Adrian Frater, News Editor

Hopeton Gilchrist, the new coach for Munro, hopes to lead the team to its first title since 1964.

WESTERN BUREAU:

THE SEMI-finalists in the ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel daCosta Cup will be decided this afternoon when the competition's quarter-finals conclude with four final-round games in rural Jamaica.

The games down for contention are: Group One - Cornwall College against Fair Prospect at the Elliston Wakeland Centre in Falmouth and Garvey Maceo versus Manchester High at Jamalco. Group Two - Rusea's against Clarendon College at STETHS and Munro versus Glenmuir, also at STETHS.

All games are slated to start at 3:00 p.m. except for the Rusea's vs Clarendon College game, the opening game of the STETHS double-header, which will start at 1:00 p.m.

Do-or-die encounters

With all eight teams still having a chance of making the semi-finals, albeit very slim chances in some cases, all four games could be classified as do-or-die encounters. While the group leaders, champions Glenmuir and Cornwall College, could survive with a draw, defeat would be disastrous for them.

Glenmuir, fresh from their 3-0 trouncing of Rusea's, which lifted them to four points and sole leadership of Group Two, face a Munro College team which sits in joint second place with Rusea's on three points.

"We will be going all-out to win this game," said Munro's coach Hopeton Gilchrist whose team clipped Clarendon College 1-0 in its last game. "A victory represents our best chance of advancing and the players are aware of this," Gilchrist said.

Rusea's, probably still smarting from their loss to Glenmuir, know that a win against Clarendon College will land them squarely in the semi-finals regardless of the result of the other game in the group. However, with a slim chance of advancing, Clarendon College (one) should come fighting tooth and nail and hoping for the best.

Serious contest

If Cornwall College (four) report in the same form they showed in ending Garvey Maceo's 17-game unbeaten streak with their 2-0 win on Saturday, they should cruise pass Fair Prospect (three) and seal their place in the semi-finals.

However, having done so well this season and still in with a slim chance of going even further, Fair Prospect are expected to make it a serious contest.

"We are confident but we won't be complacent," said Dr. Dean Weatherly, the coach of the Cornwall College team. "Now is not the time to fool around so we will be going for all three points."

Garvey Maceo (three), who seemed invincible before their loss to Cornwall College, should be firing on all cylinders against Manchester High (one) as they seek to resurrect their bid for the coveted rural double, the Ben Francis Cup and daCosta Cup.

However, while Manchester High should start as the underdogs, any attempt to underestimate them could prove costly as they have showed themselves to be a quality team this season.

With their slim chance of advancing to the semi-final, Manchester are expected to throw down the gauntlet today.

TODAY'S GAMES

Group One

Cornwall College vs Fair Prospect at Elliston Wakeland Centre - 3:00 p.m.

Garvey Maceo vs Manchester High at Jamalco - at 3:00 p.m.Group Two

Rusea's vs Clarendon College at STETHS - 1:00 p.m.

Munro vs Glenmuir at STETHS - 3:00 p.m.