Related items

• Eltham completes preliminary round with 2-0 win over Hydel in ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup

  Eltham High remained perfect so far in this season’s ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup with a 2-0 win over Hydel High in their Zone A clash at Homestead on Tuesday.

  Eltham have now won all eight of their games to have a perfect 24 points in the preliminary phase while Hydel are also already through with 18 points from their eight games.

  In Zone B action, Jonathan Grant kept their hopes of advancing alive with a 2-0 away win over Waterford to move to 18 points from nine games, equal with Charlie Smith, who have played all their games, in second.

  Jonathan Grant will advance with a win over Gaynstead High in their final game on Thursday.

  The day’s other game saw Excelsior High defeat Bridgeport High 5-0 at Dunbeholden in Zone F.

   

• St Catherine clip STGC 1-0 in Zone G top-of-the-table clash

  St Catherine High will enter the round of 16 of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Digicel Manning Cup on a high after they topped Zone G with a 1-0 win over many-time champions St George’s College at Winchester Park on Friday.

  Romaine Walters got the solitary strike in the 28th minute to ensure his team ended the first round unbeaten on 22 points with 30 goals to their credit. Interestingly, it was Walters’ first goal of the season and a welcome one at this point of the campaign.

  St George’s College, who were suffering their first loss of the season, ended second on 19 points and, as a result, will be grouped with reigning champions Mona High for the second round.

  Holy Trinity (seven points), Norman Manley (four points), and Papine (three points) were the teams in Zone G.

  Donovan Lofters, St Catherine’s assistant coach, was delighted with his team’s showing.

  “It was a spirited performance; playing against St George’s College at home was always going to be difficult, but kudos to our keeper; he kept us in the game, and we are happy to have him. It was a game of moments; we got off a number of chances and we took one of ours, so we are grateful, and this is good for our confidence going forward,” Lofters said in a post-game interview.

  St Catherine dominated proceedings for the first 20 minutes, as they were more enterprising and also more threatening in open play.

  After close shaves and half-chances, they inevitably broke the deadlock when a corner kick was headed back across in the path of Walters, who released a fairly tame effort that eluded St George’s goalkeeper Jordan Knight, who made a lazy attempt at a save.

  St George’s College eventually settled into their game and went close through Matthew Spence, who pulled the trigger from point blank range, but Omarion Brown, who was impressive in goal for St Catherine, stuck out the right hand to deny him.

  Minutes later, Brown, diving full stretch to his left, again came up big to keep out Shaquan Clarke’s shot from a distance.

  Though the second half failed to produce a goal, it wasn’t for a lack of trying from both teams, particularly St George’s College, who created numerous half chances, which they failed to make count due to faulty shooting and more decent glove work by Brown.

  St Catherine had their best chance to add to their tally in the 88th, when substitute Terray Harvey somehow skied an effort from close range.

  Neville ‘Bertis’ Bell believes they could have won the contest, but for Brown’s brilliance between the sticks.

  “I thought we deserved something from the game, but we didn’t score, and we gave up a goal that we shouldn’t have given up, but Omarion Brown kept them in the game. Congratulations to them and congrats to him; he was amazing. I loved the game; I thought it was a good schoolboy game, and we wanted to win or at least get a point, but we are good because we are in the second round,” Bell noted.

• Tivoli Gardens defeat Wolmer’s Boys’ 4-2 to top Manning Cup Zone E

  Tivoli Gardens High School delivered a statement victory on Thursday, defeating Wolmer’s Boys’ 4-2 in an action-packed ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup Zone E showdown. Tivoli's win, led by two goals each from Ryan-Oneil Francis and Kaqummarie McKoy, saw them finish the preliminary round at the top of the group.

  Francis opened the scoring in the 12th minute, giving Tivoli an early lead. McKoy doubled their advantage with a well-taken goal in the 24th minute, putting the hosts in control by halftime. Wolmer’s came out strong in the second half, with Daniel Scarlett pulling one back in the 51st minute, injecting hope into the visitors.

  However, Tivoli responded emphatically. McKoy netted his second in the 68th minute, followed by Francis’s second in the 75th minute to make it 4-1, putting the game beyond Wolmer’s reach. Scarlett managed a late consolation goal in the 82nd minute, scoring his second of the match, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Tivoli from securing a crucial 4-2 win.

  With the victory, Tivoli Gardens leapfrogged Wolmer’s to finish atop Zone E with 27 points. Wolmer’s, who finished two points behind Tivoli, secured second place. St Jago High, meanwhile, wrapped up third place with 19 points after a dominant 4-0 win over Denham Town, who finished in fourth with seven points.

  Other Results from Thursday’s Manning Cup Matches:

  Kingston College and Campion College battled to a thrilling 2-2 draw, a result that saw both teams share the points in their final preliminary round match.
  St Jago High comfortably defeated Denham Town 4-0, securing third place in Zone E behind Tivoli Gardens and Wolmer’s Boys’.

  
  As the Manning Cup progresses to the next stage, Tivoli Gardens' momentum from topping Zone E makes them a strong contender, while Wolmer’s and other teams will look to regroup and push further in the competition.