JC lift fourth Walker Cup title
Published:Saturday | December 9, 2023 | 12:12 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
Jamaica College (JC) defeated St Andrew Technical High (STATHS) 7-6 on penalties, after a 1-1 draw, to lift the ISSA Walker Cup title at the National Stadium yesterday.
The game ended in controversy after the referee ordered JC’s last penalty to be retaken, after Zinodean McLean had initially missed. The ball was adjudged to have moved on the spot and McLean retook the kick and converted.
Kevin Hall then missed for STATHS to hand Jamaica College their fourth hold on the trophy.
Winning coach Davion Ferguson, who was also disappointed with how the match concluded, said it was a good consolation prize after the disappointment of the Manning Cup.
“It is always good when you win a title. I didn’t like how it ended. It marred the final,” he lamented.
“It was two good teams going at each other for 90 minutes and could not be separated in normal time.
“This is the fourth time running we have defeated STATHS by the penalty shoot-out. They thought they had it after we missed our penalty but the referee saw a moving ball and called it back. But we would rather not have that in the game. Overall, however, we are pleased and we are happy to win a title,” Ferguson said.
After a competitive start STATHS took the early lead when Leon Brown beat goalkeeper Raul Renton with a well-placed shot into the far post.
The Phillip Williams-coached team controlled most of the possession for the first half, and made a few inroads into the JC defence.
However, JC had their moments but failed to make the best use of the good breaks they had.
Kevin Hall had a glorious chance to put STATHS 2-0 up four minutes before the break but he put his effort well wide with only Renton to beat.
Both teams continued to battle it out in the second half and JC were back on level terms in the 59th minute when Malachi Sterling was brought down in the area and Renson Sayers Jr netted the resulting penalty to make it 1-1.
JC took control after the equaliser and Sayers rattled the bar with a scorching free kick from 35 yards in the 79th minute.
Moments later they were only denied by a brilliant stop by goalkeeper Jaheim Williams. A minute after Ronaldo Barrett also dragged another excellent chance wide of the target.
When regular time failed to separate the teams, penalties were required and St Andrew thought they were only a kick away when the referee called back McLean’s kick and then Hall blasted the following penalty over the bar for STATHS to hand JC the title.
A disappointed Philips Williams, who was losing a fourth penalty shoot-out to JC, declined to comment.