Trinity College won their annual Bradby Shield rugby match for the first time in ten years as they beat Royal College 25-23 at Pallekele yesterday.
Royal led 20-13 at half time but the most exciting moments of the match was played out in the final five minutes of play when Trinity’s fullback Shan Althaf with his golden boot put his team ahead with a penalty making the scores 22-20.
But Royal’s Nabeel Yahiya put his team back in the match with a crucial penalty two minutes later making the scores 23-22 and just when it looked like Trinity were down and out the unthinkable happened. With just seconds left Royal were penalized for killing the ball in a ruck and Trinity taking the do or die chance decided on the kick at goal and Althaf with his golden boot landed the penalty from the half way mark to seal a famous win 25-23. It marked the first time in 10 years that Trinity won the Bradby Shield having last triumphed in 2014.
Until the last five minutes it was Royal that looked like winning. They took a half time lead of 20-13 when Ayesh Shiram crossed the line to score and Idris Farouk made the conversion after Trinity’s Yaddalige touched town for Althaf to convert that drew level 13-13 at one stage in the first half.
