In truly convincing fashion, St George’s College easily defended their ISSA/Gatorade/Digicel Manning Cup title by brushing aside Hydel High 3-0 at the National Stadium last Saturday.

With the two previous encounters this season ending in 1-1 stalemates, many were expecting the Manning Cup final to be another competitive affair, but on the day the defending champions signalled to the entire Corporate Area that they are indeed ‘a cut above the rest’ as they raced out to an early 2-0 lead thanks to strikes from Andre Lewis and Zhelano Barnes in the 30th and 32nd minute of play. Showing the composure of a team that has ‘been there and done that’ on numerous occasions, STGC knocked the ball about the park with notable confidence and guile, reducing the previously formidable Hydel to mere spectators to what was going on around them.

As both teams entered the dressing room with the score at 2-0, many fans and pundits alike wrote off the title victory to St George’s but it was obvious that the champions, — who were claiming their fourth Manning Cup in five years, — were only comfortable with that, and were eventually rewarded with another goal thanks to a well-taken strike from the overlapping Jerondu Henry after 77 minutes. The scoreline could have been more embarrassing for Hydel had the referees not incorrectly rule out a finish from Kendon Anderson moments after he took to the park, but it would probably have been too much for the St Catherine-based institution.

Though they will feel heart-broken, Hydel did make great strides in getting to the finals and they will be surely looked upon in seasons to come as a contender for the most coveted schoolboy football title in the Corporate Area.

Maroon and gold triumph – Walker Cup

In Saturday’s curtain-raiser, Wolmer’s Boys clipped Jamaica College 1-0 to win the ISSA/Gatorade/Digicel Walker Cup, their third acquisition of the trophy.

The encounter promised a lot as Wolmer’s were the team touted at the beginning of the season to win it all while JC were the only unbeaten team remaining in the Corporate Area. In the end, it was Wolmer’s who reigned supreme thanks to a headed goal from Demar Rose.

With two changes made to the starting XI that lost to St George’s a week before, Wolmer’s controlled a lot of the game and snuffed out any advances JC made, when they did press forward. JC did grow in confidence in the second half but any hopes of turning the fixture around were destroyed once captain and talisman Junior Fleming was given marching orders by the referee in a somewhat controversial manner.

Wolmer’s also ended the game with 10 men following Jason Wright’s eviction in the 87th minute but by then the writing was already on the wall and the celebrations from the Wolmer’s supporters were already in full swing.