Garvey Maceo High held their nerve best in a tense penalty shootout to defeat Glenmuir High 4-2 and book a return to the ISSA/Wata daCosta Cup final, where they will meet first-time finalists McGrath High.

After playing out a goalless stalemate in regulation time, Garvey Maceo’s goalkeeper Garfield Tomlinson pulled off two saves during the shootout to deny their more fancied opponents in the Clarendon derby at the National Stadium on Wednesday.

Having previously won in 2007 and 2021, Garvey Maceo are now on course to add to their legacy in what promises to be an electrifying final on Saturday at the same venue.

Head coach Lester Hibbert, who was animated on the sidelines ahead of the shootout, praised his team’s determination to pull off what many thought would have been impossible, especially against a marauding Glenmuir outfit.

“First, we have to give God thanks because without him this would not be possible. This is how we train—the vibe, the energy—this is how we encourage the boys to stay disciplined and engage every tackle, and you saw the result. That is passion,” Hibbert said as he attributed their success to advice from customary Head coach Merron Gordon, who sat out the season on vacation.

“Coach Merron Gordon has been an excellent mentor to us; he was on the phone giving us tips, and he even came to a few training sessions. So he is a true tactician and big up to him,” he added.

The semi-final clash was an even contest, with both teams showing attacking intent early on. Garvey Maceo, however, looked the more likely to score during key moments of the match.

In the 28th minute, a well-delivered corner kick from Omarian O’Brian found Rushawn Whyte at the far post, but his header was heroically cleared off the line by Glenmuir’s Brandon Wallace.

Glenmuir, led by their goalkeeper Justin Murray, endured a barrage of pressure as Garvey Maceo forced consecutive corners in the 35th minute but failed to capitalize.

In the second half, Glenmuir's Orane Watson had a golden chance in the 62nd minute, but his rushed effort at the near post sailed harmlessly across the face of goal.

Garvey Maceo’s goalkeeper, Garfield Tomlinson, produced the save of the match in the 87th minute, reacting brilliantly to tip away a deflected long-range effort from Denzil Watson.

With neither team able to find the breakthrough, the match headed to penalties, where Garvey Maceo proved the more composed side.

Tyreek McKenley’s opening effort was saved, but Devany McIntosh, Delano Thompson, Malik Robinson, and Wilton Williams converted their 12-yard kicks with precision.

It was a stark contrast for Glenmuir, as Orane Watson’s attempt was saved by Tomlinson, while O’Neil Headly and Nuemonie Blackwood found the back of the net. However, captain Ja-Son Whyte’s miss ended the two-time Champions Cup winners hopes of adding the daCosta Cup title to their season’s tally.

Thier assistant coach Ashani Mullings rued what could have been as their wait to end a lengthy daCosta Cup title drought dating back to 2012 continues.

"It is always a tough one considering the rivalry, but the penalty is 50-50, so we just have to congratulate Garvey Maceo and well-tried Glenmuir; we gave it everything.