- Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
Glenmuir's Steven Morrisey dribbles with the ball during his team's semi-final against Dinthill at Prison Oval yesterday. Morrisey scored four times in Glenmuir's 7-1 win.
Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
FOUR GOALS by Steven Morrisey propelled Glenmuir High to a resounding 7-1 win over Dinthill Technical at Prison Oval yesterday and into the final of the ISSA Pepsi/Sports Plus daCosta Cup competition.
Goals by Steven Morrisey in the 50th, 73rd, 86th and 90th minutes, Cornell Learmond in the second and 65th and substitute John-Ross Dyoley in the 78th, completed the rout and ensured that Glenmuir reach their sixth daCosta Cup finals.
Glenmuir will face defending champion Frome Technical, which scored a 1-0 win over Titchfield at Drax Hall in the other semi-final.
Glenmuir, hunting their first daCosta Cup title and taking no prisoners, turned in an impressive performance in front of Omar Davies, a past student and the Minister of Finance, at a packed Prison Oval.
Winning coach, Patrick 'Jackie' Walters, was impressed by his team's dominating performance but said it could have been worse for Dinthill if his top player was available.
"We have a very strong team and we went all out. It could have been better but our captain Ricardo Cousins was not playing and he is the main architect of our midfield," said Walters, also coach of the national Under-17 team.
As to his choice opponent for the final, the veteran coach would prefer to play the Frome Technical outfit, being the defending champions.
"It is important to me that Frome wins because they are the defending champions and we would like to defeat the champion to win the competition," Walters said.
"We haven't seen much of them but I intend to have a look at them on video," he added.
Losing coach Frank Brown said his team performed well up to half-time, but the loss of his top defender, Sheldon Miller, cost Dinthill the game.
"The game was even up to half-time. We lost our man marker and we had to go to a flat four. Glenmuir had some runners that run off the ball very well and that is what killed the team," a visibly disappointed Brown explained. "Glenmuir played well and I congratulate them."
Frome seal place in DaCosta Cup final
Paul A. Reid, Staff Reporter
WESTERN BUREAU:
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Frome Technical booked their place in next Saturday's final of the ISSA Pepsi/Sports Plus daCosta Cup rural area daCosta Cup after edging Titchfield High 1-0 at Drax Hall in yesterday's semi-finals, a repeat of last season's championship match up.
Shane Anderson's 29th minute goal made all the difference for the Boysie Nicholson-coached team who will now meet Glenmuir High, winners of the other semi-final at Jarrett Park.
The date of the finals was changed from December 4 to facilitate a tour of Trinidad and Tobago by a Jamaican All-Schools line-up.
The two teams will also meet in the Ben Francis Knock Out at a date and venue to be announced.
Despite dominating most of the first half through a well coordinated midfield, Frome could only get one goal and it took a second half penalty save by goalkeeper Tristan Sommerville to preserve the lead.
Sommerville made two great reflex saves to deny Tyrone Dale, going to his right to block the first kick, then going back to his left to deflect the second shot for a corner.
VERY DISCIPLINED
Nicholson praised the efforts of his team, describing their performance as "very disciplined", especially in the first half, and said he was never worried, even when referee Hughill Thompson awarded the penalty because centre half Tristan Cunningham handled the ball in the goal area.
Andrew Edwards, who coached the Titchfield team, rued the many chances his team wasted and also questioned the officiating as he thought he should have been given at least one more penalty kick.
Playing without four regular starters, including centre half Joel Murray and left back Orlando Melhado, Titchfield was pushed back for most of the first half and it was a split second indecision that led to the goal.
Diminutive right winger Kesric Samuels was just onside in the 29th minute and caught the Titchfield defence flat-footed, raced into the area and passed the ball back nicely for Anderson who beat goalkeeper Dwayne Wilson with a shot over his right shoulder.
The intensity of the game picked up noticeably midway the second half as the Titchfield team came storming back seeking the equaliser. They should have gotten it but for the penalty save.
They had several chances late in the game and in one sequence saw two great saves - one shot saved off the line by a defender to a Titchfield player, whose shot was tipped over the bar by Sommerville.
