Lime Hall, Treasure Beach promoted to JPL

St Ann’s Lime Hall Community Club advanced to the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) after a 4-3 penalty shoot-out victory over St Catherine’s Racing United at Drax Hall yesterday in their Jamaica Football Federation National Tier II second leg semifinal match.

After a 3-2 first-leg victory in Spanish Town, Lime Hall were beaten 2-1 in the return, forcing extra time and eventually, penalties.

Lime Hall join Treasure Beach, which advanced 2-0 on aggregate after a 0-0 second-leg result against Tru Juice.

It was jubilation time for the St Ann team, which was making its second venture in the Premier League, having previously qualified in 2009 under the name Benfica.

Lime Hall join current Premier League champions Mount Pleasant Academy in the country’s top league, giving St Ann a second football reason to celebrate within weeks.

Coach Alfred Barnett, who was also the coach in 2009, was elated that his team had made the country’s top-tier football competition once more and appealed to the St Ann business community to come on board and assist the club as they prepare for the league.

“I am appealing to corporate St Ann to come on board and give us some assistance because we must have a solid foundation financially to start with,” Barnett said.

He said his team deserved to win and join the Premier League group.

“This is what finals are made of. We have travelled a long road, but I can say the easy part is over. Now comes the hard part,” Barnett said. “A penalty shoot-out is a game of nerves, and those who can hold their nerves together, keep their heads, keep their composure, will see the results in the end.”

Barnett said he was confident going into the penalty shoot-out as Oshane Allen was an excellent goalkeeper.

Indeed, it was Allen who got the St Ann team on the way to victory as he pushed Racing’s first penalty, taken by Dwayne Stewart, on to the crossbar and out.

Carlos Campbell then scored to give Lime Hall the early lead before Marcovich Brown equalised for the St Catherine club.

Ronaldo Brown gave the lead back to Lime Hall, with Mikyle Williams levelling, again, for the opposing team.

Rohan Sewell and Damani Sewell converted their penalty kicks for Lime Hal,l but while Maleke Miller scored for Racing United, Deandre Johnson skied his team’s final kick, leaving the St Ann players and supporters in dreamland.

Ironically, it was Johnson’s 60th-minute goal that gave Racing the 2-1 victory, sending the game into overtime.

Raheem Edwards had opened the scoring in the 21st minute for Racing before Imani Beckford equalised 10 minutes later.

Losing coach Anthony Patrick said his team would regroup and come again.

“I think we gave it our all. It’s just unfortunate we lost the penalty shoot-out,” he said. “Congrats to Lime Hall. We just have to regroup for next season.”