St Ann rivals square off in Magnum semi-final play-offs

St. Ann arch-rivals Mount Pleasant FC and Priory Academy will kick-off the Magnum Eastern Confederation Super League semi-final play-offs at Drax Hall, St. Ann this afternoon, beginning at 3 p.m.

The second semi-final will match Portland's St. George's United against St. Mary's Albion Mountain, at Lynch Park in Buff Bay, Portland, tomorrow, also at 3 p.m.

Today's showdown promises to be fiercely competitive as it brings together the 'Garden Parish's' two big teams.

"The players are always up for a good game against Mount Pleasant. Priory and Mount Pleasant are the two big teams from the parish, so I know there will be a bumper crowd at Drax Hall," observed Santanio Miller, who shares coaching and management responsibilities at Priory Academy with former Arnett Gardens and Waterhouse striker Kirk Ramsey, Theresa Grant and Steve Grandison.

Familiar foes

They have played each other three times this season and each team registered one win apiece. Priory Academy won 1-0, while Mount Pleasant recorded an emphatic 4-1 win. The other contest ended goalless.

Those results assisted Mount Pleasant, which is coached by former top national goal-scorer, Paul 'Tegat' Davis, in topping Group Two of the preliminary round with 22 points, seven ahead of Portland's St. George's United, with St. Mary's Gray's Inn third on 12 points and St. Thomas' York United fourth on 11 points.

Priory Academy ended equal with the most points, 15, alongside St. Mary's Albion Mountain in Group One, but the latter had a superior goal difference of plus four, in comparison to Priory's minus three.

Priory, which is captained by Maurice Mitchell, will look mainly to Vashan McBean, Rushane Henry, Everton Marsh and Romaine Roberts for goals.