Kandy Schools 'Blues' girls champs, Matale 'Golds' and Colombo
'Reds' tie for boys title
by S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports Cor.
HOCKEY: Kandy Schools 'Blues' retained the championship for girls
while the defending champions for boys Matale Schools 'Golds' and
Colombo Schools' 'Reds' were declared joint champions at the 44th Junior
Hockey Nationals organised by the Sri Lanka Schools Hockey Association
and Matale Schools Hockey Association and played at Edward Park, Matale
during the week.
In the championship for girls Kandy Schools 'Blues' scored a hard
fought 2 goals to 1 win over Matale Schools to retain the title for
another year. At half-time Kandy 'Blues' led 1-0.
Kandy Schools 'Blues' after a closely contested opening 20 minutes
scored their first goal in the 22nd minute through skipper and centre
forward Lakmini Wijesundera.
But early in the second half, Matale girls equalised through centre
forward Sandaruwani Jayaratne. With the scores now level both teams were
seen trying hard to obtain the decider which will give them the title.
Kandy Schools 'Blues' kept mounting the pressure on their opponents
defence and were rewarded late in the second half when centre half
Kalpani Dissanayake sent a short pass to skipper and centre forward
Lakmini Wijesundera who scored.
Roshan Hemantha and T. W. Cramer umpired.
In the semi-finals Kandy Schools 'Blues' beat Colombo Schools 'Reds'
2-1 after leading 1-0 at the breather. Kalpani Dissanayake and Kalpani
Herath scored for Kandy Schools 'Blues' while Gayasha Mayadunne scored
for Colombo 'Reds'.
In the second semi final Matale Schools defeated Kandy Schools '
Whites' 1-0 after a scoreless first half. Sandaruwani Jayaratne
scored the winning goal for Matale Schools.
colombo Schools 'Reds' won the Consolation finals by defeating Kandy
Schools 'Whites' 1-0, Sanduni Gamage scored for Colombo Schools 'Reds'.
Boys Championship
Defending champions Matale Schools 'Golds' were hold to a scoreless
draw by Colombo Schools 'Reds' in the final for the championship for
boys. Even ten minutes of extra time failed to break the deadlock. Both
teams were declared joint champion.
Both teams displayed sparkling hockey and a little rough play too was
seen and one of the players from the Matale Schools team was sent off
the field.
Anuruddha Herath and T. Sathis Kumar umpired.
The two semi finals saw Matale Schools 'Golds' defeating Wennappuwe
Schools 2-0 and Colombo Schools 'Reds' trouncing Kandy Schools 'Whites'
5-0. In the losers final Wennappuwe Schools held Kandy Schools 'Whites'
to a scoreless draw and Wannappuwe Schools won 5-2 on penalty strokes.
The President of the Sri Lanka Schools Hockey Association N.
Themiyadasa was the Chief Guest and he distributed the main awards.
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