Catherine Hall FC and Heights FC confirmed their places in the final of the St James Football Association Sandals International Senior League, in rescheduled games at the UDC Field on Thursday.

Heights FC came from behind to beat Seba FC 2-1 in the first game to advance 4-1 on aggregate after they had won the first game, last week 2-0, while Catherine Hall just edged Lilliput Rovers 4-3 on aggregate after they lost 1-2 subsequent to winning the first game 3-1.

The games were originally scheduled for Tuesday, but had to be postponed due to a waterlogged field.

The final will be decided tomorrow at Jarrett Park starting at 6:00pm, with the winners qualifying for next season's Western Confederation Super League.

Kemar Brown kept up his good scoring form, giving Heights FC the lead late in the game to grant his team a decisive margin.

Kevon Baugh scored for Seba FC in the 16th minute to cut Heights FC's advantage in half, and they held the lead in the game until the 85th minute when Brown re-established his team's two-goals-lead and then added a second in the 89th minute to kill off the game as a contest.

Jeremie Bucknor and Steven Bramwell scored for Lilliput Rovers but Kemar Reid's goal was enough for Catherine Hall to just get by and qualify for the final.

A brace by Swayne Thomas has placed former Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) outfit Cavalier SC in pole position in the race for promotion to the nation's top-flight competition following a 3-0 beating of Priory SA in the JFF Magnum/Charley's JB Overproof Rum Premier League play-offs.

Thomas opened and closed the scoring in the 13th and 84th minutes, with substitute Ryan Miller (81st) getting the other in front of a moderate crowd at the Stadium East field yesterday.

The win placed the Corporate Area champions on four points, like Western Confederation champions Sandals South Coast, but with a slightly better goal difference.

Sandals South Coast got by South Central winners Rivoli United 2-1, courtesy of goals from Ron Daley (11th) and Junior Neil (58th), while Codean Smikle (20th) was the scorer for the losing team in the other encounter at Cros Lawn in Westmoreland.

Both Cavalier and Sandals South Coast are now set to square off in a top-of-the-table clash in Sunday's third set of games, while Rivoli United and Eastern Confederation champions Priory Soccer Academy from St Ann will meet in the other contest.

Unlike what they did on Sunday, Cavalier SC were slow out the blocks, as Priory SA looked very purposeful in the early exchanges and briefly worried their opponents' backline, but failed in their bid to break the deadlock.

The hosts gradually increased the tempo shortly after and grabbed the ascendancy when Thomas picked up a pass from Nicholas Hamilton and slotted past custodian Donovan Hinds in goal for Priory SA.

The score would remain unchanged at the break, as Cavalier failed to capitalise on their dominance in the attacking third, while at the other end, Prior SA relied on speculative efforts.

However, the St Ann-based team, formerly Volvo United, came alive on the resumption and applied consistent pressure, which saw them breaching Cavalier's defence on a number of occasions, but were denied by faulty shooting.

On the hour mark, Cavalier gradually broke free, but they too lacked composure in the final third.

It was not until the latter stages of the contest with the introduction of National Under-17 representative Kaheem Paris, as well as Ryan Miller, that they finally extended their lead with the Priory team seemingly running on fumes.

Miller was on hand to head home from close range, after goalkeeper Hinds failed to cleanly handle a cross from former St George's College stalwart Alex Marshall.

Priory responded with a last-ditch effort a minute later, but custodian Jeadine White, who was also a part of the National Under-17 set-up, threw himself to the left to parry a right-footed effort from substitute Romain Walsh.

Thomas returned to put the icing on the cake when he picked up a pass from Paris, before dismissing the hapless Hinds and rifling his shot into the top of the net.

Though pleased with the three points, Cavalier's Head Coach Rudolph Speid expressed disappointment with the overall display and demeanour of the team.

“Well, first of all, we are pleased for the victory because the three points are what matters most, but I wasn't satisfied with the game. We were selfish in front of goal; we tried to score when we could have passed the ball and of course in a tight game it could be the only chance, so I'm not pleased about that,” he told journalists in a post-game interview.

His counterpart Courtney Dodd felt his team failed to show when it really mattered most.

“We played poorly today (yesterday); we didn't mark well and we didn't play well on a whole. We lacked concentration and fight was missing today. So we just have to rebound and come back for maximum points in the next game,” he lamented.

Shock and grief descended upon the Jamaican sporting fraternity yesterday, as news of the passing of Captain Horace Burrell, perennial president of the Jamaica Football Association (JFF), hit the world.

Absent from the local scene for a prolonged period, Burrell, 67, died in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States (US), after suffering from cancer for the past year and having to undergo treatment at the Johns Hopkins Cancer Treatment Center, also in Maryland.

Renowned for his robust leadership qualities, the football chief served as a Captain in the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF).

He would later be tasked with looking after the JDF football team by Colonel Ken Barnes, the father of English international footballer John Barnes.

Burrell’s journey with the JDF team saw him crossing paths with Jack Warner, Trinidad politician and former football executive who subsequently offered him an executive position at the Caribbean Football Union (CFU).

Following a stint at the Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA), Burrell staged a successful bid for the presidency of the JFF in 1994.

The captain would then try his hand at business, having founded The Captain’s Bakery and Grill in 1995 and later Captain’s Aviation Services in 2008.

CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT

Most would voice that Burrell’s crowning achievement came in 1997, when the Jamaica National Football team secured qualification to the 1998 FIFA World Cup Finals in France, marking the first time an English-speaking Caribbean country qualified for the world's most prestigious event.

For his outstanding service to football, in 1998 he was bestowed with the Order of Distinction (Commander Class) by the Jamaican Government and the Order of Merit from the world football governing body, FIFA.

Burrell also held the offices of Senior Vice President of CONCACAF and Vice President of the CFU. He served as a member of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee and a Vice President of the Jamaica Olympic Association.

In October 2011, the FIFA Ethics Committee imposed a six-month ban on Burrell, having implicated him in the Caribbean Football Union corruption scandal.
 
The Committee later suspended three months of the ban, subject to a probationary period of two years.

“May his soul rest in peace. That’s all I can say right now and of course, I hope his family is quickly able to recover from his demise,” Jack Warner told The Gleaner.  

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange expressed shock and sadness at the passing.

“Football in Jamaica has lost a cornerstone,” said Grange, whilst conveying her sympathy to family, friends and the executive of the JFF.

Social media also went into a tailspin, with tributes pouring in from across the globe.

Captain Horace Burrell is survived by his children, daughter, Dr. Tiphani Burrell-Piggott and sons Romario and Jaeden.

The Fifth renewal of the Barita-sponsored Drax Hall Masters Invitational football competition is slated for the Drax Hall Sports Complex, St. Ann on Sunday, December 18.

Teams taking part include, Portland Masters, Los Perfectos, St.Ann Masters, Kingston Commissioners, Harbour View and Holders Tourers of Montego Bay.

Violet Tourers, the defending champions, will be boosted by former Premier League stalwarts, and National players such as Norman Foster, Hector Wright, Warren Barrett, and Theodore Whitmore. Matches are set to begin at 12 noon and end at 9pm.

Other stand out players taking part are: Byron Earle, Kevin O’Sang, Donald Stewart and Christopher Powell.

The competition is being title-sponsored by Barita‎ to the Tune of $100,000 along with associate sponsors, Clinicare Pharmacy, Smoke Marlin Restaurant, UG’s Cellular and Selbys Transport.

rnett Gardens captain, Oneil 'Bigga' Thompson is focusing on beating Portmore United in the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) final in order to lift his and the club's second title in three seasons.

Both teams will battle for the nation's top football title next Monday at the National Stadium in Kingston, starting at 8:30 p.m.

"This is our second final in the Premier League in three seasons and it is a great feeling to be back after winning in 2015," Thompson who is popularly called 'Bigga' told The Gleaner after his team's training session last Tuesday at the Anthony Spaulding Complex in Trench Town.

"Portmore are in our way, we know that they are a good team. We have to be organised as we were against Montego Bay United and Humble Lion," the 33 year-old central defender reasoned.

"We have played two strong teams in the quarter-final and semi-final and overcome them, so it will be difficult for any team to beat us," he warned Portmore.

"We are not trying to do anything different at this stage. We started the season without top players such as Renae Lloyd, Vishinul Harris and Keneil Hyde. Now, we are at full strength with all players available.

"The chemistry in midfield wasn't there but with the players back, we are ready for Portmore," added Thompson who transferred from Boys' Town in 2014 and who also represented Norwegian side Notodden FC player.

Arnett Gardens started the season well but fell off during the third and final preliminary rounds and eventually finished sixth in the regular season. Thompson shared that the team decided to focus on the playoff portion of the season after falling behind in the league race and believes the Junglists are peaking at the right time.

"We realised that winning the regular season trophy for the team that end with most points was out of our reach. Then, we paced ourselves and peaked at the right time," the Arnett captain shared.

Arnett Gardens won national league titles in 1977, 2001, 2002 and 2015. They are hunting their fifth title.

Portmore United are into their second Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) final in two years, and although coach Linval Dixon does not see much difference in this team from the one that lost 2-1 to Montego Bay United in last season's finale, he insists that they have a lot of quality and more room to get even better.

"There is not much difference (from last season) because we have the same team, except with the inclusion of Jeremie Lynch, but there is nothing different," he insisted.

 

Not Lacking Quality
 

Dixon noted that the team did not lack quality and underlined that the players still had the desire to get better every day.

"This team has a lot of quality players. Sometimes it's difficult to pick the starting team based on the quality, but this team understands what it takes to perform and to win," said Dixon. "They always have the drive to win because it's a mentality we develop in training, and it keeps them going, and they only can grow from strength to strength."

"They know that for them to be on top, they have to improve day by day, and they don't want to settle to be good players. They want to be the best, so they push each other, and they respond well to work," Dixon stated.

Portmore will face an Arnett Gardens team which is in its second final in three seasons and Dixon said that his players were excited and anxious about the test that awaits them.

"They (players) were disappointed last season, but they have that drive and want to make it better this time around, so we don't want to leave it to chance," he said.

"They are excited and they are anxious to be back at the finals. Losing to Montego Bay United in the final and to be back here is really a good job from the players. But we haven't play the final as yet, so we still have to be grounded. We still have to be focused and be ready to play."

Reggae Boyz head coach Theodore Whitmore was left a bitterly disappointed man last week Thursday after a second proposed meeting between the technical staff of the senior football team and Premier League club coaches failed to materialise.

According to Whitmore, the first of two meetings aimed, among other things, at addressing some of the Premier League clubs' complaints and to try and build a stronger relationship between the national programme and top-tier clubs as it relates to player development, went well, noting that he had high expectations for the scheduled follow-up meeting.

Disappointed But Not Deterred
However, only Premier League coaches who are attached to the national programme showed for the second meeting. Although he is disappointed, Whitmore said that he is still interested in organising these forums in an effort to move local football forward.

"We tried to keep two meetings. One went well and was very successful. But only Andrew Price from Boys' Town; Jerome Waite, the assistant (senior team) coach representing Arnett Gardens; and Wendell Downswell from Reno, who were a part of the first meeting, returned for the second one.

"None of the Premier League coaches indicated that they would not be there, apart from Rod Underwood of MoBay United, who said that he wouldn't be available because of prior engagements and he would be leaving the island," Whitmore said.

"Over the years, we have heard Premier League clubs complaining, so what we are trying to do is build a relationship by bringing the programme to them and bring them up to date with what we intend to do from now to the Gold Cup.

"We want to get their input on the players that have been invited to camp and explain to them what we are looking for in a player and how they can help the players when we send these players back to their clubs. So any recommendations from them will be good for us. But that second meeting didn't happen," he said.

Whitmore believes that such meetings can only bring benefits for the nation's football programme and says that in the future, he will continue to try and organise such forums.

"This is the country's football, and anything for us to move forward as a nation, I am willing to work with it," Whitmore said.

The Hanover Football Association Captain's Bakery and Grill/Charley's JB Rum Major League will resume today after a short break with the start of the cross-zone round of games, with mid-season champions Super Star Youth Club taking on Mt Pelier DC at Watson Taylor Park, Lucea, starting at 3:30 pm.Super Star YC topped the Zone One points table after the first round with 13 points, and then beat Zone Two leaders Sandy Bay 3-1 in the mid-season play-offs in late April.

Mt Pelier DC are well down the combined tables, in eighth place in the 11-team competition on five points, and have managed just three goals from four games played.

The teams from either zone will play each other once, with the top-four teams on points, regardless of zone, qualifying for the semi-finals set for July 16 and 23.

Two more games will be played tomorrow — Jericho Rangers against Johnson Town at Orchard in Hopewell, and Friendship United against Sandy Bay at Watson Taylor Park.

A place in next season's Jamaica Football Federation Western Confederation Super League will be at stake today when former champions Coopers Pen FC and Harmony FC clash in the final of the Trelawny Football Association National Rums of Jamaica Monymusk Plantation Rum Major League at Elleston Wakeland Youth Centre in Falmouth, set to start at 3:00 pm.The winners of each of the four parish major leagues are guaranteed promotion places in the Super League and today's winners will be the first qualifiers to replace the four teams that were relegated at the end of the last season.

Harmony FC last played in the Super League in the 2010-2011 season, while Coopers Pen FC's last stint there was over 16 years ago, in the 1999 season.

The teams will also be going after their second title of the season as Coopers Pen FC had won the knock-out title at the start of the campaign, while Harmony FC are the mid-season champions.

The teams set up the clash after scoring contrasting victories over Salt Marsh United and Duanvale FC, respectively, in Sunday's return leg semi-finals at the same venue.

Coopers Pen scored a dramatic come-from-behind 3-2 extra time win on aggregate over Salt Marsh United, who came into the game with a 1-0 lead from the first leg, but were beaten 3-1 on Sunday.

Harmony FC outclassed a disorganised and wasteful Duanvale FC 2-0 on Sunday after the first game had ended 0-0 the previous weekend.
In the first game today, Salt Marsh United and Duanvale FC will meet at 1:00 pm in the third-place play-off.
The final is expected to be close between two teams that stayed in a virtual neck-and-neck race all season long and finished a point apart from each other after three rounds.

They drew 2-2 at Bounty Hall, Harmony FC's home grounds before Harmony FC won 2-0 in the return leg to win Zone One by three points on their way to beating Bacca Star United in the mid-season final.

Coopers Pen had the better third round, however, to top the overall points table with 38 points, one more than Harmony FC.

On form and based on their comeback against Salt Marsh United, Coopers Pen FC should start favourites, but Harmony FC will have the psychological advantage, having not lost to them in their two meetings earlier this season.

The fans could be treated to a goal fest after the teams combined for 77 in the regular season, 40 scored by Harmony FC, while they gave up 24 goals between them.

Shaunavan McKenzie and Desron Whyne, both of whom masterminded the second -half comeback last weekend, combined to score 20 of their team's 37 goals and a lot will depend on them today.

Former national player Troy Smith, despite playing in a defensive role, leads Harmony FC's scoring with nine goals, while player/coach Ricardo Reid has scored seven times, and Everette Mullings has scored six.

The Harmony defence will be tested by the non-stop running of the Coopers Pen team and goalkeeper Jermaine Maxwell could be in for a long afternoon.

Seba FC completed the semi-final match-ups in the St James Football Association/Sandals International Senior League after hammering Marl Road FC 5-1 in their final third-round game in Granville on Thursday.

Keith Clarke scored a hat-trick to lead Seba FC to the win as they finished on 23 points and in second place on the points tables.
Catherine Hall FC topped the tables with 28 points from their 13 games, and will play Lilliput Rovers in one semi-final set to start next Tuesday.
Seba FC will play Heights FC in the other semi-final, with the return-leg set for the next Tuesday, June 13, and the winners on aggregate qualifying for the final.
On Thursday, both teams finished with 10 players each, with Seba FC's Nicardo Malcolmsent off in the 58th minute after picking up a second yellow card, while Oniel Parkinson of Marl Road got his marching orders in the 78th minute after he was also shown a second yellow card.
Three days after they were held 0-0 by Catherine Hall FC at the UDC field, Seba FC faced a must-win game and responded with one of their best results of the season, as Clarke scored in the 13th, 62nd and 66th minutes, while Jomo Sutherland scored in the 40th minute and Kevown Baugh in the 80th minute.
Dalkeith McPherson had pulled Marl Road level with a penalty kick in the 33rd minute.