By Anthony Foster, Freelance WriterFORMER CHAMPIONS St. Jago and Donald Quarrie (DQ) will meet in the final of the Captain's Bakery-sponsored schoolgirls football league at Harbour View Mini Stadium today at 4:00 p.m.
Both teams assured themselves a shot at the championship in close semi-final finishes on Monday.
Donald Quarrie knocked off defending champions Queen's and St. Jago eliminated last year's beaten finalists, Excelsior.
Carla Chambers scored the game's only goal in the 46th minute for St. Jago to beat Excelsior 1-0 in the curtain-raiser.
A golden goal in the 86th minute from national Under-19 player, Lotaya Panton, led DQ to a 3-2 sudden death extra time victory over last year's winners. Nadine Robinson (eighth) and Shereton Dinham (23rd) scored the other goals for DQ, while Kadien Edwards netted in the 22nd and 20th minutes for Queens.
All the goals were scored in an action-packed first half, which saw players taking shots from as far as the half line.
At the start of the second half, Queens lost their goalkeeper, Kryhstle Edwards, due to illness. She could not move her left hand when taken off the field, but was later rushed to hospital as a precautionary measure.
Despite hitting the cross bar and upright on several occasions, Queens just could not find the back of the net. Late in the second half, DQ became careless by 'walking' and allowed Queens to win all the 50/50 balls.
SCORED A CRACKER
However, to the delight of the fans that turned out to support the east Kingston-based school, Panton scored a cracker from five metres before the corner flag.
The goal sparked huge celebrations among the players and fans and like Excelsior, some Queens players were in tears.
Queens' coach, Keith Lattimore, was graceful in defeat.
"The girls did well coming back to equalize on two occasions, hitting the upright a number of times. They fought hard, the luck just did not go our way today," he said.
Although he was not happy with his team's semi-final performance, DQ coach Lloyd Stevens, said: "In terms of fighting sprit, we did very well. We are much better than what we did today," he explained.
However, come this afternoon, Stevens expects a much better game from St. Jago. "I know we are going to raise our game for the final," he promised.
