- CARLINGTON WILMOT/Freelance Photographer
Members of Glenmuir's Olivier Shield championship team are doused with champagne after defeating Excelsior 2-0 yesterday in the second leg of the Olivier Shield finals. Glenmuir won 4-1 on aggregate, having beaten Excelsior 2-1 in the first leg on Saturday.
Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
GLENMUIR HIGH proved they are the best schoolboy team in the island by humbling Excelsior High 2-0 at Brancourt, Clarendon, yesterday for a 4-1 aggregate win and their first hold on the prestigious Olivier Shield.
In the battle for schoolboy supremacy, Glenmuir outclassed, toyed and taught the urban champions a lesson in football and could have won by a wider margin but for a couple of missed chances with the guilty party being Carnell Learmond.
Top markman, Steve Morrissey's 37th minute strike and a Learmond penalty in the 65th minute were enough to condemn Excelsior to their second defeat in four days and brought the schoolboy season to a fitting climax.
It was a wonderful two days for Clarendon schools as Denbigh yesterday won the all-island netball title over Wolmer's Girl.
ANOTHER HOLD
Veteran coach Patrick 'Jackie' Walters gained another hold on the Olivier Shield following victories with Camperdown in 1978 some 26 years ago and with Clarendon College in 1998.
"The players deserved this," said an ecstatic Walters, as spectators jumped and pranced behind him waving red and white flags, blowing whistles and horns.
"We have been working from January and this team has demonstrated that it has the quality and ability to stick to whatever we are doing.
"We had expected an all out attack ... I am happy with how we performed coming off a high on Saturday. It is always difficult at this age group to go up another level," said Walters, also the national Under-17 coach.
Walters was also in praise of Excelsior saying they "made a honest attempt and I must congratulate them".
Meanwhile, losing coach, Lebert Halliman, thought a simple mistake in midfield cost his team the chance of making a fight of it.
"As you can see, the first 40 minutes of the game we were in total control and one slip in midfield cost us a goal and set us back.
"We couldn't attack all out as we did not want to leave our back exposed. We went forward in numbers but as soon as we lost it we have to try and close them down," Halliman explained for his team not throwing everything in the kitchen, including the sink at Glenmuir.
In front of one of their most distinguished past students, Dr Omar Davies, minister of finance, the red-and-white clad Glenmuir was never troubled and it was another stroll in the park and the minister was not disappointed.
"I have been to all the previous finals and the one I missed they won. This one couldn't miss me," said Davies, dressed in a red T-shirt with Glenmuir written on it.
VISITORS SETTLE
At the picturesque Brancourt field with the mountains to the east and the palm trees to west it was the visitors who settled first. Ricardo Ximines got the first real chance for Excelsior, shrugging off two defenders and firing just wide of the upright.
Excelsior's brief dominance was shattered when Learmond stripped a defender of the ball and passed to the unmarked Morrissey who slotted home with aplomb effectively killing off Excelsior's challenge.
The second half started and ended quickly for the green-and-yellow clad boys from Mountain View when Learmond was fouled in the area and referee Hughill Thompson awarded a penalty.
Learmond stepped up and calmly scored to send the 5,000 partisan fans into rapture.
With 15 minutes to go Walters pulled his top striker Morrissey, showing that Excelsior were not going to get back.
It was like men against boys, an afternoon stroll as Excelsior called it a day to the flag-waving, horn-blowing and girl screaming that greeted the final whistle of the schoolboy season.
