CATHERINE HALL, St James — Patrick ‘Jackie’ Walters, the undisputed king of schoolboy football coaches, showed his skill once more as he led Clarendon College to their seventh ISSA/LIME daCosta Cup title after dethroning last year’s champions St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) 3-0 in the final at the Montego Bay Sports Complex yesterday.

Xhane Reid, who was part of the Walters-led Glenmuir High team that beat STETHS two years ago, scored two brilliant goals in the first half to lead Clarendon College to their seventh title and first since 1998 when Walters was also in charge.

Seigel Knight added a second-half penalty kick to secure the title in a game that was played under cool and windy conditions that saw intermittent drizzle.

It was STETHS’ fourth-straight trip to the final, but have just one title to show, and yesterday were relegated to second-best against a Clarendon College team that looked more determined and dominant in every aspect of the game.

STETHS had beaten Clarendon College in the Ben Francis KO semi-finals on sudden death penalties, but Walters had told the Jamaica Observer on Friday that his team had improved since then and were confident of a victory.

Yesterday he said the “difference was (we) wanted the Cup after 16 years, and the quality of the team today was high, for the most part.”

Wedderburn, who was coaching in his third-straight daCosta Cup title decider, was gracious in defeat, admitting he did not expect that kind of result.

“No, we did not expect this kind of a result, but Clarendon College came out and demonstrated that they wanted this more than we did,” describing Clarendon’s performance as “brilliant, one worthy of champions”.

Wedderburn explained the breakdown of his team. “I guess we were not as tactically disciplined enough to follow instructions and, from the get-go, Clarendon came at us and showed intentions of wanting to win,” he said.

After saying all week that Jovaney Brown, who aggravated an ankle injury in last Saturday’s semi-finals would not play, Wedderburn started the player as a last-minute decision, but he was replaced at the start of the second half.

STETHS were also forced to make a second offensive change after Chris-Andrew Dixon injured his hip. Chinloy Delevante replaced him, but was later substituted.

Clarendon were forced on the back foot early and a defender had to clear the ball off the line in the second minute, heading out just under the crossbar after goalkeeper Eric Edwards was beaten by a cross.

They, however, settled and then took the game to STETHS, but Gregton Charlton and Knight missed from close range in the first 15 minutes.

Reid opened the scoring in the 20th minute when he beat STETHS’ goalkeeper Carson Findlay from well outside the area. The goalkeeper appeared to have the looping ball in his sight, but the ball curled away from him and into the net.

Reid got his second of the day when he capitalised on a horrendous mix-up between Findlay and defender Rushane McClymont and he sliped between the big defender and the goalkeeper and slotted the ball into the unprotected goal.

With STETHS forced to chase the game in the second half, Clarendon College could afford to sit back and absorb the pressure before striking on the counter.

On one of the forward moves, Charlton was brought down just inside the area and Knight powered the ball into the back of the goal.