KINGSTON, Jamaica — A visibly exhausted but triumphant Donovan Dennison could only utter, “It’s worth it. Honestly, it’s worth it”, moments after guiding two teams to champion and runner-up positions in their respective football leagues last Saturday night.

Dennison coached both the Jamaica Defence Force FC (JDF) and Red Hills United FC teams, leading the JDF to the top spot in the Wray & Nephew/KSAFA Championship League and Red Hills to the the runner up spot Major League.

The matches followed last season’s penalty shootout loss to Boys’ Town in the championship final and saw Dennison adding to his JDF responsibilities, the monumental challenge of leading Red Hills United, a team that had finished dead last in the Major League for the past two seasons.

While Red Hills United’s dream run didn’t end in silverware, the team’s rise from bottom-of-the-table to finalists captured the admiration of fans and opponents alike. More importantly, it secured their promotion to the Championship League for next season.

Reflecting on the JDF’s gritty 2–1 comeback win over August Town, Dennison beamed with pride, “The JDF team has gone through a lot of work. We knew what went wrong in last year’s final and made sure not to let history repeat itself. We said, no penalties this year!”

With heavy rainfall affecting pitch conditions, adjustments were necessary, but the team’s focus remained.

“The field was wet, so we adapted. We couldn’t play our usual free-flowing football, but the boys executed the game plan and got the job done.”

Despite dominating the first half, JDF trailed early in the second. But Dennison’s confidence never wavered.

“I knew we would win. We had faced August Town twice before, drawing and then losing when we weren’t at full strength. This time, I had my best team on the pitch. I was confident we’d come back.”

Seaview Gardens FC were the Major League Champions with a 2-1 victory, but for Red Hills United, reaching the final felt like a title of its own.

“I didn’t lose tonight,” Dennison said. “Our goal from August last year was to qualify for the Championship League. Getting to the final was a bonus. These players earned their place through hard work and heart.”

Dennison explained how he juggled the two teams with dedication and planning to make it work.

“JDF trains in the day, and Red Hills trains at night. Yes, it’s exhausting, but I have great support staff. When you set goals, you pull tooth and nail to achieve them.”

Both teams began training on the same day last August. Now, nine months later, their journeys have ended on a high, one with promotion, the other with redemption.

Dennison’s attention now turns to preparing Red Hills for the step up to the Championship League. For JDF, eyes are firmly set on the Tier 2 playoffs in July and August.