Wednesday Dec 11, 2024
Saturday, 28 November 2015 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Royal College 1st XI hockey team will play against Kingswood College, Kandy, at the 10th annual encounter for the prestigious Lennie De Silva Memorial Trophy on 28 Saturday at the Astro Turf grounds.
The hosts Royal will defend the trophy after smashing out the Kandy side by 5-0 in last year’s tournament. The Royalists, trained by former Sri Lankan coach Rohan Dissanayake, are expected to finish the season on a high note after already winning all their big matches. Royal defeated Trinity College, Kandy, and Wesley College, Colombo, 9-0 each, while edging out St. Thomas College, Mount Lavinia, 2-1.
The match between the first XI teams will to kick off at 3 pm while the under-15 encounter for the Kathab Roshan Memorial Trophy will kick off at 2pm. The encounter between these two revered schools that have remained in the top flight of hockey is expected to be an entertaining game with a display of great skill and determination.
Lennie de Silva, a sportsman himself, having played cricket, soccer and tennis during his school days at Kingswood and Government Teachers’ Training College, took up the challenge of starting hockey at Royal College in 1955.
Dr. Kathab Roshan was one of the best centre-forwards produced by Royal, who won many district and national trophies for the school during 1991-1995. After having completed his medical degree in Russia, he died in July 2005 due to cancer while working as a post-intern doctor at the age of 29.
Royal lead the tally with 5 against Kingswood’s solitary win. Three games ended in a draw.
The Kingwood team is coached by A.B. Godigamuwa, a former Sri Lankan junior national player. His side has three players who have represented the Sri Lanka Schools Hockey team.
The Royal 1st XI side will be led by junior Sri Lankan national player Malith Rasanga. The Royal team: Malith Rasanga (captain), Imaadh Dole (vice captain), Shaheer Bari, Vindula Jayalath, Nelaka Wedagama, Adeesha Perera, Ranchana Abeyratne, Thineth Karunarathne, Hasanga Liyanagunwardena, Sharunthan Balendran, Anojan Ganeshraja, Furqan Irfan, Sajana de Soyza, Gautham Kiribakaran, Pasindu Charuke, Sachin Dissanayake, Manjitha De Silva, and Sajad Mohammed
The Kingswwod 1st XI team: D. M Elamaldeniya (captain), S.H.B. Rathnayake (v.captain), P.B. Wijerathne, A.H.L. Wickramasiri, S.B.C.S. Ananda, T.V. Bandara, M.Y.M. Rimshan, N.D. Abesooriya, R.K. Kodithuwakku, A.U. Thenabadu, H.R. Sirimanna, A.P.K. Navarathne, Janith Dissanayake, B.K.D.B. Rathnayake