Eagles humble Thora to reach Super Round
St. Anthony’s College recorded their fourth win of Dialog Schools Rugby League 2023, with a resounding 34-17 win against S. Thomas’ College at Pallekele yesterday, which returned as a triple-treat to their gallant effort. The win, secured with six tries and a bonus point, not only guaranteed their slot in the Super Round of the competition, but also gave them the opportunity to regain the Rev. Fr. Angelo Rosati Memorial Trophy, after a lapse of 12 long years.
The first half of the game was evenly poised as St. Anthony’s managed to take a healthy 10-3 lead by the halftime, but they completed their mission with a tally of six tries and two conversions to the rejoice of their supporters. The Thomians, on the other hand, would have to take the blame on to their own, for not acting more clinical in a crucial game, which could have helped them a passage to the next level, had they won this encounter with a healthy margin. Yet, they managed to score from two converted tries and a penalty.
The start of the game was not propitious for both sides, but the Antonians were more disciplined with their approach and were able to score from two unconverted tries. The first, off a forward move which gave prop Thisara Galanga the opportunity to brace in the 12th minute, followed by a brilliant running try from their playmaker and centre Tyron Mariyadas in the 24th minute. Their abled and dependable skipper Sahan Keerthisiri failed to find his usual form as he missed both conversions and a few penalties that came their way.
Beginning the second half with a buffer of seven points, from their lead of 10-3, St. Anthony’s went on the rampage, forcing the Thomians to defend and commit unaffordable mistakes. On such two occasions the Thomians were humbled by the three-quarter moves – once when Mariyadas breached to run and brace a brilliant try in the 39th minute converted by Keerthisiri, and a similar peach of a try, which went unconverted from winger Roshen Silva, ten minutes later, freshly coming after serving a sin bin.
S. Thomas’ changed their mode from usual to attack through rolling mauls, and their continuous efforts were paid off in the 54th minute after prop Manil Fernando landed for a try. Fullback Yehan Bulathsinhalage, who put over their solitary penalty in the first half, made the conversion as the Thomians made a steady approach still trailing 10-22.
But the Antonians were resolute in their approach and continued to assault the Thomian defence, only to be breached with a forwards’ move, as prop Seduka Atukorale braced a try in the 62nd minute. With Keerthisiri’s conversion they expanded the lead to 29-10.
But the deficit was cut down to 17-29 with five minutes on the clock, after prop Shenal Fernando completed a successful rolling maul for the Thomians, followed by a successful conversion from Bulathsinhalage. The Antonians completed a clean sweep when Keerthisiri stunned the visitors with a brilliant move to score the team’s sixth try, just before referee Ishanka Abeykoon blew the long whistle.