Manchester, Knox in decisive group clash
OLD HARBOUR, St Catherine — Old Harbour High could become the fifth qualifier for the Inter-zone round of the ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel daCosta Cup schoolboy football competition when they take on McGrath High in a Zone J return-round game at Soya Oval today.
Old Harbour, who are tied on 16 points with leaders Charlemont High, will be making their second attempt at qualification after being held 1-1 by Dinthill Technical on Saturday, snapping a 25-game winning streak in preliminary-round games.
A win for the Linval Dixon-coached Old Harbour would also means the end of the road for McGrath, while Dinthill face a must-win game against eliminated Bog Walk to keep their slim hopes alive.
While neither team will advance today, the Zone G top-of-the table game between Manchester High and Knox College will be crucial.
Both are tied on 19 points, but Knox has played one game more and will be seeking to avenge their 0-2 first-round defeat.
Spalding, who are lurking in third place on 17 points from seven games, are poised to move up as they play out-of-contention Porus High, who have lost all six games played so far.
In Zone H, a defeat for Claude McKay against Edwin Allen would eliminate them, leaving four teams chasing the two qualifying spots. Two of the schools chasing these berths, Vere Technical and Clarendon College, will meet at Hayes.
Clarendon have won all five games played so far and lead with 15-point ahead of Lennon and Edwin Allen, who have 12 points from six games, with Vere next on 10 points from five games.
In rescheduled games played yesterday, Islington High kept alive their slim hopes of advancing after an upset win over leaders St Mary Technical, while Zone I was thrown wide open after Denbigh edged Garvey Maceo in a first-round game.
Jermaine Cunningham’s goal was enough for Islington to avenge a first-round loss to St Mary Technical and move to 12 points, thus keeping them in the Zone D race for at least one more game.
St Mary Technical stay at the top with 19 points, three more than St Mary High and Annotto Bay, all from eight games.
Denbigh’s win means that five of the six schools in Zone I are statistically still alive, with Glenmuir leading with 19 points from seven games.
Denbigh moved past Garvey on goal difference, both on 12 points from six games, with Central High next on eight.
Yesterday’s Results: Islington 1 St Mary Tech 0; Garvey Maceo 1 Denbigh 3.
Today’s schedule:
Zone G
Cross Keys vs Christiana
Porus vs Spalding
Knox vs Manchester High
Zone H
Vere Technical vs Clarendon College
Claude McKay vs Edwin Allen
Zone J
Old Harbour vs McGrath
Bog Walk vs Dinthill Technical.