- JUNIOR DOWIE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
St. Catherine goalkeeper, Kemar Creary, catches the ball while being challenged by an Eltham attacker during Manning Cup second-round action at Winchester Park, St. George's College, yesterday. St. Catherine won 3-2 to advance to the semi-final round.
Daraine Luton and Anthony Foster, Freelance Writers
THE SEMI-FINALISTS for the ISSA/Pepsi/JN schoolboy Manning Cup are now known and St. Catherine are among the teams that will answer the roll call when the medal round starts on Tuesday.
The Spanish Town-based side paralysed Eltham at the death with a 3-2 win, thanks to a clever 90-plus minute strike from double-goalscorer Duvan Dilworth.
They will now play Calabar on Tuesday in one semi-final while St. Andrew Technical High School (STATHS), who defeated Jamaica College 2-0, will play Norman Manley in the other semi.
Calabar hammered Mona 4-0 to secure their spot.
BITTER ELTHAM LOSS
It was waterworks at Winchester Park for first-time entrants Eltham. They need a draw to qualify as
the best second-place team but ultimately lost to 10-man St. Catherine.
Dilworth sent St. Catherine ahead in the 25th minute, but his effort was erased when Dwayne Hunter converted a penalty on 36th minute. When Tremaine Stewart scored a freekick in the 59th minute, Eltham were in the driver's seat. Lady Luck smiled at them even more when St. Catherine's live-wire, Kemar Bennett, was red-carded by referee Patrick Findlay for violent conduct 12 minutes from time. This was not a deterrent to St. Catherine who rolled the ball on the park as if they owned it.
They reaped sweet rewards in the dying moments when Dilworth's shot from an acute angle inside the box met the inside right-hand post of Eltham's goal and went into the net.
"I am very disappointed. So disappointed. I have no other way to say it," said Eltham's coach, Gregory Allen, while adults consoled crying boys around him.
It was a different story for Michael Small and his St. Catherine team. "I feel elated. It is history for the school - the first time we have passed the first round and we are in the semi-final," Small said.
His sentiments were echoed by Dilworth who considered his goals "God's blessings". "It really feels good to have played a part in us qualifying for the semi-finals - the first time in 32 years. It's just awesome," Dilworth said.
JAMAICA COLLEGE TRAILING
Meanwhile, the previously unbeaten Jamaica College found themselves trailing 1987 champions STATHS after 28 minutes when Troy Clue shot the western Kingston school into the lead. They found themselves further behind in the 66th minute after Troy Watson finished off a decent build-up.
Even though Jamaica College searched hard for a goal their attackers were no match for an organised STATHS defence.
"We are going to be hard to stop if we find our shooting boots. We have been having problems scoring and we found two today. If we continue like that it could spell problems," said STATHS coach Keith Nichols.
Alfred Henry, Jamaica College's coach, said: "It is just the beginning. The start of great things for Jamaica College".
At the Spring Complex, many-time champions Calabar came away 4-0 winners against Mona while Wolmer's, who needed to beat pointless Waterford, saw their semi-final chances blown away with a 0-0 draw. Calabar's victory was spearheaded by Marlon Smith's double strikes in the fifth and 52nd minutes. Ramone Palmer (54th) and Shane Bygrave (56th) got the others.
Although they only had one goal to show for their first-half dominance, Calabar, led by Smith, Palmer and Kenniel Hyde, created a lot of chances.
DETERMINED SECOND HALF
Upon the resumption, Calabar looked more determined, especially when news came that Eltham were leading St. Catherine 2-1, which would mean their semi-final chances were in danger.
However, Mona first came close to scoring in the second half from a well taken 40-yard free kick which Calabar's 'keeper, Oniel Wilson, tipped behind for a corner. On the 54th minute, Smith got his second goal - an easy tap in from inside the box.
Two minutes later, Cleyon Brown's cross was met by Palmer, who headed powerfully home for 3-0, and when Bygrave's 18-yard shot beat Mona's 'keeper, Ron Graham, Calabar's semi-final spot was secured.
Calabar coach David Hunt praised his boys' efforts.
"We knew we had to draw the game to qualify and the players came out and did what we expected," Hunt said.
Mona's coach, Kevin Christian, said they came to win, but "they outplayed us in many areas".
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS
| St. Catherine | 3 | Eltham | 2 |
| STATHS | 2 | Jamaica College | 0 |
| Wolmer's | 0 | Waterford | 0 |
| Calabar | 4 | Mona | 0 |
TUESDAY'S SEMI-FINALS
At Constant Spring
Calabar vs St. CatherineNorman Manley vs STATHS
