EITHER Charlie Smith or Jamaica College (JC) will be crowned champions of the 2014 ISSA/LIME Manning Cup. Both teams secured a place in the finals after wins on Saturday over Wolmer’s Boys and Camperdown respectively. Charlie Smith won their game 1-0, while JC got a 4-2 result.

In the earlier game between Charlie Smith and Wolmer’s Boys was a repeat of the Walker Cup quarter-final clash. Wolmer’s and Charlie both had multiple opportunities to take the lead, but neither side managed to break the deadlock in the first half.

Chevon Crooks changed that when he took his chance in the 58th minute, blasting a left-footed shot into the top of the net.

Wolmer’s tried to find an equaliser in the remaining minutes, but the Charlie Smith back line held firm to send them through to the finals.

The JC, Camperdown game kicked off right after and was a complete opposite to the first with JC scoring two in under 12 minutes.

Akeem Shackleford got the first from a header in the fifth minute while the second was an own-goal from Camperdown defender Fabian Grant in the 11th minute.

Camperdown did not give up, however, and scored a lovely team goal in the 24th courtesy of talisman Rameish McKnight. Raffique Bryan restored JC’s two-goal lead after Junior Flemming beat the ‘keeper and passed it Bryan in the 38th minute.

Camperdown would still not lie down and Andre McCatty made the score 3-2 after firing home with his first touch of the ball in the 53rd minute.

From there on Camperdown piled the pressure on JC, but this would be to their detriment as JC scored on the counter in the 93rd minute when Flemmings got the ball from a clearance and struck a deflected shot past the keeper.

Charlie Smith will be searching for their first title since 1995 while JC will be hoping to retain their trophy and add to their 2014 cabinet. The finals will be held this Saturday.

— Novaro Thompson