CLARENDON PARK, Clarendon — Clarendon College will contest the ISSA/LIME daCosta Cup final for the first time in 16 years, but the Jackie Walters-coached side needed extra-time to see off their fierce parish rivals Glenmuir High, 2-1, in an enthralling semi-final encounter at Juici Park yesterday.

Clarendon, who won the last of their six titles in 1998, will now meet either defending champions St Elizabeth Technical High School or Dinthill Technical in the next Saturday’s final.

The north Clarendon side dominated from start to finish, but had to wait until the 76th minute to break the deadlock when Andrew Gutzmore fired home a bullet of a shot from some 30 yards out.

Glenmuir, playing on the counter, replied against the run of play after second-half substitute Geraldine Bennett nodded in a right-sided cross from the industrious Jevaun Ennis on the stroke of full time to force extra-time.

But Clarendon College wasted no time in restoring their one goal advantage.

Just two minutes into extra-time, midfielder Siegel Knight stroke home with great assurance from the penalty spot after the Glenmuir captain, Alex Brown, clumsily hauled down the speedy Creggton Charlton in the box.

Brown would get the chance to redeem himself, ironically from the penalty spot, but the big Glenmuir defender could not hold his nerve, sending a feeble effort, which was virtually the last kick of the game, towards the right of the Clarendon goalie, Eric Edwards, who duly made the save.

Walters, who was at the helm when they last won the title, praised him team for an outstanding performance.

“Yes, we are going to make mistakes, but we had the ability to overcome them and that is what really counts,” said Walters in his post-game interview, adding that he was “not surprised” by the resilience displayed by the Glenmuir unit he coached for 10 years before returning to Clarendon College last season.

Glenmuir’s assistant coach Lenworth Gordon said while his team did well to stay in the game, they just did not turn up on the day. “I’m not happy with the performance,” he said. “CC deserves to go through. They played well from the first whistle. But we dug in, sat back and soaked up the pressure and did the best we could. Congrats to CC.”