Defending champions Garvey Maceo made a statement with a 10-0 hammering of Winston Jones in the ISSA/Digicel daCosta Cup on Tuesday.
The result moves them to second in Zone N with four points from two games, three less than leaders Vere who have played one more match. Vere were held to a 1-1 draw at Foga Road.
12-time champions Cornwall College rebounded from a shock loss to Green Pond in their last game with a commanding 8-0 win over Anchovy at home to move to six points from three games and the top of Zone A on goal difference.
Also in Zone A, Irwin got their second win in as many games with a 2-0 home win over Green Pond while St. James and Maldon played out a 1-1 draw at Jarrett Park.
In Zone K, Dinthill Technical moved to a perfect 12 points from four games with a 4-1 win over Guys Hill at Tacky High. At Charlemont, the hosts got their third win in four games with a 3-1 result against Ewarton while McGrath secured a 4-2 win over Enid Bennett at home.
Glenmuir got their second win in as many games in Zone M with a 6-1 win over Tacius Golding at home. Central High beat Old Harbour 2-0 at Soya Oval in the day’s other Zone M game.
In a Zone I double header at Drax Hall, Oracabessa beat Browns Town 1-0 before Ocho Rios secured a 2-1 win over Marcus Garvey. Both teams now have six points from three matches.
In Zone D, Grange Hill and Black River played out a 0-0 draw at Llandilo Sports Complex while in Zone E, Lacovia recorded their first win in four games with a 1-0 home victory over Maggotty.
DeCarteret College and Bellefield played out a 1-1 draw in Zone F and in Zone J, Horace Clarke and St. Mary Tech played out a 0-0 draw at Richmond Farm.
There were also 16 matches played on Wednesday.
In Zone B, Frome and Rusea’s both maintained their unbeaten records. Frome secured a 7-0 win over Hopewell at home to move to six points from two games while Rusea’s went to Green Island and won 2-0 to get their third win in three games. Both teams have yet to concede a goal this season.
William Knibb hammered Muschett 8-0 at home to move to six points from two games in Zone C. Cedric Titus also have two wins in as many games after a 3-0 win over Herbert Morrison at home.
Manning’s got are now perfect after four games in Zone D after a 2-0 win over Belmont Academy at the Crawford Sports Complex. Also in Zone D, Petersfield moved to nine points from three games with a 2-1 home win over Godfrey Stewart.
In Zone E, STETHS are also perfect after four games thanks to a 1-0 win over B.B Coke at B.B Coke. Munro College now only trail STETHS by two points after a 2-1 win at Sydney Pagon.
Manchester beat Belair 2-0 at Kirkvine to move to nine points from three games in Zone F. Mt. St. Joseph recorded their first win of the season 2-0 over May Day at May Day.
In Zone G, Holmwood moved to seven points from three games with a 1-0 win over Mile Gully. Christiana beat Alphansus Davis High by one goal to nil in the Zone’s other Wednesday fixture.
Zone H saw Clarendon College beat Lennon High 3-0 at Foga Road for their second win in as many games. Zone leaders Edwin Allen now have seven points from three games after being held to a 1-1 draw by Thompson Town.
In Zone J, St. Mary High secured a 2-1 win over Wycliffe Martin High at the Highgate Community Centre while, at Tacky High, the hosts recorded a 3-1 win over Annotto Bay.
Action continues Thursday with three Zone L matches. Paul Bogle will host Yallahs, Robert Lightbourne will host Morant Bay and Seaforth will host St. Thomas Technical.
Bradley Jacks is a budding journalist and an avid sports fan. His love of research and sports has led him to SportsMax.tv, a place where those passions work hand in hand to allow him to produce content.
Jamaica Football Federation supports referees' strike over safety concerns in DaCosta and Manning Cup competitions
The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has announced its full support for the referees who took strike action over the weekend, leading to the cancellation of all DaCosta Cup and Manning Cup schoolboy football matches. The referees' strike, which stemmed from safety concerns, has prompted the JFF to back their decision not to officiate until their safety can be guaranteed.
In a statement released on Sunday, the JFF emphasized the importance of referees in football development and stressed the need for their safety while performing their duties.
"The Jamaica Football Federation stands in solidarity and empathizes with the referees in the ongoing 2024 season of ISSA Schoolboy Football. The referees should feel safe when performing their duties, and their decisions on the field should be respected," said JFF General Secretary Dennis Chung.
"The referees are an integral part of football development, and they should not feel threatened in any way when performing their duties. The JFF supports the decision for them not to participate in any ISSA Schoolboy Football matches until they can be assured of their safety. Any further incidents will have more consequential action," Chung added.
The JFF also commended the Jamaica Football Referees Association (JFRA) for their work in ensuring the professionalism and integrity of referees across the country and extended well wishes for their upcoming assignments.
The strike action by referees was triggered by two recent incidents in the DaCosta Cup competition. In one case, a referee was allegedly physically assaulted by a Dinthill Technical player after a match against McGrath High, leading to disciplinary action by ISSA. Two Dinthill players, Maalick Whyte and Shamair Hutchinson, have been banned from participating in ISSA competitions for one year, while Tyrese Gowe received a three-match suspension. The school has been placed on a three-year probation.
In a separate incident, assistant referee Richard Ball was allegedly struck by a missile thrown by a spectator during a Zone A DaCosta Cup match between Maldon High and Cornwall College on September 14.
The referees' strike prompted ISSA to engage in discussions with the JFRA in hopes of reaching an agreement. While games over the weekend were canceled, referees are set to resume duties on Monday, September 30. ISSA has committed to addressing the referees' concerns related to safety and security at matches and reviewing penalties for those who verbally or physically abuse match officials.
"We are disappointed that a conciliatory position could not have been arrived at that would allow today’s games to be played, but look forward to a quick and smooth resumption on Monday, September 30, 2024," ISSA said in a statement.
As matches are set to resume, ISSA and the JFF will work together to ensure the safety and well-being of referees, players, and spectators as the schoolboy football season continues.
Jamaican referees set to resume duties following weekend strike in DaCosta and Manning Cup competitions
Jamaican referees are set to return to duty on Monday, September 30, following a weekend strike that caused the cancellation of all matches in the DaCosta Cup and Manning Cup competitions. The referees had taken strike action in response to concerns over safety and security after a series of troubling incidents involving match officials.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) expressed disappointment that an agreement could not be reached in time to allow the weekend’s games to proceed. However, the organization is optimistic about a swift resolution and resumption of matches.
“We are disappointed that a conciliatory position could not have been arrived at, that would allow today’s games to be played, but look forward to a quick and smooth resumption on Monday, September 30, 2024,” ISSA said.
The strike was prompted by two recent incidents in the DaCosta Cup. In one incident, during a match between Dinthill Technical and McGrath High last Saturday, referee officials were confronted by Dinthill players Maalick Whyte, Shamair Hutchinson, and Tyrese Gowe after the match. This confrontation escalated, with one of the players allegedly physically assaulting the referee.
As a result, ISSA’s disciplinary committee took swift action. On Thursday, it announced that Whyte and Hutchinson would be banned from participating in any ISSA-run competitions for one year, effective September 26, 2024, while Gowe was handed a three-match suspension. Additionally, Dinthill Technical was placed on a three-year probation and faces the threat of suspension if its players violate the disciplinary code during the probationary period.
The second incident occurred during a Zone A DaCosta Cup game between Maldon High and Cornwall College on September 14, when assistant referee Richard Ball was allegedly struck in the chest by a missile thrown from a group of spectators.
The Jamaica Football Referees Association (JFRA) raised concerns over the general safety and security of match officials and called for stricter penalties for those who verbally or physically assault referees. ISSA has since committed to reviewing its operations and addressing these concerns.
“The concerns raised by the JFRA are related to the general safety and security of match officials at our games as well as the stipulated penalties for persons who verbally or physically abuse match officials,” ISSA noted. “ISSA has committed to reviewing its general operations, and in particular, the specific areas of concerns raised, with the intention of ensuring that we continue to provide a safe and wholesome environment for all persons participating in our various competitions.”
With referees set to return, ISSA will continue working to ensure that referees, players, and spectators are all protected moving forward, as the competitions resume.
Manning, daCosta Cup matches for Saturday postponed as referees withdraw services
All 30 games scheduled across the ISSA Manning and daCosta Cup competitions scheduled for Saturday have been called off due to referees refusing to work.
ISSA Competitions Officer Ewan Scott confirmed the postponement of games scheduled for today.
Referees have opted to take strike action in relation to a pair of incidents that occurred in the daCosta Cup over the last few weeks.
One incident occurred during a game between Dinthill Technical and McGrath High last Saturday when a referee was involved in a confrontation with Dinthill players Maalick Whyte, Shamair Hutchinson and Tyrese Gowe after the game.
The referee was then allegedly physically assaulted by one of the players.
In a release on Thursday, after a meeting of its disciplinary committee, ISSA revealed that Whyte and Hutchinson have been banned from participating in any ISSA-run competitions for one year, effective September 26, 2024 while Gowe was hit with the three-match suspension.
The Linstead-based school was also placed on a three-year probation and faces the possibility of suspension should its players breach the disciplinary code of conduct within the period of probation.
The other incident occurred on September 14 when assistant referee Richard Ball allegedly was struck in the chest by a missile thrown from a group of spectators during a Zone A daCosta Cup game between Maldon High and Cornwall College.
Attempts by Sportsmax.tv to contact ISSA President Keith Wellington proved futile.
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