In a Week 2 clash of the Dialog Schools Rugby League 2023, D. S. Senanayake College overcame the home team St. Anthony’s College 23-19, at the Trinity College Rugby Stadium in Pallekele.
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The first 15 minutes of the game did not produce a single scoring opportunity for both sides. The deadlock was finally broken by the Donz winger Janidu Wijerathna, who scored the first try of the game. They were, unfortunately, unable to add the two extra points as the fly-half missed the conversion. (DSS 05 – 00 SACK)
The Eagles then managed to hit back with a try as their wing Roshen Kumara countered with a try of his own to level the scores. However, Sahan Keerthisiri missed the conversion to keep the scores level. (DSS 05 – 05 SACK)
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Just a few minutes before the halftime break, St. Anthony’s conceded a penalty near their own 22m line and the Donz skipper opted to go for the 3 points, and Shehanda Umagiliyage provided them with a good kick. With these 3 points, D. S. Senanayake College managed to go into half-time being in the lead. (DSS 08 – 05 SACK)
The first try of the second half was scored by the Donz to extend their lead as winger Wijerathna found the whitewash for his second try in the game. This time, Umagiliyage was successful in adding the extra points which meant the Eagles were down by two scores. (DSS 15 – 05 SACK)
A few minutes later, Kumara repeated what his counterpart Wijerathna did as he touched down inside the try line for a second time to give some hope back to the Eagles. The conversion also went through this time when Keerthisiri’s boot managed to find the distance and the direction from the right corner of the field. (DSS 15 – 12 SACK)
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However, the momentum that the Eagles found did not last long as they conceded a penalty once again in the kickable distance, which the Donz fly half Umagiliyage kicked through to extend their lead to 6 points. (DSS 18 – 12 SACK)
Around 5 minutes before the final whistle, the Anthonian Skipper Keerthisiri scored a decisive try and kicked the conversion through as the crowd went absolutely berserk, giving the home team a slight 1-point lead. (DSS 18 – 19 SACK)
The joy of taking the lead did not last long for the Eagles as Wijerathna, who stole the ball from their own 22m, ran all the way toward the try line amidst a valiant effort by Keerthisiri to break all the hearts of the Anthonian supporters, as a win was snatched away from them at the last minute.
Although the conversion did not go through, the Eagles did not have enough time to find another scoring opportunity as the final whistle blew, giving Donz a fascinating win to mark their return to the top segment of the Dialog Schools Rugby League. (DS 23 – 19 SACK)
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Full Time: D. S. Senanayake College 23 (3T,1C,2P) beat St. Anthony’s College 19 (3T,2C)
NDB Player of the Match – Janidu Wijerathna (D.S Senanayake College)
Points Breakdown:
D. S. Senanayake College: Janidu Wijerathna 3T, S. Umagiliyage 1C 2P
St. Anthony’s College: Sahan Keerthisiri 1T 2C, Roshen Kumara 2T
