding saves during the match and in the penalty shoot-out as his school bagged their first daCosta Cup title. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

There are similarities between the skills used for goalkeeping and wicketkeeping, but the two are hardly interchangeabe, or better yet mastered at a higher competitive level by the same player. Garvey Maceo's Andre Lindsay is one such rare exponent.

For those fortunate to have watched the first round Ben Francis Cup match between Garvey Maceo and Spaldings at Manchester High, would not have been surprised at the performance of goalkeeper Andre Lindsay in Saturday's epic daCosta Cup final at Brancourt.

Lindsay, who was clearly the Man-of-the-Match and inspiration behind Garvey Maceo's triumph against the defending champions at the weekend, had performed a similar feat when it seemed his school would lose against Spaldings, highly-touted then as a potential finalist based on their first round performance.

Lindsay, more known for his role as the national Youth team wicketkeeper, kept his team in the game with crucial saves towards the end before emerging a hero, saving two penalties including the final one taken by one of that game's regulation time goalscorers, Anthony Reid, with the teams locked at 3-3.

His coach, Jeffrey Hewitt commented: "I had no fears going into the penalty shoot-out. All we needed to do was equalise in the game. Andre has developed a knack of saving penalties and I know that even one, he would get a hand to."

It was a recognition that would later become, sadly for Glenmuir, a costly manifestation.

Attacks limited

In a closely fought first half in which both teams stayed close, defended stoutly and where attacks were limited to breaks on the wings, Lindsay showed Glenmiur he was the man to beat when he denied their most dangerous player, John Ross Doyley from opening the lead around the 10th minute.

A gifted kicker of the dead ball and capable of crashing home balls even from 40 yards, Doyley was gifted with a ball by a Garvey defender as Glenmuir pounced in attack from the left wing. He veered centre and appeared to fox Lindsay initially by tilting his body leftwards, appearing to kick right, before unleasing his trademark left foot strike. Lindsay kept his balance even while moving forward to cut the angle, before adjusting well to parry a shot that had began to elicit loud anxious shouts of "go..al".

Minutes later Lindsay was called on to pivot backwards and hold a well-timed 30 yard lob by James Thomas, when it seemed he had drifted too far from his goalline.

The Glenmuir players came hard at him each time the challenges were close and by midway the second half, he began to show signs of being cramped by a knock he had received in the mid-section. Mid-way the second half, he was forced to deliberately lob a throw-out to the side line to force referee Raymond Bogle to usher in treatment from the touch lines.