Hockey: Thomians clinch Ranil Abeynaike Memorial Trophy

S. Thomas' College annexed the inaugural Ranil Abeynaike Memorial Hockey Trophy with an easy 4-0 win over St. Peter's College at the Astro Turf at Torrington in Colombo today (25). 

The late Abeynaike was an outstanding hockey player captained at S. Thomas' and was a member of the Sri Lanka schools Under-19 squad. 

The game was more on the slow side in the first half as both sides made some moves but lacked finishing touches to go into the lead. 

The Thomian forwards playing a speedy game gave a tough time for the Peterite back division. 

It was Thomian Ashwin Ellepola was to sound the board in the first half making a fine drive to the Peterite goal. 

S. Thomas' led 1-0 in the first half. 

It was different set of Thomians in the second half. 

Their forwards gathered momentum and kept on invading the Peterite territory on and off and in the 32nd minute of the second half S. Wanigasooriya put the school by the sea ahead to score a well controlled goal. 

Eleven minute later Yuvin Gunawardene made a powerful drive to take the Thomians to a 3-0 lead. 

In the closing stage of the game in the 60th minute Ashwin Ellepola brought the start he gave to a close scoring the fourth goal for the Thomians to walk away with the Ranil Abeynaike Hockey trophy which was awarded by the Chief Guest Saradha De Silva who led the STC Hockey team in 1974. 

Peterite Old Boys trounced the Thomian Old Boys 3-0 to emerge winners of the trophy presented by Michael Elias, the first hockey captain of St. Peter's College.