For a fourth time in five seasons Clarendon College delayed their ISSA/Wata daCosta Cup celebrations in anticipation of Olivier Shield triumph. And for a fourth time in five seasons the decision was justified, as they reclaimed the badge of all-island supremacy after hammering Mona High 4-0 in the showpiece at the National Stadium on Wednesday.

Much like they did in a rampant display against neighbours Glenmuir High in the rural area decider, Clarendon College again demonstrated their class, seasoned with some individual flair at times, to secure their seventh Olivier Shield lien, with aplomb.

Christopher Hull with a brace in the 84th and 87th minutes, followed goals from the prolific Keheim Dixon (35th) and Deandre Gallimore (69^th), and ensured that the title they first won in 1977 — then 1978, 1998, 2018, 2019 and 2022 — returned to their Chapelton base to complement their 11th daCosta Cup hold.

Winning Coach Lenworth “Teacha” Hyde was delighted that his players enjoyed themselves in the process, particularly the seven players, who were in their final schoolboy football season. Clarendon College just missed out on the treble after they lost the Champions Cup 2-3 to Glenmuir.

“I am very happy about it; I think we worked pretty hard this season; the boys wanted it really bad and as I told you before seven of the players are leaving us, so they were hell-bent on defending the Olivier Shield and it showed. They didn’t start out well in the first half but as the game went on the got into rhythm and they enjoyed themselves which is what I told them to do,” Hyde said in a post-game interview.

The much-anticipated clash between two of the most talked about teams this season, started as expected with Manning Cup champions Mona High showing first, as they got a warning shot off 30 seconds in.

Clarendon College gradually got into their rhythm and responded in the seventh minute with a series of chances after Mona failed to clear their lines.

Both teams continued their push for the go-ahead goal, and Mona again went close in the 27th, when a neat build up ended with ended with Kshaine Gordon driving a pass across the six-yard box, but none of his teammates was around to apply the finishing touch.

They rued that missed opportunity eight minutes later when an unmarked Dixon finished a free header at the far post from Gallimore’s weighted corner, for his 32nd goal of the season.

That goal knocked the wind from Mona, and gave life to Clarendon College’s attack, as they applied pressure in a decent passage of play at the backend of the half, but couldn’t get on target.

With the score unchanged at the break, the momentum stuck with Clarendon College and they almost doubled the lead in the 58th when Dixon twirled his way into space for a right-footed shot deep that was charged down at the near post.

Mona responded three minutes later and it took a big save from Clarendon College’s Roshae Burrell to deny Romarion Thomas’s head from close range.

But, any hopes Mona harboured of a comeback, were dashed when Gallimore fired home under pressure, for his seventh of the season.

The Craig Butler-coached Mona didn’t give up though, and Thomas again found space for a right-footer from a distance that was pushed over the crossbar by Burrell.

From there, it was all Clarendon College and Hull, who first rose above Mona’s custodian Ackeem Bernard to head home from a Jahmelle Ashley corner.

And three minutes later, the player sporting the number eight jersey secured a 14th goal for the season, when he struck a sweet left-footer from close range, that proved too much for Bernard, who helped the ball into the net.

Despite the loss, Butler was gracious in defeat.

“It was about not taking the chances and we eventually broke down. But I think the boys played well but Clarendon College was the better team on the day, and so we have to give them their respect for that,” Butler said.

Clarendon College continued their impressive vein of form, as they booked a spot in a second final for the season with a 2-0 win over Hydel High in the ISSA Champions Cup all-island knockout tournament semi-finals at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Tuesday.

The reigning daCosta Cup champions, who will defend their rural area crown against Clarendon neighbours Glenmuir High, are well and truly on course to secure the coveted triple crown, as they now wait their opponents for the Champions Cup showpiece.

Clarendon College’s ever-reliable and prolific front man Keheim Dixon, again did the damage for Chapelton-based team with a brace in the 19^th and 87^th minutes.

Though in the perfect position to achieve the triple feat, Clarendon College’s Head coach Lenworth “Teacha” Hyde downplayed their ambitions.

“The boys definitely went out and had fun, especially the first half, we had an excellent first half, but I didn’t like the second half because they brought back Hydel in the game. However, even when Hydel had their moments, we defended well, and our goalkeeper came up big today also. So, it was a nice performance, I wanted more but what they give me at this stage of the season, I’ll take it,” Hyde said in a post-game interview.

“We are working, so when the next match come, we will deal with it. I don’t talk about triple crown I am just playing the games as they come along,” he added.

With both teams coming of penalty shootout victories in their respective daCosta Cup and Manning Cup semi-finals encounters, the physical and mental toughness of both teams were expected to be tested, and so it was.

Both teams were spirited at the start, but it was Hydel finding that signalled intentions first when Dontae Brooks broke into a one-on-one situation with Roshae Burrell in goal for Clarendon College, but the goaltender came up trumps with a big save to deny the attacker.

Clarendon College took heed and replied with a flurry of attacks of their own, the best of which came in the 19th when Dixon slotted home from just inside the 18-yard box, after Deandre Gallimore’s initial effort came back off the crossbar.

They almost doubled the lead four minutes later as Dixon’s shot from deep inside the box, was charged down and Jahmelle Ashley’s attempt from the resulting corner was cleared off the line.

Hydel enjoyed a decent passage of play in the latter stages of the half, but their hunt for the elusive equalizer proved fruitless at that point, as Clarendon College went to the break 1-0 up.

With their backs against the wall, Hydel came out pressing on the resumption and had a few opportunities to claw their way back into the contest, the best of which came in the 65^th. This, when Omario Henry rounded Burrell, but failed to make it count.

From there, Clarendon College once again took charge of proceedings and inevitably found a second when Christopher Hull played provider for Dixon, who rifled right-footer past Kingston College’s goalkeeper Tajarie Lee for his 27^th goal of the season.

Hydel’s Head coach Devon Anderson rued defensive errors which proved their undoing.

“The team that made the least mistake came out the winner. We made two critical mistakes in front of goal, and we paid, so credit to Clarendon, it was a hard-fought battle, we threw some punches, and we gave our best. So, we will lick our wound and then get ready for the Manning Cup (final),” Anderson said.

It will be an all-Clarendon showdown to decide this year’s ISSA/Wata daCosta Cup champions, as reigning champions Clarendon College and Glenmuir High booked their spot in the final with penalty shootout victories over Garvey Maceo and Dinthill Technical in their respective semi-finals encounter on Saturday.

Clarendon College stopped Garvey Maceo 4-3 on penalties, after they played out a 1-1 stalemate in regulation time at Glenmuir High, to not only extended their unbeaten run, but also remain on course to secure the coveted triple.

Captain Malachi Douglas gave Clarendon College a 45+7-minute lead from the penalty spot, but Cleo Clarke (75^th) responded for Garvey Maceo with a penalty conversion of his own to send the game to the dreaded shootout.

There, Douglas, Keheim Dixon, Theon Cupee and Christopher Hull, all converted for Clarendon College, while the Chapelton-based substitute goalkeeper Lydel Rodney, denied Clarke and Omarion O’Brian hit his effort wide.

Meanwhile, Glenmuir defeated Dinthill Technical 4-2 on penalties after they played out a goalless stalemate in their contest at Manchester High.

Glenmuir, like Clarendon College is also on course of the treble, and both will be looking to go a step further when they contest their respective semi-finals of the ISSA Champions Cup all-island knockout tournament against Hydel and Kingston College, on Tuesday.

With that in mind, Clarendon College’s Head coach Lenworth “Teacha” Hyde is not only excited about the prospects, but also focused on keeping his players fit and healthy.

“We have been kicking penalties from about three or four months ago and this goalkeeper [Rodney] saved a lot in training and so we decided to put him in and it paid off,” Hyde said in a post-game interview.

“It will be a good matchup against Glenmuir, they are a ball playing team so I love playing against them, so we just have to go and prepare for that. But Tuesday is another crucial game against Hydel, so we are looking forward to getting the players rested, replenished and ready for Tuesday’s game,” he added.

It was a cagey start to the contest by Clarendon College’s standard, but they gradually came into their own after a brief break to facilitate a kit change.

They went close to break the deal in the 18th when Deandre Gallimore’s header came off the upright, and Christopher Maxwell, in goal for Garvey Maceo, denied Hull on the rebound.

Two minute later Dixon’s shot from close range was kept out by Maxwell’s reflex save diving to his right.

Clarendon College eventually broke the deadlock through Douglas, who picked himself up and converted a penalty for his 16^th goal of the season, after he was felled inside the area.

Garvey Maceo came out probing on the resumption and almost pulled level six minutes in when Clarke’s well-struck left-footed freekick had Roshae Burrell, who started in goal for Clarendon College, beaten but the effort came back off the crossbar.

Clarke was at it again four minutes later, as he charged into the box and drove a right-footer that was kept out by Burrell, who got down well in time at his near post.

Garvey Maceo’s press inevitably saw them back on level terms when Clarke converted from the 12-yard spot, after O’Brian was felled inside the red zone.

Clarke’s 23rd goal of the season injected some tempo in Garvey Maceo’s charge, as they pushed for the winner, while Clarendon College replaced Burrell with Rodney in anticipation of penalties, and they moved proved fruitful.

Garvey Maceo’s Head coach took heart from his team’s campaign.

“We planned for them, and I think we did really well tactically. The team stuck to the task right through and I think this game was fitting of a final. But hats off to coach Lenny and Clarendon College, and congratulations to my boys because when we started the season no one expected us to do so well,” Gordon said.