Wesley Storms Into Quarter Finals with Convincing Win Over St. Joseph’s
April 26, 2025
Wesley Storms Into Quarter Finals with Convincing Win Over St. Joseph’s
By Akhlaq Gazzali –
Wesley College delivered a dominant second-half performance to secure a 36-23 victory over St. Joseph’s College, booking their place in the Quarter Finals of the Dialog Schools’ Rugby Knockout Championship.
The game began with promise for the Josephians as Malshan Dewmin slotted an early penalty to capitalize on an offside call against Wesley. Their momentum continued when Vice-Captain Beeshma Jayasekara finished off a well-constructed move initiated by winger Thewan Kithnuka. Although the conversion attempt fell short, St. Joseph’s took an early 8-0 lead.
However, the Josephians’ intensity dipped immediately after, allowing Wesley to hit back. A handling error gave Wesley an opening, and winger Praththana Rodrigo made no mistake, scoring off a slick backline movement. Though the conversion missed, the game tightened up.
Kaizer Lye failed to clear his lines after their score, and the Double Blues paid the price. Beeshma Jayasekara capitalized on the error, adding a second try for the Josephians. This time, Malshan made no mistake with the conversion, extending the Josephians’ lead significantly.
Wesley responded swiftly through Kaveesha Dilhara, who finished off a fluid team move. This time, Abdul Haadhi converted, bringing the score to 12-15. Dewmin then added another penalty to stretch the gap, but Wesley’s Ashen Emmanuel powered over just before the break, cutting the deficit to a single point.
Half Time: Wesley College 17 – St. Joseph’s College 18
The second half belonged entirely to Wesley. Dilhara, in sensational form, acrobatically finished near the touchline to put Wesley ahead for the first time. Though the conversion was missed, the shift in momentum was clear.
St. Joseph’s briefly regained the lead when skipper Janith Marasinghe capitalized on a quick tap to score, making it 22-23. However, a yellow card to Senuja Geeran for a late tackle proved costly for the Josephians.
Wesley capitalized swiftly, with Dilhara crossing the line twice more, sealing both his hat-trick and the match. His third try, a standout effort, underscored Wesley’s attacking flair and control.
Full Time: Wesley College 36 – St. Joseph’s College 23
