Cornwall College, Clarendon College set up Ben Francis Cup final clash
ST ANN, Jamaica — Cornwall College and Clarendon College, two of the most successful schoolboys’ football teams in Jamaica, set up another final after they won their respective semi-finals of the ISSA Ben Francis Cup competition on Thursday.
Cornwall College beat McGrath High 2-0 at Drax Hall, while Clarendon College beat Mannings’ School 4-1 on penalties after they had played out a 1-1 draw at the St Elizabeth Technical Sports Complex in Santa Cruz, setting up a meeting in the final set for Saturday at the National Stadium.
Shakeen Gibson scored a brace as Cornwall College beat McGrath High for the second time in two weeks, after also defeating the St Catherine-based school in the daCosta Cup quarter-finals in Montego Bay.
Cornwall dominated the McGrath High team on Thursday and Gibson shot them in the lead when he scored in the 38th minute, firing powerfully from just inside the 18-yard box high into the goal.
He returned in the 81st minute to seal the deal when he was set up by Kavontae Gooden and rolled the ball past goalkeeper Orlando Griffiths into the far left corner of the goal.
At STETHS, Clarendon College gave up a first-half lead but held on to win on penalty kicks as they qualified for back-to- back Ben Francis Cup final.
Anthony Reid gave Clarendon College the lead after 12 minutes but Jordan Turner drew Mannings’ School level in the 53rd minute forcing penalty kicks.
— Paul A Reid