Clarendon, Glenmuir to battle for Ben Francis title

CLARENDON College booked their place in a third-consecutive ISSA Ben Francis Cup final, setting up a clash with Glenmuir High after both teams won their semi-final games at Glenmuir High in May Pen, Clarendon, on Saturday. Clarendon College beat Denbigh High 4-3 on penalties following a goalless draw while Orel Miller’s second-half double gave Glenmuir a 2-0 win over Dinthill Technical. The final is set for Saturday. Ashanti Mullings, Glenmuir’s first-year head coach, praised his players for following instructions. “It was a disciplined performance, and they understood the assignment,” he said after the game. Mullings, who was an assistant coach before taking over this season, said the players understood that the team that made fewer mistakes would win. “We managed to limit our mistakes, and this was the main thing,” he said. Dinthill Technical’s Coach Lenworth Hyde admitted that his team was outplayed and made too many mistakes to compete with Glenmuir. “Glenmuir had the edge through the game but we were still in the contest up to when they scored — and after they scored, we lost our composure,” Hyde said. He said the Dinthill players moved away from the style of football they had been taught. Glenmuir took the lead in the 49th minute when a teammate headed a right-sided corner into the centre of the goal area and Miller fired it into the top corner from close range. Miller doubled the advantage in the 89th minute, converting a penalty he had earned to secure the win. In the first game, Denbigh High put up a brave performance but fell short, holding Clarendon College to a goalless draw before losing 4-3 in the penalty shoot-out. Both goalkeepers made saves during the shoot-out. Patrick Page, Roshaun Sterling, Jemarly Campbell and Justin Hayles scored for Clarendon College while Daveion McDonald, Teyo Cross and Javaughn Campbell scored for Denbigh High.