Dialog Schools Knockout Semi Final: Zumri’s extra time try steers Isipathana to final

Action from the match (Pix by Kushan Pathiraja) 

By M. Shamil Amit 
Isipathana prevailed against S. Thomas’ in the second semi-final of the Dialog Schools knockout tournament played at the Royal Sports Complex ground yesterday, with the match ending on 20 points each at the end of full time, which left the ultimate result to be decided on the ten-minute extra time.

With supporters of the two sides being kept on the edge, it was Isipathana’s star player and fly half Shaahid Zumri who sent his supporters wild as his try in the dying stages of the first five minutes of extra time sealed the game for them to book the berth to the final.

However, credit cannot be taken away from the Thomians, who gave the Pathanas some anxious moments, and in fact, they dominated proceedings in the first half to lead 10-7 at the breather.

With two sides ending the full time on 20 each, with the Thomians accumulating their points through two goals and two penalties while the Pathanas made up their points from a goal, two tries, and a penalty.

The first session was a closely contested affair. Though the Pathanas drew first blood in the eighth minute off a try by centre Abdullah Faizer and fly half Shaahid Zumri booting over the conversion, it was the Thomians who dominated proceedings from there on.

Thomians skipper and fly half Yehan Bulathsinghalage, who has been in top form this season and who has turned out to be a reliable place kicker, made no mistake with the penalty that was offered in the 30th minute to help his side reduce the deficit.

The Thomians had their opponents on defence, and in the last stages of this session they succeeded in breaching the Pathana defence with second-row creeping through for a try off a five-metre scrum, and with skipper Bulathsinghalage adding the extra points, saw the Thomians go into lemons with a three-point lead 10-7.

The resumption saw going ahead in the fifth minute, with centre Udan Bulathsinghalage going over for a try and his elder brother and skipper Yehan adding the extra points. Six minutes later, Isipathana reduced their deficit of ten points, with second-row Nimantha Sandeepa going over for an unconverted try. The Thomians stretched their lead with Bulathsinghalage booting over a penalty in the 16th minute for them to lead 20-12.

A penalty booted over by Isipathana’s Nimantha Sandeepa in the 19th minute saw them reduce the deficit to five points, and from there on it was a tussle for the ball, which saw the game turning rough with a Thomian player being sin-binned. Isipathana taking advantage of the lapse went helter skelter and had the Thomians on defence, but they succeeded to make it quits in the dying stages with winger Kaveen Tharusha blazing away off a scrummage for a right corner flag try, and with the conversion being kicked astray saw the long whistle being blow with the score on 20 each that ended with Shaahid Zumri, who in fact was a marked man, squeezing through for the match-winning try that ended in a thrilling 25-20 win for Isipathana.