Royal retain Orville Abeynaike trophy after beating STC by 1-0

Front row from left: Ashvin Wettasinghe, Anuk Kaveeja, Haazim Dhailamy, Matheesha Wijesekera, Sihath Dassanayake (Captain), Yusuf Shihar, Minol Fernando, Muadh Mueen, Thevjan Weerasekara, and Lithum Karunasiri. 

Back row from left): Rumal Jayasinghe, Stefan Anthonypillai, Senul Liyanage, Ruvi Perera, Akash Dashendra, Aathif Faleel, Rivisha Marambage (Vice-Captain), Kevindu Dharmarathne, Geesath Bathisha, and Nehan Wijesekara 

A penalty corner goal by 15-year old Rumal Jayasinghe helped Royal College, Colombo to emerge champions to beat their arch rivals S. Thomas College, Mount Lavinia in the 23rd annual Royal-Thomian hockey encounter to retain the prestigious Orville Abeynaike trophy held at the STC grounds in Mount Lavinia on 14 September. 

There was no breakthrough in the match played in the host STC’s home ground until the end of the third quarter. But Jayasinghe broke the deadlock and scored the solitary winning goal for the Reid Avenue boys after a rebound for a penalty corner at the second minute of the fourth quarter. 

The STC team played a positive and attacking game, but Royal thwarted all their efforts including the last minute penalty corner in the high intensified game. 

Fresher Jayasinghe was adjudged as the most valuable player for his goal, while 15-year fresher Royal goalkeeper Stefan Antonypillai was awarded the best goal keeper in the senior category. 

With the 1-0 win, Royal College won the Orville Abeynaike trophy eight times while STC has won it 10 times. Five encounters have ended in draw. The event was started in 2000. 

Royal made a clean sweep this year with winning the under-16 encounter for the Chandi Chanmugam Challenge trophy by 2-0 and the under-14 game for Amitha Abeynaike memorial trophy by 2-0. In the old boys category, the over 40 game ended in a 2-2 draw with Royal retaining the trophy while STC old boys won the under-40 game to regain the Nihal Nilaweera Memorial Challenge trophy. 

Royal senior team is coached by former national sticker and Air Force player Damith Panditharathne while the junior teams are coached by Lushantha Perera, a former Anandian who has produced some excellent hockey players in Colombo in the recent past.