Defending champs, Michaelhouse, into Jody Momple Cup quarters
The defending champion, Michaelhouse, and their arch-rival, Hilton College, made the greatest impressions on day one of the Jody Momple Cup, being played at Hilton, where ‘House showed they are fully intent on holding onto the trophy they somewhat surprisingly lifted in 2024.
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The Jody Momple Cup was previously known as the Pietermaritzburg and Midlands FA Cup and brings together the top teams from around the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.
Playing in Group F, Michaelhouse cruised to a 3-0 win over Weston Agricultural College and then hung a 4-0 win on Grace College. Weston, meanwhile, took down Grace, winning 4-1, to place second in the group after the completion of Saturday’s action.
Hilton, the winner of the Primo Big 10 on their home ground, Zungu Field, in mid-August, appears hungry to add a second title win quick succession. They brushed aside Greytown High 4-1 before swamping Newton School 8-1. Greytown edged out Newton in the other Group A game.
Alexandra High topped Group B. They beat Wartburg Kirchdorf School 4-0, and Linpark High beat Wartburg 5-1, before Alex won the group’s key clash by a narrow 1-0 margin.
In Group C, Maritzburg Christian School (MCS) beat Haythorne Secondary, 2024’s winners of the Plate, 2-0, but went down on penalties against last year’s Bowl winners, Etham College, losing out 2-3 after the teams had played to a 2-2 draw. Ethan overran Haythorne, charging to a 7-2 victory.
Goals were hard to come by in Group D where Maritzburg College held off Nomaswazi High 2-1 and beat Howick High 2-0. Howick picked up a 1-0 win over Nomaswazi.
It was also tight in Group E, where Carter High needed a penalty shootout to sneak by Riverwood College 5-4 from the spot after the teams had finished goalless in regulation time. Umvuzo High, then, beat Riverwood 3-1. In the meeting for first place in the group, Carter got by Umvuzo 2-1.
Group G came down to a penalty shootout between St Charles College and Edendale Technical High, the team that eliminated a strong Maritzburg College team in 2024. Saints, though, won it 5-3 from the spot to stop Edendale”s Cup challenge.
In their earlier games, Edendale rolled Treverton 5-0, while St Charles beat the same opposition 4-0. They’re a bit of a dark horse, which is a description one could use of Edendale and their run last year.
ML Sultan Secondary, the winner of the second term’s KZNHSFA Inland B-League finished top of a tightly contested Group H, beating St Nicholas Diocesan School 1-0 before sneaking by last year’s beaten finalist, Ixopo Secondary 3-2 from the spot after their showdown had finished 2-2. Ixopo earlier beat St Nicholas 3-1.
Those results put Hilton College, Alexandra High, Maritzburg Christian School, Maritzburg College, Carter High, Michaelhouse, St Charles, and ML Sultan through to the Cup quarterfinals, which will be played at 11:00 on Sunday.
Hilton College, playing on the lush Zungu Field, will feel confident heading into their clash with Alex, while Michaelhouse faces a tough challenge against Maritzburg College on the bouncier turf of Etheridge. Carter and Michaelhouse go head-to-head on New Field in a tough to call contest, while St Charles and ML Sultan do battle on Lombard in an intriguingly unpredictable game.
FIXTURES
Sunday, 7 September
Bowl Quarterfinals, 08:00
Newton School vs Wartburg Kirchdorf School, Zungu
Etham College vs Nomaswazi High, Etheridge
Riverwood College vs Grace College, New Field
Treverton College vs St Nicholas Diocesan School
Plate Quarterfinals, 09:30
Greytown High vs Linpark High, Zungu
Haythorne Secondary vs Howick High, Etheridge
Umvuzo Secondary vs Weston Agricultural College
Edendale Technical High vs Ixopo Secondary
Cup Quarterfinals, 11:00
Hilton College vs Alexandra High, Zungu
Maritzburg Christian School vs Maritzburg College, Etheridge
Carter High vs Michaelhouse, New Field
St Charles College vs ML Sultan Secondary, Lombard
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