Pushpadana clinch Cup Championship

S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports Correspondent

Pushpadana Girls College 'Golds' put up a fine display to win the Cup Championship and the National Games Champions Musaeus College lifted Plate Championship in the championship for girls while Vijaya College Matale pocketed the Cup championship for boys and Christ Church College, Matale the plate championship in the segment for boys at the all island school boys and girls under 19 six-a-side hockey tournament organised by the Old Girls Association of Pushpadana Girls College at the Asgiriya Cricket Stadium, Kandy.

Pushpadana Girls College who became cup champions at the recently concluded Royal College 'Blue and Gold Sevens' last week continued from where they left by winning the Cup championship by defeating Sangamitta Balika Vidyalaya, Matale by the slender margin of 1-0 in a game which could have gone either way.

The first half proved to be a hotly contested affair despite the wet ground conditions with little pools of water in several places. But both teams were not discouraged by this condition and put out their best. After a blank first half, almost in the final minute of the game Pushpadana's centre half Ahimsa Nirmani created an opening and sent a short pass to centre forward Jeewanthi Jayaratne who sounded the boards and soon after which the final whistle was blown.

Ahimsa Nirmani was adjudged the Best Player of the Tournament. Mangala Karunaratne and D.J. Prakash umpired.

Musaeus College, Colombo continued their run of success in hockey by winning the Plate championship for girls after defeating Pushpadana College 'Maroons' 1-0 in the finals. In the Cup semi finals which preceded the Plate finals Sangamitta Balika Vidyalaya beat Pushpadana Girls College 'Maroons' 1-0 while the ultimate champions Pushpadana 'Golds' edged out Musaeus College 1-0 in a thriller. The losers putting up a brave fight before going down.

Seetha Devi Girls College won the Bowl Championship by defeating their home town rivals St. Anthony's Girls College 2-0 after leading 1-0 at Lemons. In the semi finals Seetha Devi beat Girls High school 3-1 and St. Anthony's Girls College beat Vijaya College 2-0.

Championship for boys

Vijaya College, Matale, who are going through one of their finest seasons having earlier this month won the National Games School hockey title once again sparkled by winning the Cup championship after defeating Kingswood College 3-1 in the finals. At half time Vijaya College were in command leading 2-0.

Goal scorers for Vijaya College were Buddhika Peiris (1), Malinga Bandara (1), and Sithum Manjula (1). For Kingswood S.H.B. Ratnayake sounded the boards.

Malinga Bandara of Vijaya College was the Best Player of the Tournament.

In the Cup semi-finals Kingswood College beat Ananda College 1-0 and Vijaya College overcame a lot of resistance before defeating Christ Church College, Matale 2-1.

Having lost the race for the Cup by a slender margin Christ Church College came back with vengeance to trounce Ananda College 5-0 to wrest the Plate championship.

St. Sylvester's College won the Bowl championship by defeating Trinity College 2-1 on penalty strokes after the match ended in a scoreless draw.