Isipathana College went on the defeat St. Peter’s 34-29 in the Final of the Presidents Trophy Knockout Final, winning the famous Knockout Championship for the 14th time in their history, denying St. Peter’s of a treble in 2024.
Both teams were forces into a few positional switches as injuries seemingly took a tool, however, the teams were raring to go in the crucial final of the Presidents trophy Knockout Championship.
Shahid Zumri, with a bit of a groin strain, missed his first kick at goal, however, his fellow winger Abdulla Aziz made the Peteries pay early on with a try as he calved open the League Champions defence to score the opener of the game.
Shahid Zumri made no mistake from the tee this time around to add the extras and make it a perfect-7. (SPC 00-07 IC)
Moments later Revon Perera made the Isipathana defence as Nimantha Sandeepa saw yellow. The resulting conversion struck the upright as Isipathana continued to lead by 2-points. (SPC 05-07 IC)
Points were coming thick and fast, this time it was the Green Machine wo notched up the next try even though they were at the receiving at on a yellow card a few minutes earlier.
Skipper Nisaja Jayaweera was the man who went through the heart of the Peterite defence as he was too good to be stopped from 5-meters out to score the Green Machine’s second try of the evening. Zumri’s conversion was not on target, however, Isipathana continued to lead. (SPC 05-12 IC)
Both teams traded blows as this time, Ranithu Ridmal barrelled his way over the try line, giving the holders an opportunity to draw level with the conversion.
Draw level they did off the boot of Rahul Peter as he made no mistake from the tee. (SPC 12-12 IC)
Points were scored, tit-for-tat as Nimantha Sandeepa was the man this time around for the Green Machine who assumed kicking duties, to kick over a penalty from right Infront to take the Isipathana lads into a slender lead. (SPC 12-15 IC)
Sandeepa scored a beauty of a try off a sublime cross-kick from Shahid Zumri as he found his man on the wing, diving over after the 35-minute mark.
Zumri failed with the extras, but Isipathana went into the break with a 8-point lead.
Half Time: St. Peter’s 12 (2T 1C) trail Isipathana College 20 (3T 1C 1P)
The second half was pretty much more of the same as both teams traded blows, scoring points at will in a final that captivated the viewers’ attention.
Rahul Peter and Shahid Zumri traded a penalty a piece at the start of the second half, as the Pathana 8-point lead was restored, however, points were plenty full in the game. (SPC 15-23)
St. Peters scored next to cut the deficit to a single point as Pasindu Bandara scored his first of the evening after been set up by Gallage.
The nippy no.9 broke through the heart of the Isipathana defence to drop a pass to Bandara to score for St. Peter’s. Rahul Peters conversion from under the post was good as the match was a single point game. (SPC 22-23 IC)
For the next 7-minutes, it was all Shahid Zumri as he knocked over two penalties off the tee, and scored what was to be the winning try for Isipathana as St. Peter’s were never able to lead in the all-important Final of the Presidents Trophy Knockout Championship 2024. (SPC 22-34)
Pasindu Bandara scored an individual brilliant try for St. Peter’s but it was all in wain as Isipathana hung on to their 5-point lead to hand St. Peter’s their first defeat in 2024, and with it ending their hopes of an unbeaten Treble.
Full Time: St. Peter’s 29 (4T 3C 1P) lost to Isipathana College 34 (4T 1C 4P)
- NDB Player of the Match: Nisaja Jayaweera (IC No. 8)
Points Breakdown:
St. Peter’s – Revon Perera 1T, Ranithu Ridmal 1T, Pasindu Bandara 2T, Rahul Peter 3C 1P
Isipathana – Abdulla Aziz 1T, Nisaja Jayaweera 1T, Nimantha Sandeepa 1T 1P, Shahid Zumri 1T 1C 3P
