MAY PEN, Clarendon – Cornwall College stunned defending champions Clarendon College on Saturday with a 2-1 victory at Glenmuir High, effectively ending Clarendon’s bid for a third consecutive ISSA/Wata daCosta Cup title. The defeat left Clarendon at the bottom of their Round of 16 group, marking a disappointing finish for a team that has dominated the competition in recent years.
Deshaun Talbert opened the scoring for Cornwall in the 32nd minute with a penalty kick, following a foul in the box. Just before halftime, Dante Escoffrey doubled the lead in the 43rd minute, sending Clarendon into the break trailing 2-0. Although Nicholy Forbes found the net for Clarendon in the 73rd minute, it was too little, too late, as they suffered their fifth loss of the season.
The day’s matches saw early qualifiers Munro College and Frome Technical play to a dull 0-0 draw at Llandilo Community Centre, securing their places in the quarterfinals despite the lackluster performance. Ocho Rios High also advanced from Zone 3, battling back to earn a 2-2 draw against Dinthill Technical at Drax Hall. Ocho Rios edged out their opponents on goal difference, ending Dinthill’s impressive streak of over a decade of reaching the quarterfinals.
Keanu Reid was the hero for Ocho Rios, scoring both goals, including a dramatic equalizer deep into stoppage time. Dinthill had initially taken the lead with goals from Tyrese Gowe and Raheem Harris, but Reid’s persistence turned the tide for Ocho Rios.
St Elizabeth Technical High (STETHS) secured their advancement from Zone 1 with a 2-0 win against Kemps Hill High, finishing atop the zone with seven points. Meanwhile, Garvey Maceo cruised to a 4-0 victory over Alphansus Davis High, with Malik Robinson netting two goals, finishing with five points in their group.
In another Zone 4 match, Central High defeated McGrath High 2-1 at Foga Road High, solidifying their top position in the group.
Glenmuir High capped off a perfect round with their third consecutive victory, triumphing 1-0 against Happy Grove High. Oraine Watson’s goal in the 10th minute was enough to secure the win, despite Happy Grove’s Bonny Chisholm receiving a red card in the 80th minute for a dangerous tackle, leaving them down to ten men.
With the quarterfinals approaching, the stage is set for an exciting conclusion to this year’s daCosta Cup, as teams vie for the prestigious title.
