JC, Wolmer’s look to shake off lightning scare

Jamaica College (JC) will face Innswood High at their Old Hope Road base today at 3:30 p.m. in ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup action in their first game since Monday’s lightning-affected match against Wolmer’s at Stadium East.

Five players, including two from JC, were struck by lightning, forcing referee Karl Tyrell to call off the contest in the 84th minute, with Wolmer’s leading 2-1. One of the students, Nickache Murray was admitted to hospital later that evening shortly after complaining of pains but was released the following evening as confirmed by team manager Ian Forbes.

Diana Thompson, Murray’s mother, said that he is recovering from the ordeal and is grateful for the support that the school has given to her and her son. Terrence Francis, the other JC student who was admitted to the hospital is recovering well and should be released soon, according to head coach Davion Ferguson.

Good spirits

“He is in very good spirits. He is likely to be released between today [yesterday] and tomorrow [today]. He has been recovering well, so we are really thankful for that,” Ferguson said.

Ferguson is relieved at the improving health of his players and the character shown by his team in the aftermath of Monday’s frightening experience.

“It was a real sad moment, but this team has a lot of character, it has a lot of leaders in it,” said Ferguson.

“After being there by the bedside of our player, that gave us a little bit more relief that everything was going to be all right, and moving forward, I believe that we have enough leaders and character within the team to overcome. We are happy that these youngsters are indeed OK.”

The “dark blues” will look to take positives from their halted game on Monday into the match against Innswood, and Ferguson was proud of the way the team played up to when the game was called off.

“We did a lot of things well. The margins in the game were very fine,” he said. “We created a lot of chances. Wolmer’s created three to four chances and scored two. We created up to nine chances, and we only scored one goal.

It was not one of our better games but we weren’t outplayed, and that’s a very good sign.”

Innswood are still looking for their first win of the season, having lost all three of their games to Greater Portmore High, Vauxhall High, and Wolmer’s. They sit at the foot of Group E without a point.

Meanwhile Wolmer’s, which also had a player taken to the hospital, will also be looking to shake off any lingering jitters from the experience when they travel to Tarrant.

Today’s Games

Group A

Holy Trinity vs St Jago

Group D

St Mary’s College vs Camperdown

Meadowbrook vs Tivoli

Hydel vs Mona

Group E

Jose Marti vs Vauxhall

Tarrant vs Wolmer's

Jamaica College vs Innswood