Adrian Frater, News Editor

Clarendon College's Akeem Annakie (right) slips around a tackle from Frome Technical's Paul Graham in Saturday's Ben Francis Cup final between the teams at the St. Elizabeth Technical High School ground. Frome won 5-3 on penalties. - Photo by Adrian Frater

WESTERN BUREAU:

THE 2006 ISSA/Pepsi/JN daCosta Cup football competition, which took a two-week break to facilitate play in the Ben Francis Knockout competition, will resume this afternoon with 22 teams bowing into the competition's crucial three-round inter-zone phase.

While all the games at this stage will be critical in the battle for the competition's quarter-final round phase, the games involving newly-crowned Ben Francis Cup champions Frome Technical should attract special attention as the Westmoreland team sets its sights on copping the rural double - Ben Francis Cup and daCosta Cup.

Today, the Frome team, which should still be on a high following its 5-3 penalty shoot-out Ben Francis Cup victory over the previously unbeaten Clarendon College, will battle Herbert Morrison, the Zone A runners-up from the competition's preliminary round in the feature game of a Jarrett Park doubleheader starting at 3:00 p.m. In the 1:00 p.m. curtainraiser, Zone A winners William Knibb will battle Zone B runners-up Rusea's.

Ultimate aim

Following Frome's win on Saturday, coach Boysie Nicholson made it quite clear that winning the Ben Francis Cup was only half of the team's mission as its ultimate aim was to win the daCosta Cup, which is the symbol of rural schoolboy football supremacy.

"The daCosta Cup is the title that we want the most although we are happy with this Ben Francis success," said Nicholson, who previously guided Frome to the 2003 daCosta Cup title. "This team understands what is expected of it and I expect it to deliver."

Like on Saturday, Frome's bid for victory should revolve around midfielder Obrian Woodbine, strikers Keswick Samuels and Sidane McCreath and goalkeeper Shamar Mullings. However, it should not be all smooth sailing, especially if Ahkeil Lee, Ronique Francis and Gerald Duncan report in top form for Herbert Morrison.

Another interesting match-up should be between the wounded Clarendon College and St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), the feature game of a doubleheader at Brancourt in Clarendon. In the opening game, Munro College, who won Zone B of the competition's preliminary round ahead of STETHS, will oppose Denbigh, who finished second to Clarendon College in Zone H.

"Although we lost to Frome in the Ben Francis final, we remain quite confident that we will win the daCosta Cup because that is the real big title as far as we are concerned," said Clarendon College coach Kevin Williams following Saturday's game. "Nothing was wrong with our team tactics or anything like that, it was just that we did not convert our chances."

Although STETHS acquitted themselves quite well in Zone E alongside the likes of Munro and Black River, the Clarendon College team, with high-quality players such as Akeem Annakie, Gregory Lewis and the skilful Damali Samuels, could well represent their sternest test this season.

TODAY'S GAMES

Petersfield vs Cedric Titus at Frome Sports Ground - 3:00 p.m.

Ocho Rios vs Grange Hill at Drax Hall - 3:00 p.m.

Spalding vs Manchester at Mile Gully - 3:00 p.m.

Denbigh vs Munro at Brancourt - 1:00 p.m.

Clarendon vs STETHS at Brancourt - 3:00 p.m.

Oracabessa vs Charlemont at St. Mary Banana - 1:00 p.m.

Tacky vs Bog Walk at St. Mary Banana - 3:00 p.m.

Rusea's vs William Knibb at Jarrett Park - 1:00 p.m.

Herbert Morrison vs Frome at Jarrett Park - 3:00 p.m.

Holmwood vs DeCarteret at Manchester High - 3:00 p.m.

Port Antonio vs Glenmuir at Carder Park - 3:00 p.m.