daCosta cup finalists - History beckons for Lennon

Western Bureau:

When it comes to female football, Lennon High School currently rule supreme. Having won the last three stagings of the ISSA female high school competition, it would appear coach Merron Gordon is well on his way to creating a football dynasty at the Clarendon school.

However, while he has been enjoying great success with the girls, coach Gordon has not been able to duplicate his success among the Lennon boys. In fact, except for making the 2008 semi-finals, Lennon are yet to make a significant impact on the daCosta Cup circuit.

"That is a situation we intend to change this year as we firmly expect to win the 2010 daCosta Cup," said Gordon, whose team will meet Rusea's in this afternoon's final at Jarrett Park. "We are the only big-name school in Clarendon that has not won this title and we intend to change that."

In tracking Lennon's progress this year as they marched through the various stages of the daCosta Cup, it would appear that they are on course to join Clarendon neighbours Glenmuir, Clarendon College, Vere Technical and Garvey Maceo on the daCosta Cup roll call of champions.

"At the end of Saturday's final, I have every confidence that we will be champions," stated Gordon. "We know they (Rusea's) are a good team and we are aware of their history. However, we are not the least bit intimidated."

It should be interesting to note that Lennon and Rusea's have crossed paths once this season, battling to a 0-0 draw in a game in which Lennon sparkled in attack but Rusea's were resolute in defence.

"Many people believe we had the better of that quarter-final game," said Gordon. "But come Saturday, we will not be looking back ... this is a new ball game and we need to get it right in this game."

Well-oiled machine

After a lukewarm start to the season in which they finished second to Clarendon College in Zone H and missed out on the Ben Francis KO, Lennon have been rolling along like a well-oiled machine.

In the inter-zone round, they topped Group Three after spanking Manning's 3-0, brushing aside Munro College 5-1 and drawing 0-0 with Manchester High. In the quarter-finals, they finished second after drawing 0-0 draw with Rusea's, 1-1 with Old Harbour and clipping Garvey Maceo 1-0.

It was in the semi-finals that Lennon came up big, defeating the previously unbeaten champions St Elizabeth Technical High School 2-1 to advance to the final on a high.

With a season record of 13 wins, two draws and one defeat, scoring 31 goals and conceding 11, Lennon have good reason to fancy their chances of becoming 2010 daCosta Cup champions.

- A.F.