MONTEGO BAY, St James – Despite failing to advance past the first round two of the last three seasons, Munro College’s coach Patrick “Jackie” Walters is optimistic that his team could return to prominence in the ISSA daCosta Cup football competition this year.

Walters who is in his second season at the St Elizabeth school has retained the bulk of last year’s team and said once they get out of the second round, anything could happen.

“We have lost only about three players from last year’s team, so basically we have the same team and once we get out of the second round, we could be dangerous,” he told The Observer Central at the annual Jackson Shield competition against Cornwall College in Montego Bay recently. Cornwall College won the most recent Jackson Shield game 2-1.

Munro College, who last won the daCosta Cup 55 years ago, placed fifth in Zone E last season. Two years before that in 2016 they were edged on goal-difference by Lacovia High for second place in the zone.

Walters says he is pleased with what he has seen prior to the start of the 2019 season.

“I am feeling pretty confident, the team has demonstrated that they have the quality and capacity to go all the way but as we know schoolboys… can be fickle but there are great expectations,” he said.

Despite not being able to field his best team in the pre-season due to injuries or players being away on vacation, Walters said “the commitment that they (players) have demonstrated this year, to work as a unit tells me the team has grown since last (season),” he said.

The highly respected, veteran coach said midfield capacity and speed were his team’s strongest areas.