Hockey: Unbeaten Lions win inaugural Royal Hockey League

Royal Lions, led by Junior National Tanvir Hallaj, won the inaugural IPL-style Royal Hockey League (RHL) 7-a-side tournament organised by the Royal College Hockey Club (RCHC) and conducted at the Royal College ground over the weekend. 

The inaugural RHL was sponsored by KBSL Information Technologies Ltd. 

Royal Lions, the only unbeaten team from among the 6 teams that contested the League stage, faced Royal Bulls led by Ashen Pieris in the Cup final. in the 3rd minute of the first half, Bulls’ part-time centre forward Manuka Pawan deflected the ball to score a field goal. 

Bulls continued to dominate the game, but Tanvir equalised at the last minute of the 2nd half, to end the final with the scores level at 1-1. 

In the 3-Penalty shootout to decide the winner, Tanvir and centre half Lasitha Manchanayake scored while the Bulls failed to score. 

The Royal Lions were also sponsored by the tournament sponsor, while other teams were sponsored by individual old boys. 

On the way to the finals, Lions beat Royal Wolves 2-0, Royal Tigers 1-0, while drawing with Royal Rhinos 1-1, Royal Bulls 0-0 and Royal Tuskers 0-0. 

Royal Bulls, shockingly, lost its 1st game 3-0 to Royal Tigers, but came back strongly, winning 2 matches and drawing 1 League game, to finish runners-up at the League stage. 

Royal Tigers, led by former Junior National Captain Shahid Hussain Kuthubdeen, and playing without a goalkeeper, won the Plate trophy 2-1 against Royal Tuskers, while Royal Wolves with former National cap Ashok Pieris, won the Bowl championship 2-1 against Royal Rhinos. 

The tournament was the brainchild of former Sri Lanka National coach Rohan Dissanayake, who is the Royal Hockey coach since 1991. 

Tanvir Hallaj was adjudged Player of the Cup final, Shahid Kuthubdeen was adjudged Player of the Plate final and Ashok Pieris was adjudged Player of the Bowl final. 

Shahid Kuthbdeen was adjudged Best Player of the RHL, while Royal Lion’s Shihar Aneez was adjudged Best Goalkeeper. 

Champs Royal Lions from Tanvir Hallaj (captain), Lasitha Manchanayaka, Muditha Weerakkody, Ravi Hettiarachchi, Punsada Aravinda, Mustaq Rumy, Sandun Gajanayake, Hasanga Liyanagunawardena, Shihar Aneez, and Silmy Ahamed. 

Runners-up Royal Bulls from Ashen Pieris (captain), Nelaka Wedagama, Pasindu Charaka, Senith Gajanayake, Praveen Buddhika, Aslam Assen, Manuka Pawan, M. Ananthevel, and Thushara Weliwatta. 

The maiden IPL-style Hockey tournament in Sri Lanka saw a large number of past Royalists turning up to help the current school players. Players were aged 20-56 years.