Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

Jamaica College's DeAndre Brown. - File

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Jamaica College (JC) will be back in action for the first time since being denied yet another opportunity to claim the elusive Walker Cup, when they face Waterford in Group Three of the ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel Manning Cup today at the Spanish Town Prison Oval at 1 p.m.

In a double-header at the ground, St George's will look to shake off their rust when they face Eltham in the 3 p.m. fixture. Perhaps just as they did last season, the Old Hope Road cup-holders will hope that the closing of one door will lead to the opening of another - the ultimate objective of the urban schoolboy football season, the Manning Cup.

In need of a good start today, however, JC should face worthy opposition against last year's beaten semi-finalists, Waterford. In first-round Group B play, Waterford looked every bit as good as Walker Cup defending champions Calabar and they outclassed JC 2-0 in that competition's semi-finals.

Major setback

JC also face a major setback as talented attacking midfielder Ashani Walker looks to continue his extended spell on the sidelines after picking up a shoulder injury in the Walker Cup quarter-final against Kingston College. The good news for the Dark Blues is that the team still has the much talent to spare and, with the likes of DeAndre Brown and Adrian Christie available, could still take the group.

Despite injury concerns regarding the competition's leading scorer, Kemal Malcolm, dark horses St George's will not be worried about having enough firepower to get by Eltham. In fact, with Kemar Cummings and Shammar Shelton still available and hard-working substitute Akeem English, somewhat of a schoolboy journeyman, ready to suit up should Malcolm be unable to go, the North Street team can hang with the best of them.

The problem for the 'Light Blues', however, continues to be their back line, which conceded 16 first-round goals and they have looked shaky for most of the season. Despite their excellent defensive record early in the season, Eltham are beginning to have their own defensive concerns as it was a string of errors by the backline, which led to the team conceding four goals in just two Walker Cup games, having allowed just one goal in stingy first-round play from which they emerged winners of Group D ahead of Bridgeport.