Latest ÐÓ°ÉÐÔ°É
STETHS, Cornwall in Ben Francis KO showdown
November 21, 2024
There will be a big showdown among household names St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) and Cornwall College in the quarter-final of the ISSA/Ben Francis KO competition, as action starts today with four 3 p.m. matches across the island.
STETHS had their wings clipped at home by Glenmuir High in a 5-2 daCosta Cup whipping in the quarter-finals on Saturday, and there would be no sweeter way for them to redeem themselves than to win over their longtime rivals Cornwall College at Llandilo Community Centre in Westmoreland.
Whenever these two face off fireworks are always on display. Cornwall squeezed a 5-4 win in penalties over Happy Grove last Thursday and will look to continue their title run.
With three ugly defeats resulting in a disappointing quarter-final run, last year's beaten finalists Frome Technical will be trying to soothe their wounds when they tackle Manchester High School at STETHS Sports Complex.
Cleighton Stephens, coach of Frome, said the team can finish the job.
"We still have a chance to hoist the silverware. We have been preparing for it since the last couple of days. Our aim is to win the game before penalties. They want this win," he said.
"They are not focused on what happened last year, they just want to play in the finals again this year and win it all," Stephens said.
Meanwhile, Manchester's third head coach of the season, Andrew Edwards, said the team expects a tough game.
"We know we are going up against the beaten finalists from last year. We know that they are a formidable team and that they will put up a strong fight," he anticipates.
"They just got knocked out of the daCosta Cup, which will be a huge disappointment for them adjusting. This will be their hurrah so to speak and we have no other option but a competitive game. But we believe we are up for it," Edwards added.
After not delivering on their try to break a 60-year daCosta Cup title drought, Munro College will try to lay claim on the Ben Francis title when they tackle Denbigh High School at Manchester High.
Munro College, who thrashed Central High 3-1 on Saturday at home, were narrowly edged out of the quarter-finals by goal difference to Garvey Maceo, who were also beaten by Ocho Rios High 2-0.
A Clarendon derby will feature dethroned daCosta Cup champions Clarendon College and Central High in a testy game at Wembley Excellence Centre.
Central, who finished at the bottom of Group B in the quarter-finals, will look to upset a Clarendon College team vying for a sixth Ben Francis title.
