The Hindu : Sport / Football : Indian Bank crowned champion

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 31, 2005

Sport

Sport - Football

Indian Bank crowned champion

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, JAN. 30. Indian Bank survived the spirited efforts of Bangalore DFA XI before making it a 2-0 win in the final of the Don Bosco-Fr. McFerran trophy all-India football tournament at the DBYC Wisdom town on Sunday. The winner received a trophy and Rs. 15,000.

Essentially a collection of players from various city league teams, the Bangalore brigade showed vigour in not letting the Bankmen to settle. Unlucky not to earn a penalty in the first half when Sannath Kumar's dash into the Bank danger zone was baulked with a trip by Noel, the Bangalore team faced further frustration when Sannath again struck the horizontal early in the second session.

With a huge holiday crowd virtually spilling on to the fringes of the ground cheering the action, Indian Bank came into the picture, both through some poor goalkeeping by Bangalore's Shanmuga Ramesh. First he failed to see substitute Amalraj stealing in from far side to allow a lovely low header in and then was foxed by a long ball from Harish that sailed into the cage.

Two blows in the space of a minute (75' and 76') virtually took the wind out of Bangalore's sails. An experienced side, Indian Bank ensured the end phase had no further twists.

Late Fr. McFerran's nephew Denis McFerran distributed the prizes. T.R. Govindarajan, TFA Secretary, was honoured for his services to the game. Other special prizes, all sponsored by COSCO, given away were: best goalkeeper: Edwin (SBI); best defender: Ravanan (Indian Bank), best midfielder: Sannath Kumar (Bangalore DFA), best forward: Raju (Bangalore DFA), best upcoming players: Agenello Baretto (Goa XI) and Shantha Kumar (TFA XI) and top scorer: Harish (Indian Bank) and Thamaraikannan (ADE Bangalore).

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