STGC, KC fancied in Group A
MANY-TIME champions St George’s College (STGC) and fierce neighbours Kingston College (KC) renew one of the most anticipated rivalry in schoolboy football after being placed in Group A of the ISSA LIME Manning Cup.
Only five teams will participate in Group A with Campion College, Jose Marti High and Waterford High joining the two powerful North Street schools.
The Light Blue side of North Street — STGC — have won 22 titles and four of the last six years. In contrast, KC — the purple side of North Street with an additional campus on Elletson Road, have won the title 14 times, the last being 28 years ago in 1986.
Both teams have been placed in the same group for the first time in decades and coincidentally, title sponsors LIME’s theme was to “Bring Back The Glory Days” and that could be the case with the rivalry at the group stage.
Both STGC and KC are expected to finish in the top two and advance to the next stage ahead of Waterford High, Jose Marti and Campion College.
On Saturday, the Lenworth Hyde-coached KC gained a significant psychological advantage by clipping St George’s 1-0 in the annual Roper Cup at Emmet Park and will enter the season on a high.
The famed purples will open against Campion College on Saturday, while STGC will bow in action next Tuesday, September 9.
However, as simple as it may look for the North Street giants, they will have to be watchful of a Waterford High team that made it to the Manning Cup final in 2010 and could upset the applecart.
But they will have to improve on their fifth-placed performance from last year when they won only one game from 10 matches, losing seven times and drawing twice.
Jose Marti, who finished third last year behind Jamaica College and Bridgeport High in Group E after winning six of their 10 matches, could surprise their more fancied rivals. The Spanish Town-based school finished just three points from qualifying for the quarter-final stage, ending with 19 points behind Bridgeport’s 22 and JC with maximum 30 points.
Campion College were winless last year in Group G, gaining only a point from their 10 games, scoring a meagre five times while conceding a whopping 40 goals. Based on that performance, the Matilda’s Corner school will have to improve leaps and bounds to make a positive impact in this group.
So despite what appears to be a safe passage for both STGC and KC on paper, it might not be that easy as Jose Marti and Waterford are unpredictable teams which could make the group an interesting one.
