Wadadah, Faulkland clash in Charley's JB Rum Western Confed final

Wadadah FC and Faulkland FC will clash in a mega-showdown among St. James teams in the final of the Charley’s J.B. Rum Western Confederation Super League football competition at Jarrett Park this evening, beginning at 6 o'clock.

Faulkland FC, the mid-season champions who also topped the preliminary competition, sealed their place in the final with a 4-1 aggregate win over Trelawny’s Harmony FC, following respective 2-1 and 2-0 wins in the first and second-leg semi-finals.

Renaldo McLeish and Courtney Allen accounted for Faulkland FC’s goals in the first-leg, when former national  player Lacon Brissett scored for Harmony FC. In the second-leg semi-final, Husana Johnson and McLeish scored the Faulkland FC goals.

Wadadah also emerged from the semi-final rounds handsomely, rallying from a first-leg 0-1 deficit on Oshane Russell’s goal to emphatically clobber Reggae Youths 4-1 in the second-leg decider and take the tie 4-2 on aggregate. Obrian Robinson netted a double, while Deshawn Woolery and Tyshan Hill were the other Wadadah goal heroes.

This championship matchup is very important to both teams as the Charley’s J.B. Rum Western Confed champions could go on to play in the nation’s Premier League, which was once dominated by Wadadah FC.

That was decades ago and their coach, Daniel Ricketts, one from a long line of brothers who played for the distinguished Montego Bay outfit, is optimistic about their chances.

“We cleared one hurdle last week and we have one more to clear,” said Ricketts, who along with brother Devon also represented the national senior  team.

He added: “We are in the final and once we are there we are confident we can win, no matter who we are facing.”

Faulkland FC’s coach, Gregory Palmer, is also upbeat about their chances.

Palmer said: “We are comfortable with where we are. Based on what we did and our preparation this past week, we (the coaches) are happy and that makes us comfortable.”

The teams met twice this season and Wadadah FC hold a slight advantage as they drew one game 1-1 and won the other 1-0. For the ultimate battle, however, the veteran Ricketts has a different perspective.

“It’s what the players do on the day, history does not count,” he said. “As long as we execute the game plan we will be okay.”