The 20th edition of the ESU Blue and Gold Hockey 7s Championship 2025, which was organised by Royal College and the Royal College Hockey Union (RCHU), concluded last weekend at the Royal College Hockey Ground. After some scintillating hockey actions, the hill country lions, Trinity College, Kandy, and the sea gulls, Holy Family Convent (HFC), Wennappuwa, were crowned champions.
This year’s tournament marked a significant milestone with a record-breaking school participation of 74 school teams (approximately over 40 boys’ teams and over 30 girls’ teams). After the preliminary round actions, the boys and girls vied for the glory across Cup, Plate, and Bowl championships. Another significance of the tournament is foreign umpires making their debut in a school‑level tournament and also the implementation of a video referral system to enhance the accuracy of the decisions while officiating.
In the boys’ segment, the formidable Trinity College outfit clashed with the defending champions from Matale Hockey Fortress St Thomas College, Matale. The Thomians displayed their flying colours to earn the top place of the group by beating Dharmadutha College – Badulla (1 – 0), Ashoka College – Colombo (2 – 0) and D.S. Senanayake College – Colombo (2 – 0). In the pre-quarter finals they edged out Isipathana College 1 – 0 and later shattered the hope of the cup title of Vidyartha College Kandy with the same margin of goals. In the semifinals the Thomians had a ferocious battle with the hosts, Royal College, and held their nerve to win after a thrilling game with a score of 3 – 2.
In the group stage, Trinity began with a commanding 5 – 0 win over S. Thomas’ College, Matara. But the Trinity lions had a great challenge from Prince of Wales’ College, Moratuwa, and they had to settle with a goalless draw. The team advanced to the pre-quarter-final with a comfortable 3 – 0 victory over Zahira College, Matale.
After a clinical display, Trinity managed to gain a 2 – 0 victory against Kingswood College and walked into the semi-final against Colombo Sporting Powerhouse, St Joseph’s College, Colombo. There was a close tussle which was worth a final between the sides, and after a 1 – 1 draw in regulation time, Trinity held their nerve to win 3 – 2 in the penalty shoot-out.
In the final the defending champions put Trinity under immense pressure, and the game stood goalless at the allotted time period. The first extra time also went without scoring, and Trinity nailed the match-winning goal in the second minute of the second extra time. Matale Thomians tried hard to find an equaliser, and they earned a golden opportunity to score in the final few seconds when the Trinity goalkeeper was out of the goalpost. But the chance went begging along with the hope of the cup title. Trinitians were unshaken and resilient throughout the game against their tough opponent, and finally they edged out S. Thomas’ College, Matale, with a solitary goal to clinch the prestigious Boy’s Cup title at the ESU Blue and Gold Hockey 7s Championship 2025. The champion side was captained by Thakshilan Yogaraja, while Thenuk Ekanayake acted as his deputy.
There was a scintillating encounter for the Bronze medal match of the Boys Cup Segment, between the hosts, Royal College, and St Joseph’s College. The game ended without scoring, and Joes edged out Royal to clinch 3rd place with a 3 – 2 score in the penalty shoot-out.
In the Boys Plate Final, the last time, Cup runners-up Kingswood College outclassed hometown rivals Vidyartha College with a 2 – 0 goal margin. In the Boys Bowl Championship final, the outstation talents from Dharmadhutha College, Badulla, steamrolled the Colombo sharks from St Thomas College, Mt Lavinia, again with a 2 – 0 margin.
Men’s Results Summary
Cup Championship
Champions Trinity College, Kandy
Runner-up St. Thomas’ College, Matale
2nd Runner-up St. Joseph’s College, Maradana
3rd Runner-up Royal College, Colombo
Best Player Nethmina Dharmakirthi (St. Thomas’ College, Matale)
Best Goal Keeper Dushen Gunawardena (Trinity College, Kandy)
Plate Championship
Champions Kingswood College, Kandy
Runner-up Vidyartha College, Kandy
2nd Runner-up Prince of Wales, Moratuwa
Bowl Championship
Champions Dharmadhutha College, Badulla
Runner-up St. Thomas’ College – Mt Lavinia
2nd Runner-up St. Joseph Vaz College, Wennappuwa
Most Popular Boys’ team Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa
In the Girl’s Segment, Holy Family Convent – Wennappuwa and Janadhipathi Balika Vidyalaya, Nawala sealed their spots in the cup final after overcoming the challenges from Seethadevi Balika Vidyalaya – Kandy and Yasodara Balika Vidyalaya, Colombo. The same sides clashed in the finals of the previous edition of the tournament, where Wennappuwa ladies clinched the title. After a closely contested game, Holy Family Convent – Wennappuwa defeated Janadhipathi Balika Vidyalaya with a solitary goal to claim the title for three straight years by stamping their authority in the game.
In the third-place match, the ladies from Hill Capital Seethadevi Balika Vidyalaya and Yasodara Balika Vidyalaya, Colombo, vied for the glory, but both failed to find a goal within the allotted time period. But Seethadevi lasses edged out Yasodhara with a 4 – 3 victory in the penalty shoot-out to clinch the 3rd position.
In the Girl’s Plate Final, Musaeus College successfully handled the challenge from Southern ladies to claim a 3 – 2 victory over Southlands College – Galle at the penalty shoot-out after being tied as 2 all at the full-time whistle. There was also a goalless final in the Bowl Segment, and Panadura Balika Vidyalaya clinched the title by beating Sri Sangamitta Girls National School – Matale with a score of 2 – 1 in the penalty shoot-out.
Women’s Results Summary
Cup Championship
Champion Holy Family Convent – Wennappuwa
Runner-up Janadhipathi Balika Vidyalaya – Nawala
2nd Runner-up Seethadevi Balika Vidyalaya – Kandy
3rd Runner-up Yasodara Balika Vidyalaya – Colombo
Best Player Nethuki Akinsa Fernando (Holy Family Convent – Wennappuwa)
Best Goal Keeper Chamodi Sathsarani (Janadhipathi Balika Vidyalaya – Nawala)
The most impactful player Nethuli Dinethma (Janadhipathi Balika Vidyalaya – Nawala)
Plate Championship
Champion Musaeus College – Colombo
Runner-up Southlands College – Galle
2nd Runner-up Christchurch College – Matale
Bowl Championship
Champions Panadura Balika Vidyalaya
Runner-up Sri Sangamitta Girls National School – Matale
2nd Runner-up Sanghamitta Balika Vidyalaya – Galle
Most Popular Girls’ team Rangiri Dambulla College
Boys’ team captains
Girls’ team captains
, concluded last weekend at the Royal College Hockey Ground. After some scintillating hockey actions, the hill country lions, Trinity College, Kandy, and the sea gulls, Holy Family Convent (HFC), Wennappuwa, were crowned champions.){kind=link}