Royal overcome early hicup: beat Isipathana to take Cup C'ship

S. M. Jiffrey ABDEEN - Kandy Sports Corr.

Royal College won the Cup Championship while S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia the Plate Championship and Kingwood College. Bowl Championship at the All Island Schools Division One under-16 rugby tournament organised by the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association played at the Bogambara Stadium, Kandy yesterday.

In the cup finals Royal College staged a magnificent recovery to beat Isipathana College by 13 points (1 goal, 1 penalty, 1 drop goal) to 5 (1 try). At half time Isipathana led 5-3.

Isipathana ran into an early lead when full back Pabasara Madawa with a penetrating run scored mid left which went unconverted.

Royal reduced the lead shortly afterwards when Skipper and stand off Rimze Jamaldeen converted 35 metre penalty.

After the sides changed ends, the Royalists took over the lead when stand off Rimze Jamaldeen executed a 30-metre drop goal.

Just before the final blast Royal put the issue beyond doubt when prop forward Ashan Bandara scored far left and Rimze Jamaldeen added the extra points.

Y.M.S. Ratnayake refereed.

In the semi-finals Royal squeezed through to a 8-7 win over St. Anthony's College and Isipathana beat Dharmaraja 7-0.

In the cup quarter final Royal beat Science College 14-7, St. Anthony's beat St. Peter's 5-3, Dharmaraja beat Vidyartha 8-0, Isipathana beat St. Sylvester's 19-0.

Plate Championship St. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia lifted the Plate Championship with a 19 points (1 goal, 2 tries) to 7 (1 goal) win over Mahanama College.

At half time the scores stood level at 7-all.

In the semi finals, St. Thomas' College beat Trinity College by the toss of a coin after the match ended in a 12-all draw. Extra time did not produce a result and even penalty kicks did not break the deadlock.

In the second semi final Mahanama College held C. W. W. Kannangara Vidyalaya to a scoreless draw. Here again Mahanama were through to the finals by the toss of a coin after extra time and penalty kicks at goal did not break the impasse.

In the quarter finals Trinity beat St. Joseph's 7-5, S. Thomas' beat Thurstan 10-0, Mahanama beat St. Thomas' prep 15-0, C. W. W. Kannangara Vidyalaya beat Royal Panadura 7-0.

Bowl Championship

Kingswood won the Bowl Championship by defeating Ananda College 12 points (1 goal, 1 try) to nil in the finals.

At half time Kingswood led 5-0.

In the semi finals Ananda beat St. Benedict's 15-0, and Kingswood beat Prince of Wales 19-0.