WESTERN BUREAU -
THE semi-finalists in the Pepsi/Sports Plus daCosta Cup will be decided this afternoon following the third and final series of games in the quarter-finals.
Frome Technical of Westmoreland with two wins so far have already confirmed their place in the last four of the daCosta Cup and the Ben Francis Knockout while five other teams have their sights fixed on the remaining three places.
Former champions Cornwall College and St. Thomas Technical, joint leaders in Group One with four points, and Clarendon College on two points are the teams still in for that group's two places. Meanwhile, Munro College on four points and long-shots Holmwood Technical on one are the contenders for the other place from Group Two.
Group One is the more intriguing of the two with three teams locked in battle and Dinthill, despite being out of contention with two losses, in a position to play spoilers.
All three teams need to win to secure their semi-final places, although a draw at Drax Hall for Cornwall against St. Thomas would see the Montego Bay team through. Cornwall lead the group on a goal difference of plus three ahead of St. Thomas on plus one.
While a draw would be good for Cornwall, it could be disastrous for St. Thomas should Clarendon win by at least two clear goals against Dinthill in their game at Emmett Park.
Cornwall have been improving with every game since the inter-zone and have proven better than their opponents especially in the second half. One worrying factor for St. Thomas is that all three goals on Monday against Dinthill came from so-called 'secondary' players, Rayon Clarke, Ceyon Shaw and defender Maurice Parkins.
Today top scorer Garrick Gordon, midfielders DeShawn Woolery and Garnett Chisholm along with Dane Richards will want to assert themselves against the St. Thomas team which came back late in the game on Monday to draw against Clarendon at Woodside.
Clarendon College, with their backs to the wall and in danger of not advancing, must win big today and Dinthill could be in for a long afternoon.
The six-time champions had been cruising along until the last two games when they gave up three goals, the first all season, all coming with first string goalkeeper Allien Whittaker on suspension.
Today midfielders Dane Chambers, Sean Fraser and Anthony Bennett along with Aaron Jackson and Kimroy Davis will be hunting goals from the first whistle as they hope to snatch a place in the last four.
Frome, already sure of their place, can rest their top players against Munro who need just a point to secure their second semi-final place in three seasons.
Holmwood will be hoping Frome put out their best effort and beat Munro while gunning for a big win over out-of-contention Garvey Maceo to sneak into the last four on goal difference.
By Paul A. Reid
Staff Reporter
Group One: St. Thomas Technical vs. Cornwall College at Drax Hall and Dinthill vs. Clarendon College at Emmett Park.
Group Two: Munro vs. Frome at Black River and Garvey Maceo vs. Holmwood at Woodside.
All games start at 3:30.
