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Coley breaks Walker Cup jinx

Published:Tuesday | November 7, 2017 | 12:00 AMLivingston Scott
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Gladstone Taylor
Members of the Jamaica College (JC) team celebrating with the ISSA/FLOW Walker Cup shortly after it was presented to them by ISSA president Dr Walton Small (front, third from left) and representatives of the sponsors at the National Stadium yesterday. JC defeated Kingston College 2-1 in yesterday's final.
Gladstone Taylor
Jamaica College's coach Miguel Coley is hoisted by his players after the Hope Road-based school won the ISSA/FLOW Walker Cup at the National Stadium yesterday.
Gladstone Taylor
Jamaica College forward Tyreek Magee (right) takes possession of the ball as Casseam Priestly of Kingston College moves in to tackle during yesterday’s ISSA/FLOW Walker Cup final at the National Stadium.
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Miguel Coley finally got his hands on the one senior schoolboy football trophy that has eluded him in his five seasons at Jamaica College.

Yesterday, two Tyreek Magee goals in the 25th & 45th minutes at the National Stadium saw the Old Hope Road-based school to a 2-1 victory over arch-rivals Kingston College, in the FLOW/ISSA Walker Cup final. It's only their third hold on the corporate area schoolboy knockout title.

Treyvon Reid scored for KC from the penalty spot. The master tactician Coley, who lost to St George's College in 2014 and suffered a similar fate to Kingston College in last season's final, was contesting his third Walker Cup final. But this time, he outfoxed his counterpart Ludlow Bernard, who could find no answer to his team's set-up to claim his first hold on the elusive title.

 

VICTORY MEANS EVERYTHING

 

"We (JC) were more concentrated and by God, I am happy," he said afterwards. "This (victory) means everything; it is more than just the Walker Cup, it is the rivalry between JC and KC. Kingston College are a fantastic team. But we are champions," an obviously overjoyed Coley told The Gleaner.

In 2015, the Alex Marshall-led St George's defeated Coley's JC 4-1 to win the FLOW Cup, but Coley turned the tables in the Manning Cup final, after devising a strategy to defeat his counterpart for the main prize.

Likewise, KC defeated them 2-0 this season, but again Coley proved that it is not easy to beat his team twice.

"We have to do what we have do. The entire team, me, the boys, the management, everybody, we have to work hard together to find solutions, and that is what it is all about - finding solutions. And we are happy that we are champions," he exclaimed

"This is what I get paid for, to come up with the right tactics and to motivate these boys. They are fantastic. They went out and gave their all, and that is what schoolboy and Jamaican football is all about," he said.

With the Walker Cup now under his belt, Coley's aim is to get the other three available titles.

"That's the plan (to win four trophies). The most important thing is that we got the first one. We just have to move on from here," he added.

KC's coach Bernard said his team chose the wrong day to play their worst game this season. However, he said they would refocus for the bigger prize.

"We didn't turn up in the first-half. But I was really pleased with the second-half performance. We were unlucky not to get the equaliser. But we are hell bent on moving on from this. Probably this is the best time to have our worst game. But we will refocus for more serious and major trophies," he stated.