Places in Saturday’s ISSA daCosta Cup final will be on the line in today’s semi-finals featuring three former champions and one first-time semi-finalist at Sabina Park.

Glenmuir High, who have been tagged as favourites in some quarters, will take on Dinthill Technical in the first game set to kick off at 2:00 pm followed by St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), the only unbeaten team in schoolboy football this season, facing newcomers Kemps Hill High.

After the season started with 76 teams, and with more than 400 games played and a month-long break because of the destruction caused by the most dangerous hurricane to hit the island, four teams are left standing in the competition. Only 180 minutes separates them from lifting the coveted trophy.

Glenmuir and Kemps Hill could take comfort from a trend that has seen schools from the parish of Clarendon winning the last six daCosta Cup titles.

Glenmuir’s most recent lien, however, came in 2012, while STETHS last won in 2015.

While both games are expected to be close, there could be an additional edge to the STETHS-Kemps Hill game, a repeat of their contentious meeting in the Round of 16 that STETHS won 4-0. Kemps Hill finished that game with nine players.

Kemps Hill goalkeeper Omario Chambers was sent off early in the encounter and tempers flared later in the game, resulting in Kemps Hill refusing to play, allowing a fourth goal.

While acknowledging their underdog status, Kemps Hill, who defied the odds time and time again, will have their backs against the wall, a position from which they have dealt deadly blows throughout the season.

Under the guidance of second-year Coach Kiegon Mitchell, Kemps Hill have managed to avenge losses to much higher ranked teams; after finishing fourth in their first-round group, they beat Glenmuir and Garvey Maceo to advance.

They lost the first game in all three play-off rounds but rebounded on each occasion to win their next two, including a crucial 3-1 win over Cornwall College in the quarter-finals, avenging a loss in the Round of 32.

Much will be riding on the shoulders of Chambers, Shemar Daley, and Ricardo Dean if Kemps Hill High are to get to the final at the National Stadium.

After a slow start, where they drew their first two games 0-0, STETHS exploded to score 23 goals in their next three games to wrest control of a competitive Zone E and has not looked back.

Led by the Trinidadian Kaieem Lewis and Shemar Stewart, STETHS are on course to complete another unbeaten season in the daCosta Cup, matching their 2015 feat.

In addition to their fire power up front, STETHS also has the best defensive record, allowing just two goals in their nine first-round games and since then have conceded a miserly four goals from another nine games in the three play-off rounds.

Glenmuir have been the most consistent team in the last three seasons, always in contention for trophies, becoming the first team to defend their ISSA Champions Cup title.

They dropped out of the daCosta Cup at the semi-final stages, losing on penalties to Garvey Maceo a year after they were hammered 6-2 by a Kaheim Dixon-led Clarendon College in the daCosta Cup final.

They were second to Garvey Maceo High in their first round group, picking up only a point in their three first-round play-off games, but have drawn just twice in their next nine games.

Glenmuir are not short on fire power, with three different players scoring in double digits in the first round. These are Orane Watson, Orel Miller, and Dunsting Cohen.

Dinthill have promised much over the past eight seasons or so, but have nothing to show, and the fan base will hope the arrival of proven winner Lenworth Hyde as head coach will make a difference this season.

The St Catherine-based school have been steady rather than spectacular through the season, picking up important wins and points as they navigated the play-off rounds.

It would be a surprise, however, if Dinthill were to win the daCosta Cup for the first time since Frank Brown delivered two titles in three years in 1979 and 1981.

However, Niclas Paris, Omarion Small, and Leon Reynolds will hope to defy the odds today against the favoured Glenmuir High.

Wednesday’s games

Glenmuir High vs Dinthill Technical — 2:00 pm

STETHS vs Kemps Hill — 4:15 pm