Champions Jamaica College (JC) moved one step closer to retaining their Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Digicel Manning Cup title after blanking Charlie Smith High 3-0 in a lukewarm semi-final encounter at Stadium East field on Tuesday.

Dwight Merrick (36th minute), Tarick Ximinies (66th) and substitute Giovanni Mitto (90+2) did the damage for the Old Hope Road-based school, who will contest their seventh final in the last eight seasons.

The ‘Dark Blues’ ruled the coop for five-straight years between 2013 and 2017, but that run was interrupted by Kingston College in 2018, before JC returned to reclaim the prestigious crown for the 30th time in 2019.

Since JC and Charlie Smith met in the group stages of this shortened season, the “Junglists” grew in confidence and would have been eyeing a upset on this occasion.

The manner in which they started demonstrated that much, as they forced JC into a defensive posture in the early exchanges.

However, they failed to make that period of dominance count and soon JC hit top stride to swing momentum in their favour.

JC almost broke the deadlock in 21st minute when Marlon Pennicooke’s cross caused a defensive mix up where the ball eluded Charlie Smith’s custodian Chad Green, but was cleared off the line by a recovering defender.

They eventually went in front through some delightful solo work by Ximines who showed speed and nippy footwork to slip two Charlie Smith defenders before laying the ball on a platter for Merrick to neatly finish with his favoured left foot.

With the score remaining unchanged at the break, JC drove home the ascendancy on the resumption with Ximinies’ right-footed effort from the top of the 18-yard box just rolling wide of the right upright.

On the hour mark Michael Graham’s weighted corner kick fell dangerously at the far post, but Merrick failed to get the crucial touch in from a handy position.

A minute later, Captain Duncan McKenzie sent Pennicooke on his way into a one-on-one situation with substitute keeper Kyle Cunningham, but the striker sporting the number 11 jersey went for power with his left-footed effort, as the custodian stuck out the right glove to parry.

The one-way traffic continued with JC now asserting their authority and they soon found the second when Pennicooke’s low cross burst through Cunningham’s grasp, allowing Ximinies an easy finish at the far post.

As the clock wind down, JC were in no mood to relent and Mitto orchestrated a tidy counter-attack and found Merrick, whose left-footed shot was just kept out by Cunningham diving full stretch to his left.

Charlie Smith tried to claw their way back into the contest but to no avail, as Davion Ferguson’s side later capped the victory when Merrick played Mitto into space to power a left footer past an hapless Cunningham in time added.