It will be a North Street final in the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup after Kingston College, and St Georges College booked their spots in the November 30th decider following 2-1 wins in the semifinals on Tuesday at the national stadium.
St Georges College ended Jamaica College’s run of titles at five in the second game after Kingston College had booked their spot in the final for the first time since 2000 after turning back St Andrew Technical High in the first game.
Both games had elements of revenge as Kingston College avenged last year’s semi-final loss and St Garage’s college who rebounded from a loss to Cornwall College in the Champions Cup last weekend, avenged their loss in the 2015 decider.
After their uninspired performance against Cornwall College on Friday, St George’s appeared to be in the same, and both teams struggled through a dreary first half.
Jamaica College who has smashed STETHS 4-0 in the Champions Cup semi-finals on Friday, created very few scoring chances and chased the game most of the first half.
A second-half change by St George’s College’s coach Neville ‘Bertis’ Bell paid dividends as Chantamoi Taylor gave them the lead in the 59th minute with his 16th goal of the season.
Damani Harris doubled the lead in the 72nd minute when he finished off a good move, from a cross from Taylor and the fat lady had begun tuning her vocal chords.
Jamaica College managed a consolation goal in time added on when Saclain Waul poked one past the St George’s College goalkeeper after a good buildup that started just on the edge of the 18 yards box.
In the first game of the doubleheader, Kingston College and STATHS played out a goalless first half, but KC grabbed an early goal in the second half to set the tone.
Shaquille Smith scored their first in the 50th minute, and Dwayne Atkinson added a second in the 72nd minute, both on assists from Ugandan Ari Rodgers.
Jevoney Johnson pulled one back for STATHS in the 76th minute to set up an impressive last 14 minutes or so, but it was KC’s night as they snapped an 18 years absence from the finals.
