All Island Schools Tournament:

Visakha clinch Under-17 hockey title

SM Jiffrey ABDEEN, Kandy Sports Correspondent

Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo became champions at the All Island Schools Girls Under-17 Hockey Tournament organized by the Sri Lanka Schools Hockey Association when they beat President's College, Nawala 2-1 in a thriller played at the Nandimithra Ekanayake International Hockey Stadium in Matale on Sunday. At half time the scores stood deadlocked at one all.

Before the commencement of the finals the teams were introduced to the chief guest Suresh Ediriweera and Guest of Honour and former Sri Lanka hockey captain M Mulaffer.

The game was barely six minutes old when Visakha Vidylaya's centre forward and skipper Maneesha Welaratne dribbled into semi circle and drove the ball to beat the opponents custodian for her side to take the lead.

But in the 10th minute President's College equalize when centre half Shakila Erandi made a long hit which was collected by right extreme Tilini Sheruka who drove the ball to sound the boards.

After lemons both teams tried hard to obtain the decider but their defence held.

With 10 minutes from the end Visakha Vidyalaya's centre forward Madanayake struck gold when she scored off a pass she received from Malathi Paranagama.

President's College could have equalized again but they missed a of a goal when their centre forward Chathurangani Prabashini took play into the semi circle and succeeded in beating the custodian and with the goal post staring at her, she surprising hit the ball away from target.

Sanath Jayasinghe and Mangala Karunaratne umpired.

Last year's joint champion Seetha Devi Balika Vidyalaya clinched the third place by defeating St Anthony's Girls College, Kandy 3-2 on penalty strokes at Edward Park.

The scores at the end of full time stood at one all. Samadara Chandrika scored for Seetha Devi and Keshani Herath for St Anthony's Girls College.

In the semi-finals Rajagiriya President's College beat Seetha Devi BV 2-1 on penalty strokes after the match ended in a one all draw.

In the second semi-final Visakha Vidyalaya beat St Anthony's Girls College 1-0 with centre half Indeesha Senerath scoring the solitary goal in the match.

In the run up to the finals Visakha Vidyalaya beat Bishop's College 5-0 beat Christ Church College 1-0, beat Museaus College 5-0, to end up as Group 'B' champions.

President's College, Nawala in their run up to the finals beat St Anthony's Girls College 2-0, beat Girls High Schools, Kandy 4-0, beat Sangamitta Balika Vidyalaya, Matale 7-0 and Sangamitta BV, Galle 2-0.