IRWIN, St James — Former champions Cornwall College joined Vere Technical as the early qualifiers for the Inter-zone round of the ISSA/FLOW daCosta Cup football competition following a hard-fought 2-1 win over Irwin High in their Zone A return-round game played at Irwin yesterday.

It was the 11-time champions’ seventh consecutive win which takes them to 21 points and guarantees them at least second place in Zone A and an automatic place in the Inter-zone round.

Two other former winners — Rusea’s High, who were held 0-0 by Green Island, and Dinthill Technical, whose game was postponed, will have to await at least another round of games to advance, while another former winner, Garvey Maceo, also won their seventh straight game and drew to within a point of securing their place in the next round.

Cornwall College were pushed by a confident Irwin team who wasted a late penalty that could have seen them share the points.

An own goal gave the wasteful Cornwall College the lead in the 17th minute, but Oshane Brown converted a penalty in the 37th minute to pull the home team level.

Jourdaine Fletcher scored his seventh goal of the season to give Cornwall College the lead late in the second half and Brown could have been the hero, but his second penalty was saved by Cornwall’s custodian Jamario Hines to preserve the points for his team.

St James High stayed on course for a place with a 2-1 win over Anchovy High, but must wait until at least Saturday when they face Cornwall College in their return-round game.

A win would have given Zone B leaders Rusea’s High a place in the Inter-zone round as well, but they were held by Green Island.

No referees showed up at Dinthill Technical for their game against Guys Hill where a win would also see them winning a seventh straight match and also securing their Inter-zone place.

Garvey Maceo, the 2007 winners, eased to a seventh straight win, blanking Winston Jones 4-0 with Omar Boucher scoring a brace.

Jevaun Ennis scored both goals for Glenmuir in their 2-0 win over Porus and took his personal tally to 13 goals this season.

Defending champions St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) increased their lead in Zone E after a 5-1 beating of Newell High with Demar James scoring two, Jovoney Brown got his seventh goal, while Clifton Woodbine and Cashane Constantine got one each.

STETHS are on 18 points, six points ahead of Munro College, who beat Maggotty High 2-1, while Lacovia High were held 1-1 by Black River, who got their first point of the season.

Manchester High and DeCarteret College 3-1 with goals from Marlando Maxwell, Shadane Powell and Dinnell Stewart, while Mile Gully were 4-0 winners over Belair High.

Brown’s Town took over the lead in Zone I from Marcus Garvey Technical after beating them 1-0 and avenging their first-round loss, moving to 12 points, one more than the losers.

Ocho Rios also moved past Marcus Garvey into second place after their 4-0 win over Steer Town.

Results from yesterday

Zone A

Maldon 1, Green Pond 4

Anchovy 1, St James 2

Irwin 1, Cornwall 2

Zone B

Green Island 0, Rusea’s 0

Zone E

STETHS 5, Newell 1

Munro 2, Maggotty 1

Lacovia 1, Black River 1

Zone F

deCarteret 1, Manchester 3

Belair 0, Mile Gully 4

Cross Keys 0, BB Coke 1

Zone I

York Castle 1, Aabuthnott Gallimore 0

Brown’s Town 1, Marcus Garvey 0

Ocho Rios 4, Steer Town 1

Zone J

Horace Clarke 0, Tacky High 0

Zone K

Charlemont 2, McGrath 0

Dinthill vs Guys Hill was not played

Ewarton 0, Bog Walk 1

Zone M

Porus 0, Glenmuir 2

Foga Road 1, Denbigh 2

Winston Jones 0, Garvey Maceo 4