DEMOLITION!
IN a resounding display of football prowess Clarendon College (CC) asserted their dominance to retain the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) daCosta Cup with an exquisite 6-2 victory over parish rivals Glenmuir High in the final at the National Stadium on Saturday.
CC were led to victory by the sublime Keheim Dixon who scored in the second, 21st and 90th minutes. Jahmelle Ashley struck in the ninth and 39th minutes while Deandre Gallimore powered home a strike in the 67th minute.
Glenmuir got on the scoresheet through an own goal by Romario Thompson in the 63rd minute and an Orel Miller effort in the 75th.
The victory marked CC’s 11th hold on the daCosta Cup title, a testament to their consistent excellence in schoolboy football. The defending champions celebrated the triumph as they etched another chapter in their storied football legacy.
The result was revenge for the 2-3 loss to Glenmuir a week ago.
Lenworth “Teacher” Hyde, head coach of CC and who was winning his fourth daCosta Cup with the school, summed up his players’ efforts.
“I think that was an excellent performance because my players really played some brilliant football,” said Hyde.
“I think we really wanted to retain our title because for most of my players, this is their final year and so we wanted to go out with a bang,” he said.
In a dazzling first-half display Clarendon College left spectators in awe as they outclassed Glenmuir, establishing a commanding 4-0 lead at half-time. The match was a showcase of Clarendon College’s attacking prowess and clinical finishing, leaving Glenmuir struggling to contain the relentless offensive onslaught.
The tone was set from the second minute when CC opened the scoring through Dixon. The precision of the play and the seamless teamwork demonstrated Clarendon’s intent to dominate the proceedings.
Glenmuir found themselves further behind in the ninth minute. Ashley delivered the blow, finding the back of the net and leaving Glenmuir with a daunting task.
Not content with a two-goal advantage, CC continued their relentless attack. In the 21st minute Dixon added to Glenmuir’s woes by scoring the Chapelton-based team’s third goal of the match.
The defending champions displayed not only individual skill but also exceptional teamwork that proved too much for Glenmuir’s defence to handle.
Ashley wasn’t finished, netting his second goal of the match to further widen the gap before the interval.
Glenmuir came out in the second half looking much more solid and were a lot more alert. They got on the scoresheet courtesy of an own goal from Thompson after the champions had failed to properly clear their goal line.
However, Gallimore restored CC’s four-goal advantage when he fired a 25-yard effort that went like a rocket past Glenmuir’s keeper Antwone Gooden.
As the final whistle blew, Clarendon College players, coaching staff, and supporters rejoiced in the resounding success that saw them retain the coveted daCosta Cup. The convincing victory over Glenmuir further solidifies CC’s status as a modern-day schoolboy football powerhouse.