Three-way tussle for Cup title

Trinity, Kingswood and reigning all-island schools Sevens champs Isipathana are well poised to grab the title this year but only one team will have the privilege to walk away winners when the tournament resumes today at 8.30am at the Royal College Sports Complex in Reid Avenue. Trinity, Kingswood and Isipathana went through their first round matches recording easy wins but will have a tough task when the tournament reaches the knockout stage today.

Yesterday Trinity recorded easy wins against Carey by 54-nil which was the highest winning margin and beat Maliyadeva by 31-7 to qualify for the fourth Cup quarterfinal. They will confront Ananda who beat St. Sebastian’s Kandana narrowly by 12-7 and St. Sylvester’s by a comfortable 24-nil margin.

Kingswood recorded two first round wins beating St. Thomas’ Bandarawela 52-nil and Lumbini 40-nil. They will lock horns with hometown rivals Dharmaraja in the second Cup quarters.

Isipathana with two easy wins against Siri Piyaratana (38-nil) and St. John’s Nugegoda (49-nil) are well set to retain their title. However they will face a tough opponent in St. Joseph’s in the first Cup quarterfinal. The other two teams to qualify for the Cup quarters are Prince of Wales’ and CWW Kannangara MV who created a major upset in the tournament by beating Thurstan by 12-7 after a close tussle.

Today’s match line-up is scheduled as follows: The winners will advance to the next level. Bowl Quarterfinals: 1. Siri Piyaratana vs Dharmapala, 2. St. Aloysius vs St. Thomas’ Bandarawela, 3. Asoka vs Lalith Athulathmudali MV, 4. Carey vs St. Sebastian’s Kandana. Plate Quarterfinals: 1. St. John’s vs Royal Panadura, 2. Nalanda vs Lumbini, 3. Thurstan vs Science, 4. Maliyadeva vs St. Sylvester’s. Cup Qurterfinals: Isipathana vs St. Josephs, 2. Kingswood vs Dharmaraja, 3. CWW vs Prince of Wales’, 4. Trinity vs Ananda

Yesterdays results: St. John’s bt Siri Piyaratana 10-0, Royal Panadura bt Dharmapala 12-5, Nalanda bt St. Aloysius 42-0, Lumbini bt St. Thomas’ Bandarawela 26-0, CWW bt Asoka 38-0, Science bt Lalith Athulathmudali MV 31-0, Maliyadeva bt Carey 26-7, St. Sylvester’s bt St. Sebastian’s Kandana 17-14, Isipathana bt Siri Piyarathana 38-0, St. John’s bt Dharmapala 22-5, Dharmaraja bt St. Aloysius 24-0, Kingswood bt St. Thomas’ Bandarawela 52-0, Thurstan bt Asoka 43-0, Prince of Wales’ bt Lalith Athulathmudali MV 33-14, Trinity bt Maliyadeva 31-7, Ananda bt St. Sebastian’s Kandana 12-7, Isipathana bt St.Jones 49-0, St. Joseph’s bt Royal Panadura 43-7, Dharmaraja bt Nalanda 17-0, Kingswood bt Lumbini 40-0, CWW bt Thurstan 12-7, Prince of Wales bt Science 12-0, Trinity bt Carey 54-0, Ananda beat St. Sylvester’s 24-0.