Defending champions Garvey Maceo High and last season’s finalists McGrath High, both coming off morale-boosting wins, will hope to kick off their ISSA daCosta Cup Round of 32 schedule on a positive note this afternoon.

Garvey Maceo are slated to host Old Harbour High in a Group 7 game, while McGrath are set to take on Morant Bay High at Dinthill Technical in a Group 8 encounter.

Former champions Cornwall College and Kemps Hill High will meet for a second-straight season in the second game of a double header at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.

Elsewhere, Cedric Titus High, Mannings School, and Manchester High will put their perfect win records on the line.

Garvey Maceo and McGrath High are expected to be on a high after satisfying victories over Glenmuir High and Dinthill, respectively. The results ensured both teams topped their first-round zones.

Garvey Maceo came from two goals down to edge major rivals Glenmuir High 3-2 on Wednesday to take Zone I honours. Glenmuir had beaten Garvey Maceo 4-0 earlier in the season.

Garvey Maceo now face an Old Harbour team which got into the second round via the best third-place route, finishing the first round behind McGrath High and Dinthill Technical in Zone J.

McGrath High also avenged an earlier loss to Dinthill, scoring a 2-0 win on Thursday to finish a point ahead of the former champions.

After contesting finals in the last two seasons, McGrath will be eager to make another run deep into the competition.

McGrath are expected to start with a win as they play against a Morant Bay High team that finished second in Zone L, conceding nine goals in six games.

Cornwall and Kemps Hill played out a 1-1 result in Montego Bay last season, but it is expected that they will not be settling for a point this time around.

Cornwall are coming off a strong first round in which they topped Zone A.

But despite ending the first round with a loss to out-of-contention Denbigh High, Kemps Hill have shown they can rise to the occasion with back-to-back 1-0 wins over Glenmuir and Garvey Maceo in the Zone I play-offs.

Had they defeated Denbigh High on Wednesday, Kemps Hill would, however, have been drawn in a less competitive zone.

Cedric Titus were not tested in the first round and could be made to work hard against a Frome Technical team that can be dangerous if given room to work.

In Terron Eccleston, Cedric Titus have a proven scorer who can change the game, and he could put the Frome Technical defence under pressure.

Mannings School are the fifth team since the 2016 season not to concede a goal in the first round and are seen in some quarters as potential title contenders with a core of players who have been together for at least four years.

They will be home to Belair High, who survived the carnage in Zone F in the wake of a historic 76 goals scored by Manchester High.

Mannings School should start favourites especially playing in front of a home crowd.

Manchester are on a rampage and face one of the best third-place teams in St Mary High.

Manchester’s Jevohntae Gordon has been scoring at a high rate all season. He is approaching 30 goals on the season and is expected to ensure that the St Mary High defenders are in for a long afternoon.

Ocho Rios High made a good run last season and have been playing well, scoring over 50 goals in the first round. They are to take on Petersfield High at Drax Hall.

St Elizabeth Technical and Central High will also be seeking to start on a winning note and will play Knox College and William Knibb Memorial High, respectively.

At Irwin High, Maldon High, who have qualified for the second round in back-to-back seasons, are to host Ferncourt High who are returning to the second round for the first time in over 20 years. Both teams will be seeking their first win beyond the first round.

— Paul A Reid

SATURDAY’S GAMES

1:00 pm — William Knibb vs Central @ William Knibb Memorial

3:15 pm — Cedric Titus vs Frome @ William Knibb Memorial

3:00 pm — Rusea’s vs Maggotty @ Montego Bay Complex

5:15 pm — Cornwall vs Kemps Hill @ Montego Bay Complex

3:00 pm — Ocho Rios vs Petersfield @ Drax Hall

3:00 pm — Mannings vs Belair @ Mannings School

3:00 pm — Christiana vs BB Coke @ Brooks Park

3:00 pm — STETHS vs Knox @ STETHS Complex

3:00 pm — Maldon vs Ferncourt @ Irwin High

3:00 pm — Manchester vs St Mary High @ Manchester High

3:00 pm — Glenmuir vs Alphansus Davis @ Glenmuir High

3:00 pm — Clarendon vs York Castle @ Clarendon College

3:00 pm — Port Antonio vs Dinthill @ Carder Park

3:00 pm — Garvey Maceo vs Old Harbour @ Garvey Maceo High

3:00 pm — Paul Bogle vs Titchfield @ York Oval

3:00 pm — McGrath vs Morant Bay @ Dinthill Technical