Three former champs among early D’Cup quarter-final qualifiers
ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica — Three former champions are among the early qualifiers for the quarter-finals of the Inter Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) daCosta Cup after Saturday’s second set of games in the Round of 16.
St Elizabeth Technical High (STETHS) and Glenmuir High won back-to-back games to ensure safe passage to the top eight where they will be joined by 12-time winners Cornwall College.
Last season’s finalists McGrath High also won a second game while Christiana High are also through, despite not playing this weekend with the withdrawal of Maldon High last week.
The competition resumed on Friday after 37 day due to extensive damage caused by the passage of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa in late October.
STETHS came from a goal down to score three times in the last 25 minutes to beat 10-man Old Harbour High in Santa Cruz to go to the top of Zone 2 with six points.
McClurd Simpson gave Old Harbour the lead just before half time but STETHS rallied and drew level midway the second half when Rayjay Smith pulled down a STETHS player in the 18-yard box and was shown a second yellow card and sent off. Kaieem Lewis converted the penalty to draw STETHS level at 1-1 before Rahiem Whyte gave them the lead and Justin McPherson added an insurance goal later.
Glenmuir High beat Clarendon College 2-1 in their Zone 3 game to take over the lead on six points, two more than defending champions Garvey Maceo who had beaten Maggotty High 3-2 on Friday with Clarendon College on one point from two games.
At Drax Hall, Cornwall College took some time to get into rhythm before beating William Knibb Memorial 4-0 with Carlondo Morris scoring a double after Shakeem Gibson had given them the lead in the first half while a defender’s goal added to the scoreline.
With only three teams in the zone, after Maldon High’s withdrawal, both Cornwall College and Christiana High who had beaten William Knibb 3-0 on October 22nd will advance.
Jimm Mitchell scored a double for McGrath High as they beat Manning’s School 2-0 and raced to six points to make their progress certain.
In other games, a dogged Kemps Hill High upset Ocho Rios High 4-2, coming back from a 4-0 beating at the hands of STETHS a month ago and handing Ocho Rios their first loss of the season.
Manchester High are in danger of another early elimination after a flattering first round after they could only draw 1-1 against Dinthill Technical at home. The result left Manchester High on one point from two games; they will play eliminated Manning’s School next.
Saturdays’ results:
William Knibb Memorial – 0 Cornwall College-4
STETHS-3 Old Harbour High-1
Kemps Hill High-4 Ocho Rios High-2
Clarendon College-1 Glenmuir High-2
Manchester High-1 Dinthill Technical-1
McGrath High 2, Manning’s School- 0