Garvey Maceo bang in a dozen to clip STETHS to semi-final spot
Published:Sunday | December 19, 2021 | 12:16 AMKavarly Arnold - Gleaner Writer
Western Bureau:
GARVEY MACEO High School routed St Thomas Tech 12-0 in their final quarter-final group match to book their spot in the semi-finals of the Inter-Secondary Schools’ Sports Association (ISSA) daCosta Cup by the narrowest of margins yesterday.
The Clarendon-based school went into the game with a three-goal deficit when compared to St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS).
STETHS’ 6-0 victory over Frome Tech was only enough to grant them a spot in the Ben Francis Knockout Cup for second- and third-place teams in the group. Frome will also play in the knockout cup.
STETHS had one foot in the semis at half-time, as similarly to Garvey Maceo, led by 4-0 at half-time. With the Santa Cruz-based team, playing at home, there was also belief.
They added their fifth goal seven minutes into the second half and looked as though they would enjoy a much bigger margin of victory.
However, tragedy struck as their talisman Rohane Brown, who had two goals and two assists in the game, picked up an injury.
The medical team, who literally shook everything out of their treatment bag in search of something to keep him on the field, could only manage the miracle for a few minutes, as he was disappointingly substituted around the hour mark. The game would go flat for the hosts, who would only notch one more goal in the game, grabbing it in the 83rd minute.
While STETHS were trying to find their goalscoring boots without their talisman, over at Kirkvive, there were no such challenges as Garvey Maceo banged home one goal after another, accumulating a dozen to put their goal difference well beyond the reach of STETHS.
Merron Gordon, coach of Garvey Maceo, was pleased by the focus and determination his boys displayed.
“We didn’t want to put any extra stress on the boys. We knew STETHS was leading us by three goals, so I told them the first thing we needed to do was catch up (the goal difference) and then take it from there,” Gordon said.
DESIRE AND DETERMINATION
“I tried my best to keep the scoreline away from them on the field as much as I could to keep them focused. I think it worked. Coming into the game I knew we might need eight or nine goals to outscore STETHS. In the end, we scored 12, so I’m really happy for the boys who showed determination, desire, guts and everything,” he added.
A disappointed coach of STETHS, Omar ‘Rambo’ Wedderburn, said the dip in intensity that took place in the second half after Brown was substituted due to injury really hurt them.
“We needed more goals. We got some chances that, unfortunately, we didn’t put away that came back to haunt us. It’s a hurtful evening. The entire team feels bad,” Wedderburn said.
“The goals in the second half, especially, came too far apart and losing players made it even harder. We know his (Brown) quality and desire to do well for the team. However, he has an injury carrying. Today it (injury) just got the better of him,” he added.
The final semi-finalist will be determined on Tuesday, after the two games in group four that were scheduled for yesterday were postponed because the Clarendon College team was unwell. Clarendon College will face McGrath High and Cornwall College will battle Manchester High.