KINGSTON, Jamaica — Perennial contenders Excelsior High School blanked Norman Manley High 2-0 at Winchester Park to advance to the semi-finals of the ISSA/Digicel Walker Cup on Thursday.

Second half goals from Rushsean Russell and Nickalia Fuller were enough for the “Eagles” to fly past their opponents and into the second round of the competition which will be played next week.

Excelsior High were runners-up in the Walker Cup final in 2019 and after the disappointment of not making the Manning Cup quarterfinals this season, they were eager to take advantage of their last chance to win some silverware.

The Mountain View Avenue-based school were dominant from start to finish but were let down by poor finishing in the first half as they created several clear goal scoring opportunities without finding the back of the net.

Norman Manley’s starting goalkeeper, Ranaldo Johnson, had to leave the field after colliding with one of his teammates in the first half and this would prove to be a key moment in the game.

Both goals conceded by Norman Manley in the second half were due to poor goalkeeping by substitute Shawn Malcolm. In the 50th minute, an innocuous shot from Russell from just inside the area sneaked into the corner of the goal after Malcolm failed to make a proper attempt to make a save.

Excelsior continued to dominate the game without adding to their tally until an even worse blunder from Malcolm when he allowed the ball to squeeze under his body from a tame effort from Fuller from ten yards in the 83rd minute.

Excelsior will be joined by Jonathan Grant who beat Tivoli High 2-1, Campion College after they defeated Jose Marti 4-1 on penalties following a 1-1 regulation time draw and champions St Catherine High who defeated St Jago High 2-0 on Wednesday.

The four Manning Cup quarter finalists that failed to advance to the sem-finals will join the Walker Cup at the semi-final stage next Thursday, alongside this week’s four quarter-final winners.