CATHERINE HALL, St James — Cornwall College extended their record number of liens on the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/FLOW daCosta Cup to 12 after dethroning holders St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) 2-1 in the final played at the Montego Bay Sports Complex last night.

Second-half goals from Jourdaine Fletcher, his 29th of the daCosta Cup season and 36th overall, and substitute Shavon McDonald helped the Dr Dean Weatherly-coached team snap their 15-year drought, since their last success in 2001, in front of a large crowd of predominantly red and gold clad Cornwall College fans.

Demar James pulled one back for STETHS from a free kick deep into added time as they lost in their second final this season having lost to Lennon High in the Ben Francis knockout two weeks ago.

After a slow start, Cornwall College dominated the second half as Fletcher, Peter-Lee Vassell and Howard Dent took the game to the STETHS defence, who were on their heels the entire time.

The victory made up for Cornwall College’s loss in the FLOW Super Cup final, their coach Dr Dean Weatherly told the

Jamaica Observer afterwards.

“It’s a great feeling after a long, hard season, but it was worth it,” said Dr Weatherly, who was winning his fourth daCosta Cup title, adding to the those won in 1995, 2000 and 2001.

“I am feeling elated right now. The hard work has paid off, and there is not much more I can say,” he added.

He admitted that his team started tentatively but grew in confidence as the game went on. “We got more comfortable as the game went on, and they played to the instructions we gave them,” he said. “At half time we changed the formation and attacked the wing backs more, and that was what brought the goals.”

Renorio Downswell, the STETHS assistant coach, said his team did not attack as they had hoped in the second half and allowed Cornwall College to take over.

“In the second half we did not play the attacking game; we sat back and allowed Cornwall to come at us and we suffered as a consequence,” Downswell said.

He said his team had played well in the first half and “this was a good final; both teams played well, but Cornwall was given the space and they took advantage”.

In front of a jam-packed grand stand it was the more experienced STETHS team, with most players in their third-straight final, that took the initiative against a nervous-looking Cornwall College team, but goalkeeper Jamario Hines and the defence were equal to the task and kept the STETHS team at bay.

Cornwall College got into their own late in the first half and came close to scoring, but Kenroy Wallace in the STETHS goal blocked one shot in the 37th minute from Vassell, and Fletcher kicked just wide a few minutes later.

After a few good chances by STEHS early in the second half it was all Cornwall College, as they took over the game and it was only a matter of time before the goal came.

They thought they had taken the lead in the 67th minute when Vassell powered home the ball from midway the 18-yard box, but the goal was disallowed for an infringement.

Fletcher, who had endured three games without scoring, finally broke lose when Vassell skipped around two defenders and served it up to him on a platter just outside the six-yard box and he struck it past Wallace — the crowd erupted.

Cornwall College missed the chance to put the game away in the 80th minute when Vassell again crossed the ball from the right side, but the ball eluded the onrushing Fletcher.

McDonald, who replaced Emmanuel Campbell in the 75th minute, put the game out of the reach of STETHS in the 91st minute when he rifled home a loose ball from about 20 yards out and the Cornwall College players started their celebrations.

STETHS got on the score sheet in the 95th minute when a STETHS player was fouled just on the edge of the box and James buried the free kick past a flat-footed Hines in the final play of the game.