Cavalier, Mount Pleasant to meet in JPL final for third consecutive year
Title favourites Mount Pleasant FA and Cavalier SC marched into the final of the Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League with wins over Montego Bay United and Arnett Gardens FC respectively in the semi-finals which concluded on Sunday with the second legs.
This will be the third consecutive year Cavalier and Mount Pleasant will be contesting the final, with Mount Pleasant winning in 2023 and Cavalier 2024.
In the curtain raiser at Sabina Park, Mount Pleasant and Montego Bay drew 1-1 in a pulsating encounter, with Mount Pleasant advancing 2-1 on aggregate, having won the first leg 1-0 at Catherine Hall on Friday.
Mount Pleasant’s mercurial 16-year-old Haitian, Franco Celestin, produced a moment of magic giving them a 38th-minute lead and a two-goal cushion.
Celestin slipped the ball through the legs of Darnel Hosedales and, from an acute angle, he somehow found space also through the legs of goalkeeper Davonnie Burton.
The prolific Brian Brown replied for Montego Bay United, slotting home in the 62nd minute.
Montego Bay United then turned up the intensity as they hunted that crucial goal. Both teams got chances to score late on but Mount Pleasant, led by national defender Sue-Lae McCalla, held firm for victory.
In the second game, Cavalier defeated Arnett Gardens 1-0 courtesy of a Jalmaro Calvin strike in the 59th minute and won 2-1 on aggregate.
Arnett Gardens started brightly and were all over Cavalier for long periods and looked the likely winner.
But Cavalier have developed this winning mentality even when not playing well and, as true champions, they found a way.
Dwayne Atkinson lived up to his moniker “Busy” and terrorized the Arnett backline and it was from one of his many marauding runs that the goal came.
His thunderous shot was blocked by goalkeeper Tyrone Williams and the ball rebounded into play. Calvin reacted quickest and, from an acute angle, fired home the winner.
Mount Pleasant will join Cavalier in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup as the top two teams in the Premier League qualify for the competition. Cavalier are the defending champions.
Arnett Gardens, which won the Caribbean Shield, will play for a chance to defend that title when they meet Montego Bay United in the third-place playoff.
The third-placed team in the JPL will contest the Caribbean Shield.
