St. Anthony’s College secured a hard-fought 21-19 victory over D.S. Senanayake College in a high-intensity encounter at the Trinity College Grounds in Pallekele. In a match defined by tactical set-pieces and a dramatic second-half surge, the Eagles managed to hold off a late charge from the Dons to claim a narrow win on home turf.
The contest began under a gray sky, with the boys in the gold outfit kicking off with intent. However, the rhythm was quickly disrupted just four minutes in when rain forced a temporary halt to the game. Once play resumed, the slippery conditions at Pallekele became a central character, leading to a series of handling errors and strategic kicking battles.
The tension boiled over in the 20th minute when the referee issued yellow cards to both sides, momentarily reducing the teams to 14 men and leaving the Dons to lose their tactical advantage. St. Anthony’s was the first to adapt; following a lineout deep in DS territory and a mistake by a Senanayake defender, Yohan Gunawardena pounced on a loose ball to touch down for the first Amana Bank try of the afternoon. Daham Perera remained composed to slot the conversion, giving the Eagles a clinical cushion as they headed into the interval. (SACK 07 – 00 DS).
Half Time: St. Anthony’s College 07 (1T, 1C) – 00 D.S. Senanayake College
The second half saw a significant shift in momentum as D.S. Senanayake began to exert sustained pressure near the Antonian try line. In the 48th minute, after a series of grueling phases, right lock Thimath Bogahawatta powered through for a battling try. Fullback Chamith Samarasinghe stepped up to strike a clinical “gold” conversion, leveling the scores and igniting the vocal traveling support. (SACK 07 – 07 DS).
Refusing to be rattled, St. Anthony’s responded with a display of raw power in the 53rd minute. Following a scrum near the whitewash, tight-head prop Shevin Nethsara forced his way over for the Eagles’ second try. Bineru Vithanage added the extras to restore the lead. (SACK 14 – 07 DS). The momentum then surged firmly toward the hosts when Resandu Bandara produced a moment of individual brilliance, catching a ball mid-air and sprinting under the posts for a spectacular try. Another successful conversion by Vithanage seemed to have put the game out of reach. (SACK 21 – 07 DS).
The final ten minutes were nothing short of chaotic as D.S. Senanayake launched a desperate offensive. In the 62nd minute, Shevin Nethsara crossed for the Dons’ second try to bring them back within striking distance, though the conversion attempt went wide. (SACK 21 – 12 DS). The drama reached a fever pitch in the final seconds when St. Anthony’s influential scrum-half Shaun Emmanuel was forced off with an injury. Sensing an opening, the Dons won a late scrum and executed a perfect cross-kick move to score a stunning third try. With the successful conversion following the final try, the gap closed to just two points. Despite the late heroics from the DS lads, time finally ran out, leaving St. Anthony’s to celebrate a slim but vital victory. (SACK 21 – 19 DS).
Full Time: St. Anthony’s College 21 (3T, 3C) – 19 (3T, 2C) D.S. Senanayake College
- Swisstek Perfect Player of the Match: Shaun Emmanuel (SACK)
Points Breakdown
St. Anthony’s College – 21
Yohan Gunawardena – 1T, Shevin Nethsara – 1T, Resandu Bandara – 1T, Bineru Vithanage – 2C, Daham Perera – 1C
D.S. Senanayake College – 19
Thimath Bogahawatta – 1T, Shevin Nethsara – 1T, Chamith Samarasinghe – 1C, 1T, 1C
