Trinity College and Wesley College locked horns in their last match of the Cup segment in the Singer Schools Rugby League 2019 at the Sugathadasa Stadium today, 29th June. Both teams were playing for pride as their hopes of a league title were wrecked, Trinity was coming in to the match on the back of two impressive wins and the Double Blues were looking to brush off their shock defeat to Science College last week.
Tharindu Hemal drew first blood for Wesley College through a penalty. The cross breeze at Sugathadasa didn’t seem to affect the fly half as he continued his sublime form. (Trinity 00 – Wesley 03)
As Wesley college came Knocking once more, Samuel Ogbebor was handed a yellow card, against the run of play, at the Trinity red zone for holding onto his tackler. His brain fade released the pressure the Double Blues were mounting on the Trinitians.
Once again Trinity’s indiscipline cost them as they gave away yet another penalty within the range of Tharindu Hemal’s boot and he knocked it down with relative ease. (Trinity 00 – Wesley 06)
To add to the woes of the Lions, Mahdhi Abdulla, Trinity’s prop forward was shown Yellow for a dangerous tackle which further hindered the struggling Lions.
Now playing with a one-man advantage, the Weslyites played some smart and creative rugby in open play that took them within touching distance of the white-line, but some gutsy defending by the Trinitians held them back. Unfazed, Wesley kept piling on the pressure and Jenosha Mendis scored for the Double Blues and Tharindu Hemal converted the try. (Trinity 00 – Wesley 13)
Half Time: Trinity 00 – Wesley 13 (1T, 1C, 2P)
At the start of the second half, both teams were being cautious, not letting the other team get any advantage. But Trinity’s desperation to get points on the board meant that they had to take risks and eventually some mistakes seeped into their game.
Wesley second rower Raveen Fernando made use of a gaping hole in a tiring Trinity defence and at the ensuing breakdown Trinity gave up a penalty. It was that man again, Tharindu Hemal who made no mistake as he slotted in the Penalty. (Trinity 00 – Wesley 16)
Trinity finally got on the scoreboard through replacement prop forward Demien Tennekoon. It was a result of some good work from the Trinity backline. Miranga Subasinghe successfully converted the try and gave Trinity a hope repeating their comeback heroics against S. Thomas’ College. (Trinity 07 – Wesley 16)
Trinity came within inches of scoring another try to make the match a more dramatic one, but it was not to be, as the Double Blues held the force and in the end had the final say in what was a rather one sided contest.
Full Time: Trinity 07 (1T, 1C) – Wesley 16 (1T, 1C, 3P)
- ThePapare Player of the Match: Tharindu Hemal (WESLEY)
Point scorers for Trinity: Demien Tennekoon 1T, Miranga Subasinghe 1C.
Point scorers for Wesley: Tharindu Hemal 3P 1C, Jenosha Mendis 1T.
Cautions and send off’s:
Samuel Ogbebor – Yellow Card – WESLEY
Mahdhi Abdulla – Yellow Card – TRINITY
