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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>Showdown for D'Cup crown</SPAN>
<SPAN class=Subheadline>Frome, Glenmuir battle for rural supremacy at Jarrett Park</SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>PAUL A REID, Observer writer
Saturday, December 02, 2006
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=350 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>Frome Technical's captain Demar Howard (foreground), along with teammates, listens to half-time instructions during the daCosta Cup semi-final match against Clarendon College last weekend. </SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>MONTEGO BAY - Glenmuir's coach Patrick 'Jackie' Walters thinks his team has nothing to lose in this afternoon's daCosta Cup schoolboy final against favourites Frome Technical at Jarrett Park, starting at 3:00.
After losing nine starters from last season's team that lost 3-0 to Godfrey Stewart and having just one player - James Thomas - who played in that final, Walters said his young players will be ready for what he thinks will be a tough, "gritty" game.
Today's match is the third straight year that schools from Clarendon and Westmoreland will be meeting in the rural area decider after Glenmuir beat Frome in 2004, then lost to Godfrey Stewart last year.
The decider will pit the experienced Frome that have players from the 2004 season against a Glenmuir team that is in rebuilding phase after making back-to-back final appearances over the past two years.
Frome, who turned back the outstanding Clarendon College in last week's semi-final, will enter the game with the slight edge over Glenmuir, who had to beat a determined Titchfield High on penalty-kicks after playing to a 1-1 draw with the Portland side.
Frome will also be seeking the schoolboy triple after winning the Ben Francis KO earlier.
Walters said they have been targeting next season and 2008 when the school will be 50 years old and so making the final is a good start to their campaign.
Glenmuir pretty much stayed under the radar this season as Clarendon College, St Elizabeth Technical, Frome and others took the spotlight.
They twice drew against Garvey Maceo in the preliminary round and once in the Inter-zone, but Walters said the players were determined to give a good account of themselves.
Walters, who has won four daCosta Cup titles - three at Clarendon College - and three Manning Cup titles with Camperdown, said this final is special for him given the talent he had to work with this season.
Given the age of his team, Walters said, the coaching staff "has to be very careful how we develop them mentally next year and don't get too carried away and too complacent".
He said the build-up to the final in the past week was okay in terms of "allowing the players to try and understand better what they are about at this stage of the competition. Let them understand how important it is, not so much their ability as a player but the sort of mental attitude... determination, commitment that is required come the final".
A major part of the preparation, he said, has been the mental approach and he said they have been putting the players through some mental exercises, "asking them to visualise themselves at Jarrett Park, relaxing, closing their eyes and seeing the crowd and all that sort of thing. That is the only weapon we have to prepare them for as it is going to be strange for a lot of them."<P class=StoryText align=justify>The quarter-final win over Clarendon College, who had previously beaten them 3-0 in the Ben Francis KO, he said, was the turning point for the team. They went into the game knowing they had to win, and responded.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Walters told Sporting World he did not know much about F
<SPAN class=Subheadline>Frome, Glenmuir battle for rural supremacy at Jarrett Park</SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>PAUL A REID, Observer writer
Saturday, December 02, 2006
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=350 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>Frome Technical's captain Demar Howard (foreground), along with teammates, listens to half-time instructions during the daCosta Cup semi-final match against Clarendon College last weekend. </SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>MONTEGO BAY - Glenmuir's coach Patrick 'Jackie' Walters thinks his team has nothing to lose in this afternoon's daCosta Cup schoolboy final against favourites Frome Technical at Jarrett Park, starting at 3:00.After losing nine starters from last season's team that lost 3-0 to Godfrey Stewart and having just one player - James Thomas - who played in that final, Walters said his young players will be ready for what he thinks will be a tough, "gritty" game.
Today's match is the third straight year that schools from Clarendon and Westmoreland will be meeting in the rural area decider after Glenmuir beat Frome in 2004, then lost to Godfrey Stewart last year.
The decider will pit the experienced Frome that have players from the 2004 season against a Glenmuir team that is in rebuilding phase after making back-to-back final appearances over the past two years.
Frome, who turned back the outstanding Clarendon College in last week's semi-final, will enter the game with the slight edge over Glenmuir, who had to beat a determined Titchfield High on penalty-kicks after playing to a 1-1 draw with the Portland side.
Frome will also be seeking the schoolboy triple after winning the Ben Francis KO earlier.
Walters said they have been targeting next season and 2008 when the school will be 50 years old and so making the final is a good start to their campaign.
Glenmuir pretty much stayed under the radar this season as Clarendon College, St Elizabeth Technical, Frome and others took the spotlight.
They twice drew against Garvey Maceo in the preliminary round and once in the Inter-zone, but Walters said the players were determined to give a good account of themselves.
Walters, who has won four daCosta Cup titles - three at Clarendon College - and three Manning Cup titles with Camperdown, said this final is special for him given the talent he had to work with this season.
Given the age of his team, Walters said, the coaching staff "has to be very careful how we develop them mentally next year and don't get too carried away and too complacent".
He said the build-up to the final in the past week was okay in terms of "allowing the players to try and understand better what they are about at this stage of the competition. Let them understand how important it is, not so much their ability as a player but the sort of mental attitude... determination, commitment that is required come the final".
A major part of the preparation, he said, has been the mental approach and he said they have been putting the players through some mental exercises, "asking them to visualise themselves at Jarrett Park, relaxing, closing their eyes and seeing the crowd and all that sort of thing. That is the only weapon we have to prepare them for as it is going to be strange for a lot of them."<P class=StoryText align=justify>The quarter-final win over Clarendon College, who had previously beaten them 3-0 in the Ben Francis KO, he said, was the turning point for the team. They went into the game knowing they had to win, and responded.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Walters told Sporting World he did not know much about F