Brilliant scrum-half Heshan Jansen scored a game changing try in stoppage time with scores at 34-33, as Kandy SC withstood a fierce challenge from CR and FC, to win 41-33, in a pulsating Inter-Club Clifford Cup Knockout final at Nittawela yesterday (6).
With this stirring victory last evening, Kandy SC also reclaimed the Clifford Cup for the first time in seven years, as they clinched the double to back up their outstanding league championship success, with an unbeaten run.
It was also their 22nd knockout title overall, to underline their dominance in the domestic club circuit, but CR deserve kudos for the fight shown on the day, despite overwhelming odds stacked against them.
CR trailing 17-14 at half time, came out with all guns blazing in the second half to go toe-to-toe with their hosts, but the latter held on grimly and with Jansen’s opportunistic score, got over the line, in a cliffhanger of a knockout final.
Kandy scored from five converted tries and two penalty goals, to which CR replied with four converted tries and a try, in a game where no quarter was asked or none given, but the experience of the home team saw them pull through.
For the unbeaten champions, inside centre Diluksha Dange, fly-half Nigel Ratwatte, hooker Kenula Hettiarachchi, replacement hooker Dilshad Fareed and scrum-half Heshan Jansen, were the scorers.
Ratwatte who was sin binned in the 69th minute, signed off in style, in his final local club fixture with a personal haul of 19 points, which consisted of a converted try, three conversions and two penalty goals, for his all-conquering outfit. Replacement back Shahid Zumri also had a conversion.
For the men from Longden Place, tireless backrow forward Omalka Guneratne stood out as usual with a brace, while left-wing Chamod Muthunayake, full back Mursheed Dorai and substitute back Manilka Ruberu crossed the whitewash. Dorai also added a haul of 13 points via a converted try and three conversions.
The visitors to their credit matched the league champions from kick off to full time and at several stages of the match it turned out to be a one-point game.
But, in the end CR went down fighting as the hosts egged on by a partisan crowd sealed the deal at the death.
Kandy drew first blood in the third minute, when lock Thilina Bandara having charged down a clearance kick off a CR player, having gathered the ball passed it to inside centre Dange to cross over and with retiring first five eighth Ratwatte’s extras led 7-0.
Five minutes later KSC increased the lead to 10-0, when Ratwatte nailed a regulation penalty, after which CR grabbed their first try in the 18th minute through left wing Munasinghe, who crashed over brushing aside at least five defenders.
With full back Dorai’s conversion CR trailed 10-7 and in the 23rd minute, with flanker Gunaratne’s first try, which ensued off a rolling maul and with Dorai’s conversion, the visitors edged ahead 14-10.
KSC then hit back three minutes later, when Ratwatte powered over from a sizzling run and with his conversion, the former retook the lead 17-14.
Following the turnaround, Kandy dumped three converted tries and a penalty, as opposed to two converted tries and a try, in a match that went down to the wire.
For the home-side hooker Hettiarachchi (42nd minute), replacement hooker Fareed (73rd minute) and half-back Jansen in stoppage time, dotted down respectively, while Ratwatte fired a 52nd minute penalty to keep their noses in front throughout.
For the red shirts, impressive flanker Guneratne (46th minute), full back Dorai (54th minute) and substitute back Ruberu (two minutes from full time), had a touch down each in the second half with Dorai converting two of those.
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