Big clashes hold centre stage

Adrian Frater, News Editor
Western Bureau:

With the break to facilitate play in the Ben Francis Cup knockout now over, action will resume in the 2007 ISSA/ Pepsi/Digicel daCosta Cup this afternoon with 12 first-round inter-zone games, featuring teams from the six groups.

While all the games should generate much interest, the double-header at Brancourt, in Clarendon, which features newly crowned Ben Francis KO champions Garvey Maceo in a Group Five game against Brim-mervale; and the Group Six showdown between champions Glenmuir and Annotto Bay should generate most interest.

Among the other championship- type match-ups are the Jarrett Park double-header, featuring the Group Two clash between beaten Ben Francis KO finalist Rusea's and Cedric Titus; and the Group One showdown between Cornwall College and Grange Hill; and the Group Four match-up between Manchester High and Clarendon College at Mile Gully.

With half of the coveted rural double - the Ben Francis KO and the daCosta Cup - already in their hands, the unbeaten Jeffrey Hewitt-coached Garvey Maceo hope they hit the ground running against Brimmervale as they seek to make this a season of many titles.

"Winning the Ben Francis Cup is just a part of our overall mission this season," coach Hewitt said after his team's 2-0 Ben Francis KO success against Rusea's on Wednesday. "The Ben Francis Cup is now behind us. Our next target is to win the daCosta Cup."

With an impressive 14-game unbeaten streak, laced by 12 wins and two draws, Garvey Maceo are now firm favourites to sweep all before them this season, especially if skipper and main striker Ashton Bennett, who has 25 goals in all competitions, stays healthy.

Brimmervale, which topped Zone K of the preliminary round ahead of Annotto Bay and Oracabessa but were tagged 2-0 by Dinthill Technical in their lone Ben Francis KO game, will have to outdo themselves if they are to survive.

Having suffered the indignity of not topping their preliminary zone for the first time in five years, champions Glenmuir, under the astute guidance of coach Jackie Walters, must be hell bent on repairing whatever damage has been done to their pride.

They lost only once in 10 games and with quality players such as skipper James Thomas, Drion McNain and John Ross-Doyley, Annotto Bay will definitely need to be at their best to escape a comprehensive flogging.

With their second round elimination from the Ben Francis KO failure hanging over their head, Cornwall College will be gunning to regain confidence against a talented Grange Hill, which topped Zone C in the preliminaries and gave Rusea's a run for their money in a Ben Francis KO game.

Rusea's, who are no doubt smarting from the spate of missed chances which cost them the Ben Francis final against Garvey Maceo, should be an angry team going up against Zone D kingpins Cedric Titus, which suffered a humiliating 0-4 Ben Francis KO loss to Cornwall College in their last outing.

"We threw away the Ben Francis Cup so we have to make amends with the daCosta Cup," said Rusea's coach Anthony 'Follies' Williams. "After losing to Garvey Maceo, the players should now realize that they cannot take anything for granted."


Today's games

Ocho Rios vs Frome Technical @ Elliston Wakeland Centre 3:00 p.m.

Petersfield vs St. James @ Rusea's 3:00 p.m.

Bellefield vs Lennon @ Manchester High 3:00 p.m.

STETHS vs Holmwood @ STETHS 1:00 p.m.

Munro vs Spaldings @ STETHS 3:00 p.m.

Glengoffe vs St. Thomas Tech @ Dinthill 1:00 p.m.

Dinthill vs Fair Prospect @ Dinthill 3:00 p.m.

Glenmuir vs Annotto Bay @ Brancourt 1:00 p.m.

Garvey Maceo vs Brimmervale @ Brancourt 3:00 p.m.

Rusea's vs Cedric Titus @ Jarrett Park 1:00 p.m.

Cornwall vs Grange Hill @ Jarrett Park 3:00 p.m.

Manchester vs Clarendon College @ Mile Gully 3:00 p.m.