D’Cup to get first-time finalist after dramatic end to quarterfinal round
ST ANN, Jamaica – There will be a first-time finalist in the ISSA/Wata daCosta Cup football competition this season as semifinal debutant Ocho Rios High will play McGrath High on November 30 with a spot in the title game at stake.
Ocho Rios High created history on Saturday, becoming the first team from the parish of St Ann to get into the last four of the competition, after ambushing Garvey Maceo High 2-0 at Drax Hall to top their quarterfinal Group B with five points.
Robert Morris and Keanu Reid, scoring in the 31st and 75th minutes respectively, were the heroes for Ocho Rios who had drawn their two previous games in the round. It was Reid’s fourth straight game on the scoresheet.
McGrath High, who got to the semi-finals in 2019, were runners up in Group A behind group winners Glenmuir High who will face Garvey Maceo High in an all Clarendon play-off for the right to play in the December 7th final.
It was a dramatic day of football as Glenmuir High’s 5-2 win over former champions St Elizabeth Technical allowed McGrath High to squeeze into the last four on goal-difference.
Both McGrath High and STETHS finished with four points but McGrath had the better goal-difference of one goal to STETHS minus one.
It was almost identical in Group B where Ocho Rios High’s 2-0 win saw them top the zone but Garvey Maceo’s goal-difference of one was superior to Munro College’s minus one despite Munro’s 3-1 win over Central High.
Orane Watson scored twice for early qualifiers Glenmuir High to take his goal tally for the season to 31, Orel Miller opened the scoring with his 17th of the season while Conroy Nicely and second half substitute Ricardo Binns also scored. Justin McPherson and Shemmar Stewart scored late to rekindle some hope for STETHS.
Jimm Mitchell scored twice and Issac Mason and Shane Pusey scored one each as McGrath High beat Frome Technical 4-0 at Dinthill Technical as they rebounded from their loss to Glenmuir earlier in the week.
Results from Saturday
McGrath High 4, Frome Tech 0
STETHS 2, Glenmuir High 5
Ocho Rios High 2, Garvey Maceo High 0
Munro College 3, Central High 1
