Airmen ground Soldiers in their own backyard
The Airmen, holding a narrow 15-12 lead at halftime, capitalised on their attacking momentum to clinch the all-important victory, scoring four tries, two conversions and a penalty. The Soldiers fought bravely, responding with three tries and two conversions, but it was not enough to deny the Airmen a memorable triumph.
Air Force made history by finishing among the top four after 13 long years - Pic courtesy ThePapare
Army SC stunned their opponents with an electrifying start, crossing the whitewash in the very first minute. Prop Buddhi Shrimantha bulldozed his way through the Air Force defence to score mid-left, setting the tone for a thrilling encounter. Fullback Isuru Medagedara made no mistake with the conversion, giving Army an early 7-0 lead inside two minutes.
Air Force responded swiftly through their in-form hooker Shamika Kaushan, who powered over for his ninth try of the season, following a well-executed rolling maul from a lineout. However, the conversion attempt was off-target, leaving the score at 7-5 in the 11th minute. Army extended their lead in the 16th minute when flanker Chalika Sandaruwan finished off a swift attacking move. The conversion was missed, but the home side held a solid 12-5 advantage.
Air Force slowly found their rhythm, and fly-half Pramod Padmasanka cut the deficit to 12-8 with a well-taken 22-metre penalty in the 21st minute. The visitors took the lead for the first time in the game just before halftime. Prop forward Nirmal Wickramasinghe crashed over under the posts after a powerful surge on the fringes, and Padmasanka added the extras with his reliable left foot. Air Force headed into the break with a slender 15-12 advantage.
The second half began as a tense arm-wrestle, with neither side managing to break through until Army struck in the 55th minute. Off a brilliant interception, winger Manoj Kumara sprinted down the right flank, outpacing the Air Force defence to score in the corner. Medagedara nailed the difficult conversion, propelling Army to a 19-15 lead by the 58th minute.
Air Force, however, refused to back down. Their forwards continued to dominate, and once again, hooker Shamika Kaushan proved his worth with a crucial try off a driving maul in the 68th minute—his 10th try of the season. Although the conversion was missed, the Airmen reclaimed a narrow 20-19 lead.
With time ticking away, the Airmen delivered the knockout punch in the 76th minute. Winger Darshana Dabare deceived the Army defense with a clever sidestep before grounding the ball mid-right. After a brief consultation with the assistant referee, the try was awarded. Replacement kicker Gayantha Iddamalgoda slotted the conversion, stretching Air Force’s lead to 27-19.
With the final whistle from referee Ishanka Abeykoon, Air Force SC sealed a hard-fought victory, overcoming the home team with an eight-point margin to book their place in the Super Round after 13 years. Their forward dominance, clinical finishing, and tactical discipline proved decisive in this high-stakes encounter.