St Catherine take Walker Cup crown

Asannie Brown scored a double, as St Catherine high defeated Excelsior 3-2 in the ISSA Walker Cup knockout final at the National Stadium yesterday, giving the Spanish Town-based school their first hold on a major schoolboy football title.

Brown scored late in the first half (39th and 45th minutes), while Kanau Davis (36) netted the other, as the Anthony Patrick-coached team came from a goal down to lead 3-1 at half-time.

Jhevan Smith had put Excelsior in front after 29 minutes.

He also got the goal, from the spot, that cut St Catherine’s lead to one with 10 minutes remaining.

Patrick said he was honoured to have led his alma mater to their first schoolboy football title success.

“It was an excellent response from the players, but we expected this from them,” Patrick said. “This is the first we are bringing he cup to St Catherine. The school with the name of the parish has now gotten some silverware and I feel happy for the school.”

St Catherine started brighter with Davis firing with from inside the box with just three minutes on the clock.

XLCR denied

However, Excelsior nearly had a fortuitous goal minutes later, when a harmless ball slipped under goalkeeper Raheem Henry, before it was eventually cleared off the line.

A few minutes later, Excelsior created the best chance to go ahead, but Sheldon Butler’s volley was tipped over.

The resulting corner presented some difficulty for Henry, who could only push the ball on to the post and Smith managed to hook home the loose ball from three yards out.

St Catherine, however, drew level when Rhajneil Brown got around his marker and passed to Davis, who toed his effort past Pepita Smith in the Excelsior goal after a smooth turn inside the box.

Three minutes later they went in front, when Excelsior failed to clear a corner, leaving Brown to sweep home from six yards.

St Catherine then added a third before the interval, when Excelsior again failed to clear properly from Jevaughn Cole’s dribble and the ball fell kindly to Brown, who slotted past Smith for his second of the match.

Excelsior came storming out after the break and could have had a goal back but Rojaughn Joseph’s shot rattled the post and went back into play.

Jaheim Flemming came close soon afterwards, but his low ball didn’t have enough to cross the line.Two minutes later they got back in the match when Smith was fouled in the area and he converted the kick to cut the lead to one with 10 minutes to go.

Despite a late Excelsior onslaught, St Catherine managed to hold on for their historic win.