KINGSTON, Jamaica — The stage is set for a climactic showdown in the ISSA DaCosta Cup football competition after Glenmuir High and St Elizabeth Technical High (STETHS) secured their final berths with hard-fought semi-final victories on Wednesday at Sabina Park.
Glenmuir High staged a remarkable second-half comeback to defeat Dinthill Technical 2-1 in a match filled with dramatic momentum shifts. The game’s narrative turned on the performance of Orane Watson, who delivered a spectacular brace to overturn an early deficit. The match began ominously for Glenmuir when Dinthill’s Omarion Small broke the deadlock just after halftime in the 47th minute, executing a perfectly timed give-and-go with Niclas Paris before firing a precise shot into the far corner.
Watson, who had earlier been denied what appeared to be a clear penalty claim in the first half, finally got his justice when he was brought down inside the 18-yard box in the 63rd minute. The determined striker converted the resulting penalty with composure, leveling the score at 1-1. As the match entered added time, Watson delivered the decisive blow with an audacious lob over Dinthill goalkeeper Dante Clarke, securing Glenmuir’s place in Saturday’s final.
In the evening’s second semi-final encounter, STETHS demonstrated tactical discipline to overcome first-time semi-finalists Kemps Hill High with a narrow 1-0 victory. The match’s solitary goal came in the 48th minute when Kemoy Banton capitalized on a precision through-ball from Kaieem Lewis, displaying exceptional timing to break through Kemps Hill’s defensive line and slot home what would prove to be the winning goal.
The results set up a compelling final matchup between two programs with rich football traditions, promising an electrifying conclusion to Jamaica’s premier schoolboy football competition.