Defending champions Mona High showed that they will be difficult to dethrone with a thumping 6-0 win over St Jago High as the second round of the ISSA Digicel Manning Cup kicked off on Friday.

In the curtain raiser at the Stadium East field, Wolmer’s Boys and St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) battled to a 2-2 draw in Group 3.

In the feature encounter in Group 1, the Craig Butler-coached Mona turned in a classy display, dispatching a St Jago team that was the best third-placed team coming out of the first round.

Carlton Brown scored arguably the goal of the season from just below the half line as he unleashed a thunderous shot that sailed past the bewildered Adriano Lawrence.

That was the icing on the cake for Mona. Denzel McKenzie opened the scoring in the 11^th minute with a tremendous strike before Javier Dunn doubled the advantage in the 27^th minute. Demarrion Harris made it 3-0 in the 36^th minute and the game was as good as over.

The brilliant Dunn got his second goal in 56^th minute beating the goalkeeper at his near post before Brown made it 5-0, and when Mona were awarded a penalty in the 84^th minute, they allowed the goalkeeper Riquelme Edwards to get on the scoresheet and he duly obliged tucking away the spot kick. Mona now takes an early lead in Group 1 where the other two teams St George’s College will host Campion College today at Winchester Park at 3:00 pm.

In Group 3, both Wolmer’s Boys looked set to go top of the group but conceded a late goal and had to share the points with STATHS.

Daquan Duhaney gave Wolmer’s an eighth-minute lead before Kennnardo Gordon’s deflected shot pulled STATHS levelled in the 13th minute.

Alex Wright restored Wolmers’ lead in minute 35 but Ajetai Marshall earned a share of the points for STATHS scoring in the 90th minute.

The other Group 3 game will be played today when Kingston College and Hydel High clash in the second game at Stadium East at 4:00 pm.

In the first encounter at 2:00 pm, also to be televised live by SportsMax, Jamaica College will tackle Calabar High in Group 4 while Excelsior High at the GC Foster College in Group 2 action at 1:30 pm. In the other Group 2 encounter, Jonatha Grant High play Tivoli Gardens at the Ashenheim Stadium, at Jamaica College, starting at 3:00 pm. St Catherine High and Charlie Smith meet at GC Foster at 3:30 pm in Group 4.

Today’s games

Group 1

• St George’s College vs Campion College @ Winchester Park @ 3:00 pm

Group 2

• Eltham High vs Excelsior High @ G C Foster College @ 1:30 pm
• Tivoli vs Jonathan Grant @ Ashenheim Stadium @ 3:00 pm

Group 3

• Kingston College vs Hydel High @ Stadium East @ 4:00 pm

Group 4

• Jamaica College vs Calabar @ Stadium East @ 2:00 pm
• St Catherine vs Charlie Smith @ GC Foster @ 3:30 pm.