Once referee Lewin Purser blew the final whistle in the daCosta Cup semi-finals between defending champions St Elizabeth Technical and Lennon at Brancourt on Saturday, close to 4000 Clarendonians had watched history unfold.

For one, one more team had been added to an elite list of teams that have progressed to the daCosta Cup finals: Beginning with Vere, who dominated the competition in the 1960s, Clarendon College (CC), who made their initial breakthrough in the 1970s, Glenmuir five years ago, Garvey Maceo in 2007, and now little known Lennon.

acheivement

Lennon's inclusion, meant that the parish of Clarendon has now eclipsed by two, the acheivement of having three teams make a final, an accomplishement they once shared with St James and Westmoreland.

Among those on hand seated on the touchline to witness this new frontier was Patrick 'Jackie' Walters, the man who has the distinction of playing a key part in the achievements of CC and Glenmuir.

"It's a good achievement for the school, it is a long time they have been trying, and I hope they go on to win," Walters said.

"It will be good for the youth, and for the parish," he added.

Two past players, Davian Rodney and Michael Martin, as well as the head of the school's physical education department, Beverly Smythe, were also touched by the occasion. Rodney and Martin both played on the school's daCosta Cup teams between 1998 and 2000, the early years of the school's involvement. Then it had been extremely difficult to break the traditional dominance of CC, Glenmuir, Vere and Garvey Maceo, especially in the preliminary zones.

"Words cannot express it. I think we had better teams then, especially in 2000, when we needed to beat Glenmuir but we drew in the final match, but it was tighter to get through (from the preliminary stage)."

Rodney, who also later teamed up with his old teammate over the summer, to win the Clarendon Business House competition for Juici Patties, weighed in on the achievement.

"I feel great, wonderful, it's good. It's a great achievement for the community. Mocho people love football."

The occasion was an emotional one for Smythe who has been working at Lennon for the past 21 years. "Tears came to my eyes as I know we have been working hard over the years. We don't have a great past students' thing (funding) )so the school has to fund everything."