Former champions Jamaica College and Kingston College will seek a place in Friday’s final of the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup when they take on St Catherine High and Hydel High, respectively, in Tuesday’s, December 3, 2024, semi-finals at the National Stadium.
All four teams are coming off losses. Both Jamaica College and Kingston College lost to Champions Cup winners Glenmuir High, St Catherine High was beaten by Ocho Rios High, and Hydel was knocked out of the Champions Cup in the semi-finals by Jamaica College.
Jamaica College will make a quick turnaround after Saturday’s Champions Cup finals loss. It faces a well-rested St Catherine High team, but it will be without first-choice goalkeeper Taywayne Lynch, who will serve the final game of his three-match ban.
Lynch was banned for one game after being shown a red card in their Champions Cup first-round win over McGrath High, and then two more games were added after verbally abusing match officials.
Adriano Kitson had replaced Lynch and had failed to concede a goal in almost two complete games until Glenmuir High scored three on Saturday and faces a frees-coring St Catherine team that has scored 40 goals in the Manning Cup this season.
Jamaica College is no slouches with 64 goals in the first round alone and another 17 in the next six games over the next two rounds.
The teams will be meeting for the second time after a less-than-competitive 1-1 draw in the Round of 16, but Tuesday’s game will be win or go home.
Kingston College and Hydel High will have points to prove after being beaten in their previous outings, which prevented them from advancing in the Champions Cup.
Kingston College was second in their quarterfinal group, behind Jamaica, who trounced them 3-0, the only goals they conceded in the round, and will face a Hydel High team that allowed just two goals in the round.
