Yusuf’s PC goal brings Orville Abeynaike Trophy back to Royal

Underdogs Royal College stunned their arch rivals S’Thomas College, Mount Lavinia when centre forward Yusuf Shihar’s solitary penalty corner goal helped them to win Orville Abeynaike Trophy in their hockey big match on Saturday at Colombo University ground. 

The victory was the first win for Royal in the trophy match for the first time since 2015. 

The Mount Lavinia team was the clear favourites in this year’s 22nd edition of the game after winning their big match against Trinity by 4-2 last week. 

The hosts Royal led by Aakash Wijesekera were surprisingly in control of the game from the first minute, but missed close chances in repeated penalty corners. 

At the 43rd minute, centre forward Yusuf Shihar changed the game with his penalty corner hit. The ball got lofted in his second attempt to the goal to hit the board to give the famous victory for the Reid Avenue team. 

Thomians retained the trophy for the past six years after winning it for the first time in a decade. 

Royal’s centre half Thaveeru Alahakoom was adjudged best player of the game for his consistent and solid defence throughout the game. 

Royal is coached by former Nalandian Insaka Samaranayaka with Former nationals Damith Panditharathne and Shahid Kuthubdeen as his assistants. 

Thomians who are used for speed and better skill hockey found it difficult due to slow conditions at the Colombo University ground. 

The game was at 0-0 at the lemons. 

Thomians got some opportunities in the last quarter including a last minute penalty corner, but Royalists thwarted all the attempts to record the surprising victory. 

Despite the win, S’Thomas leads the tally with 10 wins against Royal’s seven in the trophy starter back in 2000. Five games have ended in draw. 

Abeethe Fernando and Ishara Kulatunga controlled the game. 

In the junior under 16 category, S’Thomas won by 1-0 with Joshua Jayaweera scoring at the start of the game. 

Royal won the over 35 old boys game by 2-1 with Sampath Subasinghe and Manuka Pawan scoring a goal each while Tivanka Wijeratna scored at the last minute in a penalty corner for Thomians. 

The under 35 old boys match for Nihal Nilaweera memorial trophy ended in a 1-1 draw with former Sri Lankan player Shahid Kuthubdeen scoring for Royal and Romesh Nallapperuma scoring for Old Thomians. Royal retailed the trophy.