ALL four spots in the semi-finals of the ISSA daCosta Cup football competition will be up for grabs today as the quarter-final round comes to a close.

With places in the lucrative ISSA Champions Cup to be played in January also at stake, at least seven teams are still in contention — and the action is expected to be fierce from the start

A draw between former champions St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) and Dinthill Technical at STETHS Sports Complex would see both teams — currently on four points each — advancing from Group B.

A win for either team, however, would open a window for the winner of the Clarendon College and Christiana High clash. Both those teams are on one point, and with a victory could sneak through on goal difference.

The permutations in Group A are just as varied, with only McGrath High — who have lost twice — out of contention. But McGrath could play spoilers when they take on Kemps Hill High.

A draw for Glenmuir High against Cornwall College would be enough to see them top the group. But that would also leave the door open for the Montego Bay-based Cornwall to advance, depending on the result between McGrath and Kemps Hill at Ewarton Sports Complex.

On paper, Santa Cruz-based STETHS will be favoured to extend their season-long unbeaten run, especially playing at home. They hold the best defensive record, conceding only six goals in 17 games since the start of the competition in September.

Trinidadian Kaieem Lewis has led the scoring for STETHS with 37 goals but it was the versatile substitute goalkeeper, Timar Roach, who scored a double in Wednesday’s 4-0 thrashing of Christiana High.

Dinthill Technical have been one of the most consistent teams in schoolboy football over the last decade or so and are always in the mix late in the season, only to come up short.

The hiring of the experienced Lenworth Hyde as coach ahead of this season could be the move that pushes them over the top. They are unbeaten since the start of the play-offs, after losing twice in the first round to finish second behind McGrath High.

Also in Group B, Clarendon College, who only got into the quarter-finals on goal-difference, will be eyeing a spot in the final four. A win over Christiana High could put them through, if there is a winner in the game in Santa Cruz.

Kemps Hill, seeking their debut entry semi-finals, are following the same script as they did in the two previous rounds and will start favourites against a McGrath team that seems to have fallen off a cliff. They have lost their last three games without scoring a goal.

Kemps Hill got off to a fast start against Cornwall College on Wednesday, scoring three times in the first 30 minutes and then holding on to win 3-1. They had previously been defeated 2-3 by Glenmuir High.

McGrath High have played in two finals in the last two years. They won the Ben Francis Cup in 2023 and lost on penalty kicks in the daCosta Cup final last season. They will want to end this season on a high.

Glenmuir High have been on a roll since they stumbled at the end of the first round. Since then, a draw has been their only blemish in eight games while scoring 31 goals in the process.

Cornwall College are coming off their worst loss of the season, conceding three goals for the first time in 17 games. But if they are to stay alive in the competition they must win by at least a three-goal margin against a team that has allowed that many just once all year.

— Paul A Reid

SATURDAY’S GAMES
McGrath vs Kemps Hill @ Ewarton Complex
Cornwall vs Glenmuir @ Cornwall College
Clarendon vs Christiana @ Clarendon College
STETHS vs Dinthill @ STETHS Complex
(Games set to start at 3:00 pm)