The Mancosa KwaZulu-Natal High Schools Football Association (KZNHSFA) Cowie Cup, the province’s premier knockout competition, is approaching its conclusion.
The quarterfinals were played last week, and the semifinals are scheduled for Thursday.
As a knockout competition, the Cowie Cup consistently delivers unexpected outcomes. Last year, Northwood claimed the title by defeating Carter High in the final, and that was another surprise.
The Knights began the year poorly and narrowly avoided relegation in the KZNHSFA Coastal A-League on the final day of the season. After that, however, they reversed their fortunes in style and underlined that turnaround by defeating the KZNHSFA Inland A-League runner-up, Carter High, in the final.
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The Knights, though, saw their title defence ended in the round of 16 by Port Shepstone High, who won 4-2. The south coast side followed up that victory with a 1-0 defeat of the Kloof High National Football Tournament runner-up, Durban High School (DHS), in the quarterfinals last week.
Westville Boys’ High will play Port Shepstone in the semifinals after the Griffins defeated the Jody Momplé FA Cup champion, Carter High, 1-0 in the quarterfinals.
In the other semifinal match, Durban Academy will face Brettonwood. Durban Academy scored a decisive 4-0 victory over Newcastle High, while Brettonwood scored a narrow 1-0 win over Greytown.
Port Shepstone is in the running to claim the title for a second time, having previously lifted the cup in 2023. Maritzburg College bookended that success, winning the title in 2022 and 2024.
The Cowie Cup was introduced in 2019 and won by DHS. It was not held in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a Pietermaritzburg derby, Maritzburg College edged out St Charles College 2-1.
In the Eastern Cape, St Andrew’s College secured a 2-0 victory over Dale College, winning 2-0.
Jeppe High School for Boys and Pretoria Boys High School shared a 1-1 draw in Johannesburg.
Looking ahead, Northwood faces DHS in a Durban derby on Thursday.
On Saturday, DHS hosts Maritzburg College, with the Raw Cup on the line.
The teams first played for the Raw Cup in 1899. Later, though, it went missing for 54 years until it was found in 2008.
DHS shared some of the Raw Cup’s history in a press statement: “On the 6th of August 2005 a friend of Mr. Jeremy Oddy’s, Mr. Robbie Buck, mentioned to him that out of the blue he had come into possession of a soccer trophy.
“Mr. Desmond Caro, a DHS Old Boy (1956) and a friend of Mr Robbie Buck, had seen the Cup for sale at a flea market, and upon having a closer look, he noticed that Stella Sports had won the cup in 1948 and Robbie Buck was captain of the Stella team.
“Mr Desmond Caro bought the Cup and gave it to Mr. Robbie Buck. The cup is solid silver!
“This weekend, our two schools will compete against each other to determine who will earn the prestigious Raw Cup for 2026.”
In another KZN clash, Kearsney College takes on Northwood. Meanwhile, in the Eastern Cape, St Andrew’s College meets Graeme College.
Gauteng’s schedule includes St Stithians College facing King Edward VII School (KES) on Wednesday.
On Saturday, St John’s College plays Parktown Boys’ High, St David’s Marist Inanda takes on Jeppe, and KES goes up against Christian Brothers’ College (CBC) Boksburg.
Results
Eastern Cape
St Andrew’s College 2-0 Dale College
KwaZulu-Natal
Maritzburg College 2-1 St Charles College
Gauteng
Jeppe 1-1 Pretoria Boys High
FIXTURES
Regular Fixtures
Wednesday, 9 September
Northwood vs DHS
Eastern Cape
St Andrew’s College vs Graeme College
KZNHSFA Cowie Cup Semifinals
Thursday, 10 September
Westville vs Port Shepstone
Durban Academy vs Brettonwood
Raw Cup: Saturday, 12 September
Maritzburg College vs Durban High School
Saturday, 12 September
Kearsney College vs Northwood
Gauteng
Wednesday, 9 September
St Stithians College vs KES
Saturday, 12 September
St John’s College vs Parktown Boys’ High
St David’s vs Jeppe
KES vs CBC Boksburg
