Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
Glenmuir's Learmond
JAMAICA'S SCHOOLBOYS should easily defend the Jamaica/Trinidad and Tobago Friendship Trophy, as the All-daCosta Cup team will take a two-goal cushion into the second and final match to decide the championship, this afternoon at Brancourt, Clarendon, at 3:00 p.m.
It should be an easy stroll in the park for the talented All-daCosta aggregation which includes Glenmuir hit-man Carnell Learmond who racked up 38 goals this season, following the All Manning team's 3-1 win on Tuesday at the Spring Complex, Constant Spring.
As talented as they might be though, the 18-man squad has not had a chance to really train together, getting in only one session yesterday.
Coach Carl 'Long Life' Palmer, who guided Godfrey Stewart to its first daCosta Cup title with a 3-0 shut-out of last year's winners and favourites Glenmuir on Saturday at Jarrett Park, said his team, although not getting the chance to train together as a unit for a long period, is a very disciplined one and should do enough to prevail.
DISCIPLINED TEAM
"This is the first training session we are having," he told The Gleaner moments before departing for Jamalco in Clarendon where the session was held yesterday. "But this team is very disciplined, they know what to do to win," he added.
Meanwhile, the T&T All-Schools team, still smarting from their 1-3 loss to the All-Manning team, will be hoping to put on a better performance on the more even Brancourt surface.
Selris Figaro, coach of the T&T team, knows he has a tremendous task on his hand to overturn a two-goal deficit.
"This team didn't prepare much. It was a week or two before we got these guys together. Jamaica (All-Manning) really outplayed us but we are looking forward to the game," he said. "We just have to rebound and recover for the next game," Figaro added.
The powerful 18-man All-daCosta squad consists of five players each from champions Godfrey Stewart and beaten finalists Glenmuir High.
On the basis of Tuesday's showing, it is hard to see this Trinidadian team beating this All-daCosta team, so Jamaica should retain the Friendship Trophy they won in Trinidad and Tobago last year.
All-daCosta squad: Dwayne Williams, Josimar Crooks, Davian Thorpe, Ryan Smith and Dennis Taylor (Godrey Stewart); Dushane Ashman, Carnell Learmond, Eric Vernon, Shawn Francis and James Thomas (Glenmuir); Tedroy Watson, Omroy Wilson, Francois Anderson and Edward Campbell (Cornwall College); Duwayne Kerr, Draion McNain (Mannings); Orane Sterling (Herbert Morrison); Richard Reid (Clarendon College) and Rodeno Wright (Munro).
