D’Cup throws up enthralling clashes ahead of quarters

WHILE ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup champions Clarendon College only need a point to make their way to the quarterfinals of a title-defending season, the situation isn’t so clear for their opponents Cornwall College.

It would seem that a ding-dong battle in the first round of Cornwall’s Group 1 clash against St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) threatens to end their season, as they go up against the yet-to-be-beaten Clarendon at Foga Road at 3 p.m.

STETHS, on the other hand, who were clipped 1-0 by Clarendon on Wednesday, have to beat the winless Mile Gully at Brooks Park in a game that also begins at 3 p.m.

All games in the daCosta Cup begin simultaneously.

Cornwall are on three points like STETHS but lead them by a solitary goal in the goal difference column.

Unfortunately for Cornwall, Clarendon are yet to concede in this round, suggesting they are not just the offensive juggernauts they are known to be.

Clarendon beat Mile Gully 2-0 before their performance against STETHS put them to within a hair’s breadth of qualification.

Cornwall are definitely behind the eight ball, but there is also the likelihood that, even with a perfect season to date, Clarendon College could still find themselves out of the daCosta Cup if they lose by a big enough margin to allow for both Cornwall and STETHS to go past them.

Just as it is in Group 1, in Group 2, with a game to go, there are less spots up for grabs than teams vying for them.

BB Coke are already through to the quarterfinals with six points, having got by second-place Happy Grove, 3-2, and third-place Manchester, 4-2.

Doing away with the teams below them would not necessarily have been enough but with Happy Grove and Manchester set to play each other, only one team can surpass BB Coke.

That matchup, Manchester vs Happy Grove, is for all the marbles.

The only thing to go off by way of a prediction is the history of the teams.

Happy Grove, after a 3-2 loss to BB Coke, and a 4-2 win over Tacky, seem to have defensive lapses, while Manchester, who were brilliant in previous rounds, were shocked 4-2 by BB Coke in a game they could have won before duly dispatching the winless Tacky 4-1.

With Manchester’s history coming into the round, they would have been odds on to top the group. However, they should still start favourites against Happy Grove at home.

Dinthill High School, with four points, lead Group 3, but are looking behind them closely at Christiana, who have three, and McGrath, who have two.

They even have to watch out for bottom-place William Knibb, who have one point, and who they play against today at Dinthill.

If William Knibb win by a big enough margin, they could perceivably move to four points and go ahead of Dinthill, which would be problematic dependent on how a game between McGrath and Christiana turns out.

Any winner from that game would top the group, leaving Dinthill third behind William Knibb, depending on how big Dinthill lose.

A draw between Christiana and McGrath at Ewarton Sport Complex could throw the cat among the pigeons, sending them and Dinthill to the quarterfinals.

For that not to happen, Dinthill have to lose by more than two goals.

And in the case of McGrath, only a win will do.

Things are just as tricky in Group 4 with Glenmuir and Garvey Maceo locked on four points at the top.

Garvey Maceo should have the easier route to the quarters, as they play the winless Port Antonio albeit away at Carder Park.

Glenmuir have a slightly trickier proposition with an away game against Frome, who are at home at the Llandilo Sports Complex.

Frome, who have three points after a 1-0 win over Port Antonio and a 1-0 loss to Garvey Maceo, are no pushovers and are finally at home in this round.

In addition, Port Antonio are in with a shout of qualification, a win and a move to six points enough to see them through.