Mount Pleasant beat Molynes 5-1 to win inaugural Popeyes Challenge Cup

Mount Pleasant claimed the first Popeyes Challenge Cup title on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, beating Molynes United 5-1 in the final at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex in Kingston.

Daniel Green gave Mount Pleasant the early control, scoring in the seventh minute after Molynes goalkeeper Darren Don failed to deal with a ball over the top. Five minutes later, Tajay Mintosh doubled the lead with a close-range header, leaving Molynes with a steep climb before half-time.

Molynes, who had reached the final after wins over Saka Club Brown’s Town, True Juice FC and Montego Bay United, struggled to reproduce the attacking sharpness that carried them through the competition. Nicholas Nelson finally pulled one back in the 74th minute from a corner, briefly giving his team hope.

That hope lasted only moments. Mintosh struck again soon after to restore Mount Pleasant’s two-goal cushion, and substitute Shakil Bradford added two late finishes as the Caribbean champions turned the final into a commanding 5-1 victory.

Mount Pleasant’s path to the final included a 5-0 win over Lime Hall, a penalty shootout victory after a 1-1 draw with Chapelton Maroons, and a 6-1 semi-final defeat of Jamaica Defence Force. Green ended the competition as a major scoring threat, having entered the final with five goals and added another on the night.

After the match, Molynes assistant coach Zavian Virgo said his team had started slowly and found it difficult to recover against a strong opponent. Mount Pleasant coach Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore said his players executed well in the final and praised Jabari Howell as “a special player” after his contribution on return from national under-20 duty.

Deario Phillips was named man of the match. He said Mount Pleasant had treated the final seriously and were pleased to end the season with the new cup, after missing out on the Premier League title.