Dethroned Manning Cup champion Mona High and Excelsior High advanced to the final of the urban knockout Walker Cup with wins over St Andrew Technical High School and Wolmer’s Boys respectively at the National Stadium on Thursday.

The once respected Walker Cup, now downgraded to teams that have dropped out of the Manning Cup early, hence the moniker “Losers Cup”.

Nevertheless, schools still fought for glory. Mona High and St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) fought like their lives depended on it in muddy conditions unfit for quality football.

They battled to a 1-1 in normal time before Mona emerged 4-3 winners on penalty, which was the fifth time STATHS have lost a shootout since 2017.

They lost three Manning Cup finals and a Walker Cup final to JC by penalties and now succumbed to Mona at the semi-final stage. An own goal gave Mona the lead but Alexavier Gooden’s stoppage time freekick sent the game into penalty kicks.

Jloyd Smith missed the first kick for STATHS as did the third kicker Ajetai Marshall. Alexavier Gooden, Delaney White and Howard Linton were successful. Carton Brown sent Mona on their way scoring the first spot kick but Denzel McKenzie missed the second, but Alex Suazo, Robino Gordon and Dante Peralto all scored and secured the victory.

In the first encounter, Excelsior High blanked Wolmer’s Boys 2-0 and booked their spot in the final. Kivann Salmon opened the scoring in the 42nd minute before Terrence Williams sealed the victory in the 78th minute.