Thu | Mar 28, 2024

‘CClash!’ - Battle of Colleges in Champions Cup semis

Published:Saturday | November 16, 2019 | 12:29 AMKavarly Arnold/Gleaner Writer
Cornwall College’s Solano Birch (left) attempts to dribble away from Clarendon College’s Earl Simpson in the final of the ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup at the Montego Bay Sports Complex, on Saturday, December 1, 2018.
Cornwall College’s Solano Birch (left) attempts to dribble away from Clarendon College’s Earl Simpson in the final of the ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup at the Montego Bay Sports Complex, on Saturday, December 1, 2018.

Western Bureau:

Cornwall College will take on the high flying Clarendon College in the ISSA Champions Cup semi-final double-header at the National Stadium this afternoon as they look to defend their title and not end the season empty-handed. The battle of CCs is set to kick-off at 4 p.m.

The Dean Weatherly coached Cornwall, who became the first rural school to lift the all-island ­trophy last season, will be attempting to be the first team to retain the trophy since its inception in 2014.

Weatherly, who reflected on what they did wrong in their daCosta Cup semi-final defeat on Wednesday, said they are working on playing a perfect game to topple a good Clarendon College unit.

“It was just one of those days where we just didn’t finish and that was our sour point,” he said. “Also at the back, there were some mental lapses, but these are some things that we are working on for Saturday.

“We are definitely trying not to end the season empty-handed. We have to regroup, come again for the Champions Cup, and give it our all.”

NOT CONCERNED

Clarendon College head coach Lenworth Hyde says he’s not ­concerned about the ‘CC rivalry’ and that they are taking today’s game seriously, as they are keen on lifting the Champions Cup for the first time.

Clarendon College is coming into today’s game in ­scintillating form, scoring 25 goals while only conceding two in their last six games since the ­quarter-final of the daCosta Cup. The last time both teams met, in last season’s daCosta Cup final, Clarendon won 2-1.

“We are looking to deal with it the way we are supposed to,” Hyde said. “We are taking it very seriously, as it’s a competition that we haven’t won. We want to put in our best performance, which will enable us to get into the final. It’s an important game, not because of any rivalry, I don’t deal with that. I just deal with what my team has to offer and we just need to continue playing good football.”In the late kick-off at 6:30 p.m., urban area giants Kingston College (KC) will take on Jamaica College (KC).

The last time the two teams met in this competition was the 2017 semi-final where tempers flared towards the end of the game played at Sabina Park. KC led 2-1 until late in the match when the ­referee disallowed what JC thought was the equaliser from a from Tyreek Magee in the final seconds of the four ­minutes which had been added for stoppages. Magee’s goal was ruled out as he took a direct free kick for what should have been an indirect free kick.