AS the curtains came down on the ISSA/LIME Manning Cup football competition, a champion team was left standing and another outfit was left crest-fallen and defeated.

Jamaica College, the most successful team in Corporate Area football, downed Wolmer’s Boys 3-2 at the end of extra-time in last Saturday’s enthralling final.

Jamaica College’s head coach, Miguel Coley, said it was just reward for the team that he felt was the best throughout the tournament.

“It’s a wonderful feeling. To get this kind of success. We feel honoured and proud and humbled by the occasion.

“The team has worked extremely hard, and we were the best in the Manning Cup. We had the opportunity to watch some teams, and based on ability, fight and that never-say-die attitude, we were the best,” he argued.

Jamaica College now have 25 titles overall — 22 of those came since the competition was contested only in the Corporate Area — after a perfect win record in the 2013 Manning Cup

JC, who most recently had secured titles in 2007 and 2010, won all 10 matches during the preliminaries to top Group E. A hiccup came in a shocking 0-2 loss to Excelsior High in the Walker Cup Knockout competition and Coley conceded “it was a bit difficult to bounce back” from it.

Perhaps the Excelsior defeat was the ingredient needed to motivate staff and players for the more prestigious Manning Cup crown.

JC responded in fine style in the Manning Cup second round as they defeated Kingston College, Charlie Smith High and Hydel High to book a semi-final place and a rematch with Excelsior.

The Old Hope Road-based boys handed out the revenge many fans were hoping for when Excelsior were thrashed 4-0.

“We felt it so much when we lost that game to Excelsior in the Cup KO. They (the players) knew they deserved more, I knew they deserved more, but such is the nature of the game.

“We tried as much as possible to get them to accept that we lost and focus on the Manning Cup. We got support from past students coming in to help them on a one-on-one basis. With proper management things really paid off,” he explained to the Jamaica Observer.

Coley, who led Norman Manley High’s coaching staff for five years without holding onto the ultimate crown, was winning his first Manning Cup title as head coach.

He said he and his staff got the team sharpened at the right time. Despite the blemish in the Cup KO and the all-island Olivier Shield yet to be played, Coley views the season as a success.

“We were at about 70 per cent heading into the (start of the) Manning Cup, and we wanted to peak heading into the Walker Cup (and the second round). We play well though we lost, and I still believe we peaked at the right time.

“It has been a successful season. The Walker Cup is a title we respect, but the major thing is to win the Manning Cup,” said the former Holmwood Technical student.