Crucial clashes in daCosta Cup round of 16

Four schools are set to book quarter-final spots in the ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup today after the playing of eight round-of-16 games across the island.

An interesting matchup looms at Drax Hall in St Ann with Ocho Rios High, Group 2 runners-up face Group 6 runners-up Dinthill Technical High at 3 p.m.

After cruising through the rounds, Ocho Rios were ambushed on Wednesday by former champions Glenmuir High who won 3-0 at the Glenmuir playing field. The Veron Peterkin-coached team will look to pick up the pieces today. A draw will be enough for them to advance ahead of Dinthill. Both schools are on three points but Ocho Rios have the superior goal difference of plus two to Dinthill’s plus one.

“We just have to take our chances and focus on who is in front of us and not on the past,” Peterkin said while addressing the fact that Dinthill have done well in the competition and were champions in 1979 and 1981.

“Three points are always the aim. Where that is not possible, we know that one point can take us through,” he added.

Dinthill lost 6-1 to Glenmuir last Saturday, and whipped Happy Grove High 6-1 on Tuesday.

On the verge of elimination, the defending champions Clarendon College find themselves in a must-win situation when they face an already eliminated Cornwall College at Glenmuir High in the feature match at 3 p.m.

After a hard 2-1 loss to quarter-finalists Munro College on Wednesday in St Elizabeth, the boys from Chapelton will need all hands on deck to take them over the line today. Clarendon College’s hopes of getting a shot at retaining their title rests on Munro defeating Frome Technical. Any other result means Clarendon are doomed.

Frome, the only undefeated team, will advance to the quarter-finals by securing a draw at Llandilo Sports Complex. They are second in the zone with four points.

Over at the Wembley Centre of Excellence, Kemps Hill, the winners of Group 1, will have the opportunity to create some history by reaching the last eight for the first time when they face Group 3 winners St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) at 3 p.m.

A win for either team guarantees qualification to the quarter-finals. Garvey Maceo are on two points, and overwhelming favourites to beat a winless Alphansus Davis High.

If Kemps Hill and STETHS draw, and Garvey Maceo win, they all end on five points with the teams having the superior goal difference advancing to the last eight.

Kemps Hill could have been early qualifiers on Tuesday but drew 0-0 with Garvey Maceo, while STETHS whipped Alphansus Davis 6-1 and are now the Group 1 leaders on goal difference. Both STETHS and Kemps Hill are tied on four points.

Today’s games

Alphansus Davis vs Garvey Maceo

Kemps Hill vs STETHS

Clarendon College vs Cornwall College

Frome vs Munro College

Ocho Rios vs Dinthill

Happy Grove vs Glenmuir

Manchester vs Belair

All matches kick off at 3 p.m.