MONTEGO BAY, St James — Manchester High and Lennon High returned to the semi-finals of the ISSA/Flow daCosta Cup football competition and the Ben Francis Knockout after a number of years away as the quarter-finals came to a climactic end yesterday.

Manchester High edged a wasteful St James High 1-0 at Jarrett Park to top Group P with six points and qualified for the first time in six seasons, while Lennon returned to the top-four for the first time since the 2010 season when they lost in the final after topping Group Q.

Both teams joined Dinthill Technical, the winners of Group S after a 3-0 victory over Glenmuir High.

The fourth semi-finalists will be decided today from Group R when Ben Francis KO champions St Elizabeth Technical go into the game against Mannings School needing only a draw, while Vere Technical, on three points, face Marcus Garvey Technical.

St Elizabeth Technical will be without Romeo Wright and Neville Martin, who were sent off in their win over Vere Technical last week.

In the first daCosta Cup semi-final set for November 27, Manchester High will face Dinthill, while a day later, Lennon face the winner of Group R.

On the field yesterday, Manchester High scrapped to a 1-0 victory, courtesy of Romaine Walsh’s third-minute strike from a goalmouth melee.

In the other Group P game, Lacovia High’s season came to an end after they were held 1-1 by Paul Bogle at STETHS Sports Complex as both teams finished on four points, two behind Manchester.

This was the second time in three games in the quarter-finals that St James High were losing after conceding a goal in the first three minutes after going down to Paul Bogle High in the first game.

The defence managed to get a ball out of the six-yard box, but only as far as Walsh who hammered it back into the goal.

St James could have pulled level in the 12th minute when Neil Clarke dribbled to the right touch line and squared the ball to Radcliff Dawkins, but the striker missed the ball two yards from the goal-line with the Manchester High goalkeeper beaten at the near post.

Manchester had the opportunity to double their lead early in the second half, but Walsh’s penalty kick was saved by St James High goalkeeper Aian Miller, effectively keeping his team in the game.

In desperation late in the game, St James High’s coach Theodore Whitmore made three attacking changes, and while they created several other scoring chances, the move failed to reap success.

Lennon High topped Group Q with seven points as they beat Petersfield High who needed only a draw to advance. Rushane Grant scored twice and Jason Johnson the other, all coming in the second half. Lennon are the only team not to have conceded a goal in the quarter-finals.

Dinthill Technical made it back to back semi-finals after thrashing Glenmuir High 3-0 to top Group S with seven points, one more than Clarendon College who beat Rusea’s High 2-0.

Lagaune Thompson, Rodave Murray and Douwarne Hamilton all scored for Dinthill who are seeking their first title since 1981.

Yesterday’s results

Lacovia-1, Paul Bogle-1

St. James-0, Manchester-1

Petersfield-0, Lennon-3

Port Antonio-3, Seaforth-6

Clarendon College-2, Rusea’s High-0

Glenmuir-0 vs, Dinthill-3