DSS blunder gives Zahira ticket to the semis

By M. Shamil Amit

Zahira College turned the tables over fancied D.S. Senanayake College in the quarter final encounter of Dialog Schools rugby tournament played at Havelock Park as they came out victorious with a thrilling 15 points to 13 win which ensured them a semi-final berth.

Zahira trailed 7-8 at the breather accumulating their points through a goal, a penalty and a try to the two tries and a penalty scored by DSS.

It was the blunder of a DSS player that turned the game in favour of Zahira, who missed a 55-metre penalty which was taken by Ahmed Saad, who incidentally turned into their hero as he scored ten points of the 15 scored by Zahira.

A knock-on from a 55-metre penalty four minutes from the long whistle which Saad in a do or die effort fell short turned the game in favour of Zahira. 

The five-metre scrum which followed saw the two sides battling out for the ball which ultimately ended in a penalty being offered to Zahira for an infringement right opposite the posts.

This time Saad made no mistake which ensured them vicory and with that saw them advancing to the semi finals.

In the first half it was DSS who made first scoring in the 12th minute from a penalty booted over by skipper Jayathu Rajaratne but Zahira came back with vengeance nine minutes later to take over the lead through a try scored by Shameer Riyaz.

From there on the sides shared the honours but DSS struck back and succeeded to surge ahead from an unconverted try by Nadil Paranamana which stood the score 8-7 at lemons.

On resumption it was another closely contested affair and it took as long as 27 minutes for the first scoring to be done which was by DSS from an unconverted try scored by C. Perera. 

Zahira undeterred gave their opponents some torrid moments and they succeeded with Saad going over for a left corner flag try but he was able to boot over the difficult conversion.

He made amends by booting over the penalty in the dying stages for Zahira to come out victorious.

Zahira are qualifying to the schools knockout semi final after a lapse of 36 years with the last being in 1987 when it was played for the Premadasa Trophy.

Meanwhile in the two quarter finals of the lower division saw Piliyandala Central beat Lumbini MV 32-29 in the Premier Trophy and Lalith Athulathmudali MV overcoming Richmond 18-3 in the Chairman’s Trophy

Referee – Asanka Weranga