BY PAUL A REID Observer writer - Thursday, November 22, 2012

FROME, Westmoreland — Mannings School and Frome Technical pulled off surprises yesterday in the quarter-finals to join favourites and Ben Francis KO St Elizabeth Technical High (STETHS) and Glenmuir High in the semi-finals of the ISSA/Gatorade/Digicel daCosta Cup schoolboys' football competition.

After losses in Saturday's round, the Westmoreland schools became the second pair of schools from the parish to qualify for the final-four in the same season, seven years after Godfrey Stewart and Mannings achieved the feat in the 2005 season.

Mannings beat STETHS 2-0 in Santa Cruz to join the Ben Francis KO champions from Group A, both on six points, while a 0-0 draw between Frome Technical and Glenmuir at Frome Sports Complex saw both teams advance from Group B.

Glenmuir won Group B with five points while Frome edged Bog Walk on goal-difference after both finished on four points.

STETHS, who won Group A on goal difference, will face Frome in one semi-final at Jarrett Park on Saturday, while Glenmuir will take on Mannings in the other at the St Elizabeth Technical Sports Complex.

Saturday's winners will meet in the December 1 final at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.

Mannings, who almost exited the competition on two occasions, extended their Cinderella run with second half goals from Tevin Daley who was scoring his fourth goal since the start of the Inter-zone round and Romario Pessoa to snap STETHS' eight-game winning run in the daCosta Cup since they were beaten by Munro in the first round.

A loss to Cedric Titus on Saturday at Drax Hall had appeared to dampen Mannings chances, but the Aaron Lawrence-coached team rose to the occasion yesterday.

Frome Technical's goalkeeper Omeally Perrin pulled off a series of brilliant saves to keep his team in the game at times when the high-powered Glenmuir team threatened to overrun them.

His brilliant reflex save in the 21st minute when he went to his right to block a point blank shot from Newton Henry sparked a rally from Frome, who forced the Clarendon school back in their own half for long periods.

Perrin came off his line like a shot from a gun in the 60th minute to boot a ball away from Henry who had managed to get away from a Frome defender and had a clear run at the goal and minutes later went full stretch to pluck the ball from the feet of Noel Johnson.

Later on in the game, the inform goalie was well-placed to block a shot from substitute Ricardo Dennis at his right post.

Frome had their share of chances, the best of which was a free kick from Jahmaly Brissett in the 63rd minute that came back off the crossbar with Glenmuir's goalkeeper Dane Chambers rooted to the spot.

Yesterday's results

Mannings 2, STETHS 0
Garvey Maceo 2, Cedric Titus 0
Frome 0, Glenmuir 0
Manchester High 0, Bog Walk 0

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport/It-s-settled-_13056378#ixzz2Cy6RVNFe