13 out of 16 spots up for grabs in ISSA daCosta cup
KINGSTON, Jamaica — There are 13 out of 16 places that could be decided in Wednesday’s second set of matches in the Round of 32 of the ISSA daCosta Cup football competition.
The winners of three matchup between teams that won their opening games on Saturday plus back to back wins for 10 other teams would guarantee them places in the Round of 16 with a game to spare.
The three top of the group clashes will come from Group 1 between former champions Cornwall College and Frome Technical; Group 2 between the high scoring Ocho Rios High and Maggotty High; and Group 6 between Clarendon College and Dinthill Technical.
Additionally, wins for Mannings and Christiana High from Group 3, St Elizabeth Technical High (STETHS) and Maldon High from Group 4, Glenmuir High and Manchester High from Group 5, defending champions Garvey Maceo and Paul Bogle High from Group 7 and McGrath High and William Knibb Memorial from Group 8 would also make progress.
Cornwall College will be seeking to make amends for their 1-0 loss to Frome Technical in the Round of 16 last season and will have the psychological advantage after beating the Westmoreland based team in the final of the high stakes pre-season Montego Bay United Invitational in mid-August.
Both teams are coming off good wins, Cornwall College got the better of Kemps Hill High 2-0 to maintain their season long unbeaten run while Frome Technical edged Cedric Titus 3-2.
Ocho Rios High spanked Petersfield High 7-1 in their first game but will need to be careful against a well drilled Maggotty High team that got the better of a good Rusea’s High in Montego Bay.
Ocho Rios High are also unbeaten all season and will enjoy “home advantage” at Drax Hall but after negotiating a tough first round and then beating Rusea’s High, Maggotty High cannot be overlooked.
The clash between Clarendon College and Dinthill Technical would headline most match days in many seasons and both have managed to stay under the radar so far this season but a win Wednesday would be a significant boost to the team that comes out ahead.
Mannings School and Manchester High will take perfect win records into their games against BB Coke High and Alphansus Davis High respectively.
Mannings School are yet to concede a goal after nine games played, edging Belair High 1-0 on Saturday and will face a BB Coke High team that has lost back to back games.
Manchester High have scored 78 goals in 11 games played so far and will play Alphansus Davis High at Brooks Park, not far from their own home base.
STETHS, the Ben Francis Cup holders, have recovered from a slow start that saw them held scoreless in their first two games but came on strong in latter part of the season, winning the zone on the final day of the play-offs.
After a 4-0 beating of Knox College on Saturday, STETHS could book their places when they take on Ferncourt High who are qualifying for the second round for the first time in over 20 years.
Maldon High won their first ever second round game on Saturday and faces Knox College at Irwin High and a win on Wednesday would take them into uncharted waters.
Glenmuir High shook off a three games winless run late in the first round to beat Alphansus Davis High on Saturday and should get the better of St Mary High.
Defending champions Garvey Maceo are expected to get by Titchfield High at Carder Park but Paul Bogle High could face tough competition from an Old Harbour High team still smarting from their loss on Saturday.
The game between McGrath High and Central High should produce competitive football while William Knibb Memorial will hope to make full use of playing back to back games at home when they take on Morant Bay High.
Wednesday’s games:
Petersfield High vs Rusea’s High — Llandilo Complex at 1:00 pm
Frome Technical vs Cornwall College — Llandilo Complex at 3:15 pm
Cedric Titus High vs Kemps Hill High — William Knibb at 1:00 pm
William Knibb Memorial vs Morant Bay High — William Knibb at 3:15 pm
Ferncourt High vs STETHS — Drax Hall at 2:00 pm
Ocho Rios High vs Maggotty High — Drax Hall at 4:15 pm
BB Coke High vs Mannings School — STETHS at 3:00 pm
Christiana High vs Belair High — Manchester High at 3:00 pm
Maldon High vs Knox College — Irwin High at 3:00 pm
Alphansus Davis High vs Manchester High — Brooks Park at 3:00 pm
Glenmuir High vs St Mary High — Glenmuir High at 3:00 pm
Dinthill Technical vs Clarendon College —Dinthill at 3:00 pm
Titchfield High vs Garvey Maceo High — Carder Park at 2:30 pm
Port Antonio High vs York Castle High — Carder Park at 4:45 pm
Paul Bogle High vs Old Harbour High — York Oval at 3:00 pm
Central High vs McGrath High — Effortville Community Centre at 3:00 pm