Port Morant All-Stars whip Seaforth 4-0 in U-17 tourney
A brace from Nickoy Thompson led Port Morant All-Stars to a 4-0 win over Seaforth Sports Club in the featured game of the 2023 Sports Development Foundation (SDF)/St Thomas FA Under-17 competition at the York Oval last Sunday.
Thompson scored in the 32nd and 89th minutes for Port Morant All Stars. He got support from Javaun Thompson, who netted in the 45+2 minutes, and Zidanie Gordon who scored in the 49nd minute.
In the day’s curtain-raiser Elite SDC clipped defending champion York United 1-0 through a 31st-minute strike from Kevoye Gauld.
The last time the competition was played prior to COVID 19, York clobbered Prospect Sports Club 7-1 after a commanding season by the perennial champions.
For more than five years to date all clubs in the parish have been required to participate in the Under-17 competition in order to qualify for the Major League or national competitions.
Speaking at the launch of the competition on Sunday, St Thomas FA President Wayne Thompson re-emphasised all clubs must also acquire legal status through the Companies Office of Jamaica or the Registrar of Cooperatives, to qualify for the upcoming Serge Major League.
He used the opportunity to thank the Sports Development Foundation for the partnership with the St Thomas FA, and Sport Minister Olivia “Babsy” Grange for the commitment to support parish associations, recognising the effects of COVID-19 on competitions.
Denzil Wilks, general manager of the Sports Development Foundation (SDF), outlined this support which is available to “all parishes and is the brainchild of the minister, being sensitive to the needs of the parishes and clubs at this time”.
The competition will see 10 teams, split in two zones of five each, playing on a round robin, home-and-away basis in the preliminary stage. At the end of the preliminary stage the top two teams in each zone will qualify for a one-way semi-final, the winners of which will contest the final.
The competition will continue next Saturday with two border clashes. In the west, Yallahs United will face off with Tier II campaigners Batiste Alliance at Phillipsfield, while Delta Force and Bath Sports Club from the east will clash at Golden Grove.
