CHRIS DHAMBARAGE
COLOMBO – The newly crowned Inter-Schools Under-19 ‘A’ Division League champions St. Peter’s College will launch their campaign for the President’s Trophy Knock-Out Tournament with a quarter-final fixture against Trinity College on August 27 at Havelock Park.
The Peterites will be all out to complete a grand double this season and regain the President’s Trophy, which they last won in 2019 by overcoming Wesley College 18-15 in the final played at the Royal College Sports Complex in Colombo.
In fact, St. Peter’s are eying their eighth President’s Trophy Knock-Out Title and will have a psychological advantage having earlier defeated the Trinitians 22-10 in their League Tournament match at the Pallekele Stadium in Kandy.
Meanwhile, the defending champions Isipathana College have received a bye into the semi-finals after the current league runners-up Royal College pulled out from the competition.
Isipathana are the most successful team in this tournament having emerged champions on 11 occasions and they are set to meet the winners of the first quarter-final between D. S. Senanayake and Zahira.
D. S. Senanayake, of course narrowly missed out the chance of playing in the elite League Super Round segment and this time they will be even more determined to make the maximum from this great opportunity.
St. Joseph’s College will look to settle scores with St. Anthony’s College when the two teams clash in the second quarter-final encounter on August 26 at Havelock Park.
The Antonians were able to turn tables on their more fancied opponents by pulling of a morale boosting 22-12 victory in the curtain-raiser match of this year’s league tournament at the Bogambara Stadium in Kandy.
The Antonians went on to finish fourth in the league tournament points table with a tally of 24 points despite losing both games in the Super Round segment while the Joes had to settle with sixth place having collected 19 points.
The two semi-finals are scheduled for September 2 and 3 at Havelock Park and the final will be played on September 10 at the Royal College Sports Complex in Colombo.
(President’s Trophy quarter-finals):
August 25: Isipathana – bye.
August 25: D. S. Senanayake v Zahira at Havelock Park – 4.15 p.m.
August 26: St. Anthony’s v St. Joseph’s at Havelock Park – 4.15 p.m.
August 27: St. Peter’s v Trinity at Havelock Park – 4.15 p.m.
(Semi-finals):
September 2: Isipathana v TBC at Havelock Park.
September 3: TBC v TBC at Havelock Park
(Final):
September 10 at the Royal Sports Complex – 4.15 p.m.
