In a mind-boggling decision the Sri Lanka Schools’ Football Association (SLSFA) has demoted 11 schools, which has left the 2016 All Island Schools’ Football U19 Division I Championship with only 14 schools.

The All Island Schools’ Football U19 Division I Championship is the main event of Sri Lanka Schools’ Football Association and will commence from the 2nd week of October.

The SLSFA has demoted 10 of the 24 schools from Division I to Division II, which includes big names like De Mazenod College and St. Mary’s College, Negombo; St. Mary’s College were runner-up in the 2014 championship.

“We demoted these schools according to performance as well as some teams didn’t play some of their allotted matches. So it is unfair when other teams play all their matches. That is why we have taken a strong decision on this,” Secretary of SLSFA Nalaka Dissanayake said exclusively to ThePapare.com.

The demoted schools are D.S. Senanayake College (Colombo), Zahira College (Mawanella), Wesley College (Colombo), Dharmaraja College (Kandy), St. Mary’s College (Negombo), S. Thomas’ College (Matara), De Mazenod College (Kandana), Hindu College (Colombo), St. Mary’s College (Chilaw), Nalanda College (Colombo), St. Mary’s College (Kegalle)

Maris Stella College were the 2015 champions while Hameed Al Husseinie College were the runner-up. Last year’s division II champions Royal College has been promoted to the top division.

The 14 teams has been draw into two groups of 7.

Reigning champs Maris Stella College heads group A which includes St. Sebastian’s College (Katuneriya), St. Joseph’s College, Isipathana College, Kingswood College, Wickramabahu College (Gampola) and St. Benedict’s College.

Perennial rivals Hameed Al Husseinie College and Zahira College are drawn in group B, which also includes St. Peter’s College, Royal College, Holy Cross College (Kalutara), Lumbini College and Ananda College.

The group stage matches are scheduled to take place between the 12th of October and 11th of November. The champion team and runner up team of both groups will qualify for the semi-finals planned to be held on the 3rd of December.

The 14 teams are all pretty big names in the schools’ football arena so expect to see some intense action over the next couple of months.

Group A – Maris Stella College, St. Sebastian’s College (Katuneriya), St. Joseph’s College, Isipathana College, Kingswood College, Wickramabahu College (Gampola), St. Benedict’s College.

Group B – Hameed Al Husseinie College, Zahira College, St. Peter’s College, Royal College, Holy Cross College (Kalutara), Lumbini College, Ananda College.

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