Nondies silence Quins to set up heated semi-final playoff rematch as Mwamba fail guarantee play off spot with Nakuru loss

KENYA CUP Nondies silence Quins to set up heated semi-final playoff rematch as Mwamba fail guarantee play off spot with Nakuru loss

Mark Kinyanjui 18:13 - 09.03.2024

Nondies beat Quins in the last match of the regular season league action to finish fourth and set up a heated semi-final playoff against the same opponents again next week.

Nondies finished their regular Kenya Cup campaign on a high by getting one over their Ngong Road derby rivals Kenya Harlequin, beating them 25-13  in a clash that took place at the RFUEA Grounds on Saturday afternoon.

Nondies have now finished the league on 30 points and in fifth place, and they will be facing the same opponents next week in a fourth vs fifth semi-final playoff match to determine who will be filling the third of four semi-final slots later in the month.

Nondies took the lead from a penalty taken by Nyaenya Moseti in the fourth minute, but Quins would restore parity through a penalty of their own some 10 minutes later.

Moseti would then score Nondies’ second penalty from three attempts to make it sick in the 23rd minute before Quins restored parity with a penalty of their own.

Paul Mutsami would then land the first try of the match, which was successfully converted to put them into the lead for the first time in the match.

Nondies would however restore parity with a well converted try through substitute Steven right after the break to restore parity. Before Chris Odhiambo added another to make it 18-13 to the visitors’ good.

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Things got from bad to worse for Quins, who conceded a third try through Dominic Osilo which was well converted to make it 25-13.

In the end, Nondies would beat Quins 25-13 and that now sets up a heated semi-final playoff place between both teams at the same venue again next week.

Mwamba fail get it over the line

In the other Kenya Cup clash that took place at the very same RFUEA grounds, Mwamba sweated hard but fell short to Nakuru 20-31 in a tightly contested encounter, and will have to wait to sixth and final semi-final playoff spot.

Nakuru landed the first try through Phillip Okeyo in the 17th minute but the  conversion was short. 

Mwamba reduced the deficit three minutes later from a penalty, before Jenkins Kipruto added a second try of the afternoon, which was well coveted this time to put them 12-3 up.

Kulabu would however score their first try of the afternoon after a good move involved Brian Ayimba passing it to Joel "Boblee" Inzuga who managed to see the ball over the line  Xavier Kipng'etich converted, making the score 12-10 heading into the break.

Mwamba took the lead at the beginning of the second half through a penalty and all they now needed to do was to maintain the lead to get all the three points to secure the sixth and final semi-final playoff berth.

However, Nakuru managed to get another try, which was not successful, to put them 17-13 up. They would however get back infront with a well converted try to make it 20-17.

This did not deter Nakuru, who managed to land a well converted try to put them 24-20 to the good, before Brian Kimani hit the final nail in the coffin with the final well converted try to give them a 31-20 victory.

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