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• Clarendon College retains daCosta Cup title with 6-2 pounding of Glenmuir

  It is said that revenge is a dish best served cold, and Clarendon College reminded neighbours Glenmuir High of the famous saying with a 6-2 pounding in an electrifying ISSA/Wata daCosta Cup showpiece, to retain their title at the National Stadium on Saturday.

  After going down 2-3 to Glenmuir in the ISSA Champions Cup last week, Clarendon College would have been mindful that vengeance is more satisfying when not inflicted immediately, and almost as if possessed, they produced what could be regarded as the most clinical schoolboy football showing in recent times.

  A delightful hat-trick from the prolific Keheim Dixon (2nd, 21st, 90+3), a brace from Jahmelle Ashley (9th, 38th) and one from Deandre Gallimore (67^th), propelled the Chapelton-based team to its 11th title, adding to those won in 1977, 1978, 1991, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2014, 2018, 2019 and 2022.

  Romario Thompson’s 63^rd-minute own-goal, and Orel Miller (75^th) were Glenmuir’s consolations.

  It was also the first time a team scored six goals in a daCosta Cup final in recent times, bettering the previous 5-0 scoreline between Garvey Maceo and Mannings High in 2021.

  For Head coach Lenworth “Teacha” Hyde, it was sweet redemption for his team and one which they dedicated to trainer, who was absent due to illness.

  “I am very happy and elated, I am happy for the players mostly this one is dedicated to Junior Samuels out trainer, her is not here, he is very ill, and the players were hell-bent that they would come out here and leave everything on the pitch and that’s what they did. They worked very hard for this and the loss the other day made them even hungrier, so it was easy to get them pumped and it showed in their display,” Hyde said in his post-game interview.

  With their Champions Cup five-goal thriller whetting the appetites of football enthusiasts, there was never a doubt that the rematch would fail to serve up a treat, and the large turnout in the grandstand, complemented by those in the bleachers, proved that much.

  Unlike the Champions Cup when they played the patient game, Clarendon College were in no mood to wait on this occasion and declared their intentions in a frantic start.

  They broke the deadlock with only two minutes on the clock as captain Malachi Douglas and Ashley combined in a build-up that paved the way for Dixon to fire home from close range.

  Before Glenmuir could catch their breaths, they were two goals down, as Dixon forced a turnover to Douglas, who pass into the 18-yard box inadvertently got to Ashley at the far post, and the player sporting the number nine jersey fired in the roof of the net.

  With Glenmuir struggling to contend with their pace, Clarendon College pressed the ascendancy, stretching the opponents defence, but came up empty at that point as Christopher Hull shot wide, and minutes later Glenmuir’s custodian Antwone Gooden, denied Dixon.

  Glenmuir eventually came into their own and should have pulled one back in the 20^th when Orane Watson dismissed defender and had enough time and space to pick a spot, but somehow hit his effort over the cross bar.

  He was left ruing that missed opportunity a minute later when Ashley sent Dixon on his way, and the number 13 dismissed a defender, as well as the advancing Gooden to fire in his 30th goal of the season, and put Clarendon College 3-0 up.

  In the 28^th Watson went on another break for Glenmuir, but his attempt was charged down by Clarendon College’s Roshae Burrell, who left his line well in the one-on-one situation.

  And before long, Ashley added another to Clarendon College’s tally, when he expertly headed in a weighted cross from Ateibo Green to make it 4-0 at the break.

  Down, and faced with a mountainous task, Glenmuir came out more purposeful on the resumption and were rewarded for their efforts three minutes past the hour mark, courtesy of Thompson’s own-goal.

  However, the celebrations were short-lived, as Clarendon College restored the four goal cushion four minutes later through Gallimore’s well-struck right-footer from the top of the arc that left Gooden beaten all ends up.

  Glenmuir continued to show fight, and notched a second goal in 75^th. Clarendon College’s defenders failed to deal with an Orane Watson cross which allowed Miller to pounce and finish.

  But Clarendon College and their point man Dixon had one more in the bag, which came through a brilliant solo effort in which he slipped by four defenders before firing a right-footer past the hapless Gooden, for his 31^st goal of the season, in time added.

  Glenmuir’s Head coach Andrew Peart felt his team lost it from the start.

  “I thought we had the worst possible start; we planned for them coming high up the field that’s why we had two strikers, but poor decision to play the ball short into the middle of the field cost us. That was the start that Clarendon College wanted because they are a rhythm team, and they want to be up early. Second half, we were a bit more controlled, but it was just a good start, and we just couldn’t get back to them from there,” Peart noted.

  Clarendon College will next face Manning Cup champions Mona High for the Olivier Shield, at Glenmuir’s field on Wednesday.

• McGrath High clips Frome Technical 1-0 to cop first Ben Francis Cup

  McGrath High became the fourth school to win the ISSA/Wata Ben Francis knockout title since the change in format, as they edged Frome Technical 1-0 in a lively final at the National Stadium on Saturday.

  Dante Anderson's 32nd-minute strike was enough to get the Linstead-based team over the line, and saw them join Charlemont, BB Coke and Edwin Allen as first-time champions.

  Winning coach Jermaine Thomas was over the moon about his team’s accomplishment.

  "I am happy and elated because we worked really hard for this. I also want to take time out to say rest in peace to Gibbs “Gibbo” Williams, he was an important part of my life and the reason why I went to college, so I wish he was here to witness this moment,” Thomas said.

  “But congrats to the boys, they played well, we have been playing well all season, the last game we lost was to Christiana in the Round of 16, and we haven’t lost since then. So, I must commend the boys and the entire school community for the support,” he added.

  

  It was a closely contested affair in which both teams threatened in open play and had their fair share of opportunities to break the deadlock.

  McGrath went closest in the 32^nd when a well-taken David Hutchinson freekick, was equally well-saved by Oral Davis diving full stretch to his right, in Frome Technical’s goal.

  Frome responded soon after but Dwayne Watt’s shot from close range, was parried by Joel Davis, in goal for McGrath, as they remained scoreless at the break.

  However, McGrath eventually found what turned out to be the match-winning goal five minutes into the resumption when Devone Davis picked up possession and played a pass off to Anderson, who applied a tidy finish, beating Oral Davis at his near post.

  It was end-to-end action from there with McGrath looking to add to their tally, while Frome Technical pressed for the elusive equaliser. In fact, the Westmoreland-based team showed more in the attacking third in the latter stages, as they used the wide channels to good effect to provide services inside the danger area.

  The tactic almost bore fruit in 74^th when Akeem Kongal’s weighted cross was met by Jamaro Grant, who rose above defenders, but the effort was brilliantly cleared off the line by defender Isaac Mason to keep his team’s lead intact, and they saw off Frome from there.

  Frome Technical’s Head coach Cleighton Stevens was gracious in defeat.

  "First I have to say congratulations to McGrath on their victory, my boys put up a good fight, but it just wasn't our day. It was still a successful season and we just have to build on it going forward,” he said. 

• Eddie Howe says Bruno Guimaraes ‘at the fulcrum of everything’ for Newcastle

  Eddie Howe says Newcastle need Bruno Guimaraes to be at his best for his team to tick.

  The 26-year-old Brazil international has hit top form in recent weeks after battling his way through a persistent ankle injury which hampered him for several months, and at times prevented him from reaching the heights of his first few months in England.

  However, he was one of the Magpies’ star performers in their Premier League victories over Chelsea and Manchester United either side of a 1-1 Champions League draw at Paris St Germain in which he also excelled, and his return to that level could hardly have been better timed for head coach Howe as he contends with an ongoing selection crisis.

  He said: “You need your top players to play really well when you’re in a situation like this that we’re in at the moment, and I think Bruno has certainly done that.

  “I thought Manchester United and Chelsea, were up there with his best performances, and the first half against PSG.

  “I think he was very, very good with the ball, very creative, managed to get himself connected with the players in front of him. But also off the ball, I thought he was really good, physically excellent, pressed really well.

  “He’s such an important person to that part of the game for us that it is hard work for him physically, but he’s able to repeat those physical exertions that we need him to, so I think his game’s in a very good place.

  “It has to be for us to perform well because he’s at the fulcrum of everything really.”

  Guimaraes arrived at St James’ Park in a £35million switch from French side Lyon in January 2022 and, having been eased into the team, he endeared himself to his manager, team-mates and the club’s fans alike with a series of high-quality individual displays which inspired those around him amid a remarkable drive to safety.

  However, he left Fulham in January on crutches and wearing a protective boot after damaging his ankle, and despite a swift recovery initially, it was a problem which recurred repeatedly over several months and his form suffered as a result.

  Asked how debilitating that injury was, Howe said: “I don’t know, only Bruno could answer that, really.

  “I was aware in certain games he might twist his ankle again and be sore for a period of time, but then he’d always come back from that and be able to sort of run it off.

  “I don’t recall him missing many training sessions from it, so I think he’s handled that really well.”

  Guimaraes will hope to continue in his rich vein at Tottenham on Sunday, with the Magpies looking to bounce back from Thursday night’s 3-0 defeat at Everton, and Howe is looking for even more from him.

  He said: “We want to see him influencing games, deciding games with his quality and if we can continually feed him with the ball, then he’s got the qualities to open up any defence.”