Sports
Semi-finalists to be decided in Flow Champions Cup
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
THE four semi-finalists in the 2010 Flow Champions Cup, Jamaica's all-island knockout (KO) football competition, will be decided today and tomorrow with the playing of four mouth-watering quarter-final match-ups.
All but one of the eight teams remaining in the competition, Granville FC of St James, are National Premier League campaigners.
Current Premier League leaders Harbour View, along with Waterhouse, Arnett Gardens and reigning Flow Champions Cup defending champions Boys' Town, from Kingston and St Andrew, are still in with a chance of securing the coveted $800,000 prize purse, while Village United from Trelawny, Humble Lions from Clarendon and St Georges SC from Portland carry the hopes of taking the Flow Champions Cup out of the capital.
Harbour View, who are seeking a record fifth hold on the all-island KO trophy, will entertain St Georges SC in an all premiership clash at the Harbour View Stadium at 7:00 pm today. Harbour View will enter the encounter as favourites, having beaten the Portlanders in two of their three premiership match-ups this season.
Today's other match will see the 2008 Flow Champions Cup winners Waterhouse taking on Humble Lions in another all Premier League clash at the Effortville Community Centre at 3:00 pm.
While Waterhouse have defeated Humble Lions on two of three occasions this season, the Clarendonians will still feel confident heading into the match, having beaten Waterhouse 1-0 in their last encounter on March 7, and having sent Tivoli Gardens packing from the second round. Waterhouse are seeking their third lien on the trophy.
The second set of quarter-final matches set for tomorrow should also be intriguing.
Defending champions Boys' Town, who eliminated Sporting Central Academy in round two, will be aiming to do the same to the 2004 beaten finalists Village United at the Elliston Wakeland Centre. Trelawny's Village United needed penalties to stop Reno in the previous round.
Boys' Town have the upper hand going into the match, having beaten Village United two out of three times this season.
St James parish champions Granville, who are guided by Tracey Reid will be hoping to continue their fairytale run when they entertain former three-time premiership champions (1978, 2001 & 2002) Arnett Gardens at the Sam Sharpe Mini-Ground.
Quarter-final Matches
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
3:00 pm Humble Lions vs Waterhouse FC at Effortville Community Centre;
7:00 pm Harbour View vs St Georges SC at Harbour View Stadium.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
3:00 pm Village United vs Boys' Town FC at Elliston Wakeland Centre;
3:00 pm Granville FC vs Arnett Gardens at Sam Sharpe Mini-Ground.
Player Profile
Name: Garth Johnson
Date of Birth: April 22, 1979
Parish: St James
School: Montego Secondary
Club Teams: Granville
Only two none Premier League teams -- Olympic Gardens and Naggo Head FC -- have ever won the coveted all-island knockout trophy.
Granville FC of St James, the only parish champions to have qualified for the quarter-finals, are seeking to continue their fairytale run and etch their name in history.
The man who has been leading their charge on the field is striker Garth Johnson, who is tied with Kevin Wilson of Arnett Gardens for the most goals, with three apiece so far in the Flow Champions Cup.
Johnson sees the Flow Champions Cup as the avenue to fulfilling his dreams.
"Granville can win the Flow Champions Cup. Winning would be good for me to get a chance for the national coaches to look at me because I want an opportunity to show my talent at the highest level," Johnson said.
The striker, who has been instrumental in Granville's progress to the last eight of the competition, believes his team has what it takes to match strides with the best teams in the country.
"I am used to this competition because a few years ago we had entered and played against Tivoli Gardens, so we have an idea about what we are going to face and we are ready," the confident striker said.
Johnson believes Granville are prepared to face Arnett Gardens tomorrow in the bid for a spot in the semi-finals.
"Being the underdogs will work in our favour going up against these Premier League players. Every man is just a man and I'm ready to deliver for Granville," he reasoned.
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