Title on the line Coopers Pen, Harmony seek TFA Major League glory
FALMOUTH, Trelawny — Knock-out winners Coopers Pen FC and mid-season champions Harmony FC are on course for a double when they meet in Sunday’s final of the Trelawny Football Association’s National Rums of Jamaica Monymusk Plantation Rum Major League at Elleston Wakeland Youth Centre in Falmouth at 3:00pm.
The teams set up the clash after scoring contrasting victories over Salt Marsh United and Duanvale, respectively, in last Sunday’s return-leg semi-finals at the same venue.Coopers Pen scored a dramatic come-from-behind 3-2 extra-time win on aggregate over Salt Marsh United, who came into the game with a 1-0 lead from the first leg, but were beaten 1-3 on Sunday.Harmony FC outclassed a disorganised and wasteful Duanvale FC 2-0 on Sunday after the first game had ended 0-0 the previous weekend.In the first game on Sunday, Salt Marsh United and Duanvale FC will meet at 1:00 pm in the third-place play-off.In addition to the championship trophy and the cash prize at stake on Sunday, the winners will also qualify for next season’s Western Confederation Super League competition.The final is expected to be close between two teams that stayed in a virtual ‘neck-and-neck’ race all season long and finished a point apart from each other after three rounds.The teams drew 2-2 at Bounty Hall, Harmony FC’s home grounds, before Harmony FC won 2-0 in the return-leg game and won Zone 1 by three points on their way to beating Baca Star United in the mid-season final.Coopers Pen had the better third round, however, topping the overall points table with 38 points, one more than Harmony FC.On form, and based on their comeback against Salt Marsh United, Coopers Pen FC should start favourites, but Harmony FC will have the psychological advantage after having not lost to them in their two meetings earlier this season.The fans could be treated to a goal fest after the teams combined for 77 in the regular season – 40 scored by Harmony FC, and gave up 24 between them.Shaunavan McKenzie and Desron Whyne, both of whom masterminded the second-half comeback last weekend, combined to score 20 of their team’s 37 goals, and a lot will be expected of them on Sunday.Former national player Troy Smith, despite playing in a defensive role, leads Harmony FC’s scoring with nine goals, while player/coach Ricardo Reid has scored seven times and Everette Mullings has scored six.The Harmony defence will be tested by the non-stop running of the Coopers Pen team, and goalkeeper Jermaine Maxwell could be in for a long afternoon.