Jamaica College reign supreme
ON Saturday, Manning Cup Champions, Jamaica College, stamped their dominance to complete their victory over St Elizabeth Technical High School for the Olivier Shield.
The boys from Old Hope Road met the reigning daCosta Cup Champions in the first leg on Wednesday at Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth. The home advantage proved no aid for the Ben Francis Champions as they were decimated by JC, while their supporters shockingly witnessed the one-sided affair.
The typically deadly Khesanio Hall proved to be no trouble for a sturdy JC defence. On the other hand, Junior Flemmings and Rafique Bryan constantly terrified the STETHS defence.
It took only 10 minutes for Bryan to put the visitors in the lead when he rose above the STETHS defence to head them into the lead. The striker returned to double the lead right before the half-time interval.
Flemmings provided the striker with ball unmarked at the back post and he took the opportunity to add one more to his season tally. In the second-half it was business as usual for JC, while STETHS searched for a goal that was never to become a reality.
The better chances fell to Hall and Romain Thompson, but they both failed to convert. JC slammed the door shut in stoppage time when Bryan turned provider to grant Ramone Howell with a free header into an empty net to end the affair 3-0.
Omar Wedderburn and his STETHS team failed to overturn an almost impossible three-nil deficit on Saturday at Constant Spring.
The STETHS custodian Carson Findlay would have prayed for a clean sheet, but those prayers were not to be answered.
JC picked up where they left off on Wednesday, when Sheldon McKoy put Miguel Coley’s team ahead after just 10 minutes. JC dominated the STETHS team with their slick, short passes and prevented the habitual long ball from reaching the intended Khesanio Hall.
The striker’s tally would not be increased over these two legs as JC monitored him closely. Ramone Howell added the second in the 35th minute when he rolled the ball through Findlay’s leg to ensure Miguel Coley got his first Olivier Shield title.
The five-nil win on aggregate granted Jamaica College their 19th Olivier Shield title, signifying their supremacy. Omar Wedderburn congratulated JC for two brilliant performances and looked forward to defending the daCosta Cup and Ben Francis Cup next season.
Miguel Coley accepted the title humbly, while offering words of inspiration to his talented crop of players.
