Defending champion Jamaica College lead title favourites St George’s College (STGC) and 12 other schools into the second round of the Flow/ISSA Manning Cup following the last set of games on Tuesday.
JC closed their first round set of games with an emphatic 7-0 whipping of Tivoli Gardens High and finished atop of Group A with 16 points from six games. The Dark Blues also secured their spot in the Walker Cup and Super Cup knockout competitions. Calabar High finished second with 10 points and are also into the second round.
STGC had to wait until the final set of games to book their spot jumping from third place to the top Group C on 22 points. But the Light Blues did so only by goal difference as second-placed Denham Town High and Innswood High also finished on 22 points.
St Georges thrashed Eltham High 4-0 while Denham Town defeated Innswood 1-0 and leapfrogged then into second spot.
In Group B, Hydel High scored the most impressive win in the Manning Cup thrashing Dunoon Technical High 11-1 and consolidated top spot ahead of Haile Selassie despite their 0-1 loss to Papine High. Both are through to the second round of the Manning Cup.
Charlie Smith ended atop of Group D with 20 points after being held to a 0-0 draw by St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS). Holy Trinity finished second with 15 points following their 3-0 spanking of Penwood High who ended winless from eight games. STATHS were third on nine points in what was a very weak group.
Wolmer’s Boy’s considered to be the dark horse in this year’s competition won Group E by three points finishing with 22 points after their 5-1 mauling of the hapless Kingston High. St Jago High was second with 19 points and qualified for the Walker Cup as the best second placed team from all the groups.
In one of the tightest zones, Excelsior High emerged on top with 24 points after brushing aside Norman Manley 3-0. Vauxhall also scored a 3-0 win over Ascot High and secured second spot with 22 points ahead of Jonathan Grant on goal difference.
The surprise team of the season, Kingston College (KC) blanked Camperdown High 2-0 last Saturday and easily won Group G with 22 points, seven more than Camperdown on 15 with Jose Marti High on 13.
Camperdown secured their spot on Tuesday with a 3-0 beating of Waterford High while Jose Marti defeated Campion College 6-1 and finished two points adrift of Camperdown on 13 points.
So the four groups for the Manning Cup second round has been decided setting the stage for some intriguing and interesting battles for semi-final spots.
In Group H, JC have been pitted against Holy Trinity, Wolmers and Vauxhall High. Hydel, Denham Town, Innswood and Camperdown High are in Group I. A big Noth Street clash between St George’s College and KC will be in Group J which also has St Jago and Haile Selassie. While Group K will consists of Charlie Smith, Excelsiuor, Calabar High and Jonathan Grant.
