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| Sunday, 1 September 2002 |
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Sports |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Kandy enters Clifford Cup final with 35/22 win by S. M. JIFFREY ABDEEN, Kandy sports correspondent Kandy Sports Club came up with a sterling performance in the final 15 minutes of play to beat CH and FC by 35 points (3 goals, 1 try, 3 penalties) to 22 (2 goals, 1 try, 1 penalty) to enter the final of the Caltex sponsored Clifford Cup knockout rugby tournament match played at Nittawela yesterday. At half time CH were in command leading 17-8. This was one game CH would like to forget and Kandy would always like to remember as the visitors dominated a major portion of the game and it was in the last quarter they showed signs of tiredness are cracked up under the furious assault launched by Kandy in a 'do or die' style and CH simply could not weather the storm and they perished under it. Kandy, though they won, were guilty of poor handling of the ball and dropped passes especially in the first half and the CH took full advantage of the lapses and appeared to be on the course of a shock win into the finals which has been fixed for next Friday at Nittawela. CH and FC surprised Kandy SC almost with the kick-off when they won a line-out and moved the ball from left flank to right resulting in lock-forward Bertie Jayasekara touching down mid-right. Fullback Nalin Dissanayake added the extra points. CH and FC led 7-0. That was in the second minute of play. It took sometime for Kandy SC to get over this initial shock and assort themselves. It was in the 10th minute Kandy were able to make their first scoring effort. They won a scrum and No. 8 Tavita Tulagese broke off and slung a pass to flanker Dilip Selvam who covered good ground and handed the ball to flanker Harris Omar who forwarded his way with the tackle to score far left. Nalaka Weerakoddy missed the conversion. Kandy reduced the lead to 5-7. In the 13th minute CH increased their lead through a penalty put over by full back Nalin Dissanayake. CH 10-5. In the 22nd minute, CH went further ahead when Kandy took play deep into CH territory and almost scored through 'lock' Asoka Jayasena but fine spoiling work done by the defence with full back Nalin Dissanayake making a desperate clearance back into Kandy territory. The race for the ball between CH and Kandy was won by CH scrum half Millinda Jayasinghe who scored mid left. Full back Nalin Dissanayake added the extra points. CH were in full command and led 17-5. Kandy managed to reduce the lead to 17-8 just before the short blast through a penalty fired by Nalaka Weerakkoddy. But the game holted up with Kandy more in the offensive after the resumption. Both Nalin Dissanayaka and Nalaka Weerakkody missed a penalty each for either side in the first 14 minutes of the second half. The turning point of the match came in the 15th minute when a scrum awarded to CH was won by Kandy inside their own "22" and stand off Nilfer Ibrahim set the line in motion and centre Indrajith Bandaranayake collecting the ball made a breath taking 60-metre run with side stepping and brushing tackles to score under the post. Nalaka Weerakoddy added the extra points. Kandy 17-19 but still CH was in front. In the 20th minute Kandy's Nalaka Weerakkoddy 'fired' a 40-metre penalty to put Kandy in the lead for the first time in 60 minute of play. Kandy 18-17. Having gained the lead, Kandy were back in the saddle. In the 22nd minute play-maker Nalaka Weerakkoddy joined the three quarters and 'chipped' the ball into CH "22" but he was obstructed by CH player from advancing. A penalty was awarded and taking a short tap, centre Sajith Mallikarachchi scored by the post. Nalaka Weerakkoddy added the extra points. Kandy led 25-17. This was made 28-17 through a penalty fired by Weerakkoddy. CH came back into the game briefly through a try scored by centre Timoci Vuniyawa when centre Bandaranayake failed to boot the ball. Nalin Dissanayake added the extra points. CH 22-28. In the final minute of play flanker Dilip Selvam broke off a scrum and sped like lightning to score under the post. Nalaka Weerakkoddy added the extra points. Dilroy Fernando refereed. |
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