Bmobile Joe Public booked their place in the 2009 First Citizens Cup final following a hard-fought 2-0 semifinal win over San Juan Jabloteh on Friday night at the Marvin Lee Stadium.
Former Jabloteh midfielder Trent Noel and defender Seon Power registered first half goals to secure the Derek King coached side place in next Friday’s Final against Defence Force at the very same Macoya venue.
Joe Public eased into the semifinals following a 5-1 trashing of St Ann’s Rangers, while San Juan Jabloteh coming off a disappointing 3-0 loss against Toluca in the CONCACAF Champions’ League on Wednesday night seemed to have lost their own.
It was from very early that Jabloteh were on the defence with another former San Juan player Kerry Baptiste netting an offside goal.
Hayden Tinto had a crack on goal in the 5th minute from inside the area but goalkeeper Cleon John was brilliant to gather the low effort.
In the 16th minute after a great buildup by the Lions, Cleon was again at his best gathering a low shot directed at far post by Yu Hoshide which lacked pace.
Joe Public goalkeeper Alejandro Figueroa didn’t escape shots on his goal as well having to block out shots by Lester Peltier.
Yu Hoshide, enjoying early moments with Joe public had his second attempt on goal in the 33rd minute, however it again lacked pace making it a comfortable take for the Jabloteh goalkeeper diving to his left.
However in the 35th minute Cleon John wasn’t able to handle Trent Noel’s cracker from just outside the area which has enough pace to beat the gloves of the Jabloteh number for a 1-0 advantage.
Seon Power then made it 2-0 in the 39th minute after the right wingback made a brilliant run forward and into the Jabloteh area and his cross across the face of goal wasn’t cleared to safety by the San Juan defence. In fall in Power’s part and he did a superb job half volleying it past Cleon John.
Jabloteh showed some intent early into the second period with Noel Williams hooking an effort just wide of Figueroa’s upright.
In the 53rd minute Josh Johnson tried his luck from the left side and his low blast crashed onto the far post and back into the gloves of Figueroa.
On the hour mark Joe Public went a man short after Devon Leacock picked up his second yellow of the match.
However Public’s loss in Leacock didn’t help Jabloteh’s cause. Marvin Oliver and Jerrel Britto were pumped into the Jabloteh attack but the goals never came for Coach Earl Jean.
His goalkeeper however, had his work cut out denying shots from Joe Public substitute Conrad Smith in the 85th and 89th minutes.
San Juan Jabloteh 0—2 Joe Public;
Trent Noel 35’, Seon Power 39’
San Juan Jabloteh—Cleon John (capt), Dennis Lawrence, Noel Williams, Glenton Wolfe, Jason Marcano (Marvin Oliver 76th), Josh Johnson (Jerrel Britto 69th), Lester Peltier, Devon Jamerson (Travis Mulraine 41st), Elton John, Ataullah Guerra (Yellow), Karlon Murray.
Coach—Earl Jean
Joe Public—Alejandro Figueroa, Kerry Baptiste (capt) (Yellow) (Conrad Smith 83rd), Seon Power, Keyeno Thomas (Yellow), Carlyle Mitchell (Yellow), Keion Goodridge, Devon Leacock (Yellow Yellow Red), Hayden Tinto, Yu Hoshide, Micah Lewis (Kareem Young 62nd), Trent Noel.
Coach—Derek King
Match Referee—Lee Davis
Army dump Ma Pau 2-0 in First Citizens semis.
First half goals by Richard Roy and Devon Jorsling against Ma Pau SC secured Defence Force’s place in next Friday’s 2009 First Citizens Cup final at the Marvin Lee Stadium.
Defence Force 2-0 winners over the Woodbrook based club are into the final against Bmobile Joe Public on Friday 02nd October at the same Macoya venue.
Defence Force took the lead in the 21st minute after Richard Roy met Kerry Joseph’s cross and on his second touch placed the ball through one defender and past goalkeeper Jefferson George for a 1-0 score.
Two minutes later Devon Jorsling found the side netting as Defence Force stepped up the pace of the match.
In the 30th minute Roy was denied his second by the far upright after a well taken curling effort from just outside the effort which left a sprawled goalkeeper George beaten.
Ma Pau had an opening in the 34th minute but Anthony Wolfe headed over from inside the area from a Lyndon Andrews’ freekick from the left, after Kerry Noray was brought down inbetween three Defence Force players.
Three minutes from the break Ma Pau conceded another goal...and a brilliant one in fact, as Army celebrated a 2-0 advantage at the break.
Jorsling made to mistake from an angle on the left blasting a left footer past George.
Two minutes into the second period George pulled off back to back point blank saves from Anton Joseph. Joseph first unleashed a crack running onto Kevon Carter’s pass but he was denied by the gloves of George who closed down early and the rebound came back as quickly, however the Ma Pau goalie was brilliant again to gather the second attempt.
On the other end in the 51st minute goalkeeper Kevin Graham pulled off a close range blockout and the rebound was struck high over by Kerry Noray.
Ma Pau coach Michael Mc Comie sacrificed defenders Marc Leslie and Reshad Wint to boost his attacking options in the second half with Trevin Caesar and Jason Cudjoe.
Ma Pau had a go at goal in the 60th minute through Rennie Britto from just inside the area however Graham was unbeatable. Six minutes later Caesar having a look at goal clipped his attempt high.
Sayid Freitas tested goalkeeper Graham in the 68th minute with a curling effort from the far left and again the Defence Force goalie provided a good save, tipping it over for a corner.
But it wasn’t all one sided in the second period as Richard Roy clipped the upright for the second in the match and Corey Rivers headed wide from inside the area.
Ma Pau SC 0—2 Defence Force;
Richard Roy 21’, Devorn Jorsling 42’
Ma Pau SC—Jefferson George, Lyndon Andrews (capt) (Happy Hall 87th), Marc Leslie (Trevin Caesar 46th), Rennie Britto, Shandell Samuel, Anthony Wolfe, Sayid Freitas, Kerry Noray, Akeem Benjamin, Dwane James, Reshad Wint (Jason Cudjoe 57th).
Coach—Michael Mc Comie.
Defence Force—Kevin Graham, Sean Narcis (capt), Keston Williams (Yellow), Devon Jordan (Corey Rivers 57th), Devon Jorsling, Kerry Joseph, Kevon Carter, David Alleyne (Yellow), Dexter Pacheco (Yellow) (Anton Joseph 41st), Aklie Edwards, Richard Roy (Anton Pierre 87th).
Coach—Ross Russell.
Match Referee—Gregory Hospidales.