Lacovia, McGrath, Manning’s close in on daCosta round of 16

LACOVIA High, McGrath High and Manning’s School moved closer to places in the round of 16 of the ISSA daCosta Cup football competition after recording third straight wins in the second round on Wednesday. Kemps Hill High and Ocho Rios High dropped points after being held to 1-1 draws by St Mary High and BB Coke High, respectively. Munro College and Frome Technical will try to play their top-of-Group 1 game today after their match at Frome was rained out on Wednesday. Defending champions St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) recovered from their loss to Munro College with a 2-1 come-from-behind win over Irwin High, while Glenmuir High hammered Ferncourt High 9-0. Lacovia stayed atop Group 2 with nine points after edging Central High 3-2 at home. Glenmuir, who beat Ferncourt 9-0 with Orel Miller scoring six goals, are two points behind. Jim Mitchell scored four goals as McGrath beat Morant Bay High 6-2. Issac Mason and Ronald Chambers scored one goal each. Manning’s moved to the top of Group 6 with a 2-0 win over St James High in Savanna-la-Mar. A defender opened the scoring in the 63rd minute before Jarvis Maylor added the second in the 72nd. Ten-man Rusea’s High beat William Knibb Memorial 3-1 to move into second place. Cory Palmer scored twice, while Omarion Jemmison got the other goal. At Irwin High, STETHS rallied from a goal down to win 2-1, almost three years after beating the hosts 1-0 on their first trip to Irwin in 2023. Rajaie Parnell gave Irwin the lead in the 29th minute when he beat STETHS goalkeeper Johnoi Steaman and fired low into the right corner. STETHS drew level in the 37th minute after Irwin goalkeeper Javaughn Earle came off his line and brought down a STETHS player in the penalty area. Maleik Wellington converted the penalty. The champions scored the winning goal just before half-time when Earle failed to hold a low shot. The ball rolled up his arms and off his shoulder before Shyon George poked it over the goal line. Manchester High recovered from their loss to Clarendon College with a 1-0 win over Lennon High in Group 5. Denbigh High beat Mile Gully High 3-1, while Garvey Maceo defeated Knox College 2-0.   Wednesday’s results Frome Technical vs Munro College – Rained out Irwin High 1, STETHS 2 Old Harbour High 7, Yallahs High 1 Lacovia High 3, Central High 2 Ferncourt High 0, Glenmuir High 9 Garvey Maceo 2, Knox College 0 Denbigh High 3, Mile Gully High 1 St Mary High 1, Kemps Hill High 1 McGrath High 6, Morant Bay High 2 BB Coke High 1, Ocho Rios High 1 Titchfield High 0, Dinthill Technical 5 Christiana High 4, Porus High 0 Lennon High 0, Manchester High 1 Mannings School 2, St James High 0 Rusea’s High 3, William Knibb Memorial 1 Browns Town High vs Cornwall College – Rained out