Trinity wins second leg

Sixteen-year-old’s last minute penalty helps Royal retain Bradby Shield :

Royal College staged a spectacular fight back where their 16-year-old full back Ovin Askey put over a spectacular 30-metre corner flag penalty to help them retain the Bradby Shield for yet another year.

The second leg was won by Trinity College by a thrilling 18 points (2 tries, 1 conversion, 2 penalties) to 13 (1 try, 1 conversion, 2 penalties) in the 72nd Bradby Shield clash between the two schools played at the Trinity Sports Complex in Pallekelle, Kandy yesterday, but the overall aggregate of 35 each meant that Royal kept the trophy at Reid Avenue. At half time Royal led 10-5.

The match got off to a cracking start with both teams battling it out for supremacy. Royal drew first blood when off a famous rolling maul their tight headed prop forward Ayesh Maduranga barged over for a brilliant try. Askey made the conversion to take the lead 7-0. Soon after Royal increased their lead to 10-0 with a 30-metre penalty put over by Askey. 

Just on the stroke of half time Trinity opened scoring when off a sweeping three quarter move the ball changed several hands on to speedy centre Sanjana Sanghasinghe who dummied his way over for a superb try. Fly half Lashan Wijesuriya missed the conversion and the Royal lead was cut down to 10-5 which was the score at half time.

After the resumption Trinity scored through a rolling maul when their number eight Shalindra Alahakoon collected the ball and crashed through for a try. Wijesuriya made the difficult conversion to put Trinity ahead 12-10 for the first time.

Trinity was awarded a penalty and fly half Wijesuriya fired across a neat 30 metre penalty to increase their lead to 15-10.

Fly half Wijesuriya put over another penalty and Trinity went further ahead and the score read 18-10 in favour of Trinity.

Royal who had a spectacular game virtually created an unbelievable draw (total aggregate in both legs) when in the very last minute of the game they were awarded a difficult 30-metre corner flag penalty by the referee Rankothge and Askey not showing any nerves for one so young took on the pressure well to send the ball sailing over the cross bar much to the relief of the Royalists. (WAI)  

Did Trinity forget the Bradby rules

When Royal captain Nikila Gunadheera was presented with the Bradby Shield at the end of the second leg at Pallekele yesterday, members of the Trinity College team it is alleged had tried to grab the shield from him.

However the members of the Royal team came to the aid of their captain and prevented the Trinitians from doing so. In the ensuing melee a fight broke out amongst the two schools and it later spread involving spectators as well.

It was later learnt from a reliable source that was present at the scene that in the event the aggregate score was tied the Bradby Shield remained with the present holders. In this case it was Royal who had won it last year. It seemed that the Trinity boys were not educated on the rules of the Bradby and thought the shield was to be shared by both schools. (WAI)