Southern Railway Push IOB to Shoot-Out, but Bankers Hold Nerve in TPL 3.0 Super6 Thriller

TPL super 6: IOB Vs Southern Railway

Match No. 8 – Super Six

24/08/2025 – 16:00 HRS

Indian Overseas Bank vs Southern Railway

📍 Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium, Egmore

📡 Live on i1Sports YouTube | 🎙 Commentary: Ritish & Nandha

📝 Summary & Analysis

1st Quarter:

Both teams began brightly, trading attacks and earning early penalty corners, but defences held firm. Score 0–0.

2nd Quarter:

Southern Railway seized momentum. Off a well-earned penalty corner, Dinesh Kumar C converted cleanly to break the deadlock. (IOB 0 – 1 SRly)

3rd Quarter:

IOB found their reply. After sustained pressure, Patras Tirkey drilled home from a penalty corner to level the scores. (IOB 1 – 1 SRly)

4th Quarter:

The game turned into a battle of nerves. Both sides fought for the winner, but keepers Dilip Kumar (IOB) and Dinakaran (SRly) stood tall. No goals added. (Final time: IOB 1 – 1 SRly)

Southern Railway’s old war horses showed their class today, stabilising the game’s tempo with calmness and control. Veteran Praveen marshalled the lines, while full-back Iyappan was a stand-out. Dinesh Kumar was clinical in his long-range passes, repeatedly splitting IOB’s midfield, but the Railway forwards often lacked support. Shanmugam found himself isolated on several occasions, with Harjeet Singh and Somaiah battling hard but struggling against a rock-solid Muthuselvan at the heart of IOB’s defence.

For Indian Overseas Bank, this was their dullest outing of the league so far. The usual penetration lacked intensity, their circle entries carried little conviction, and even the heartthrob of the IOB fans, Senthil Kumar, underperformed.

Despite this, the game was finely poised throughout. Southern Railway showed composure and class, but IOB walked away with what felt like a lucky bonus point, courtesy of the shoot-out.

📌 Result: Indian Overseas Bank win shoot-out 4–3.

Points: IOB = 2 (1 for draw + 1 for shoot-out win) | SRly = 1.

👥 Teams

Southern Railway

Suresh M.G (GK), Goutham L, Iyappan, Ramesh V, Janu J, Mahendra Singh M, Dinesh Kumar C, Suresh Kumar G, N. Suresh, Shanmugam P, Manoj S (C), Sethu Pandian, Praveen B, Harjeet Singh, Rakesh, Somaiah, Naveen Kumar, Dinakaran V (GK)

Coach: T. Charles Dixon | Manager: Senthilnathan

Indian Overseas Bank (IOB)

Dilip Kumar (GK), Ashik N.R, Arul Stalin David, S.M. Rafeeq, Sumit Kindo, B.N. Chelsea Madappa, M. Ajith Kumar, Amerdeep Ekka, Mangal Kispotta, D. Muthu Selvan, Vinod Rayar, K.H. Shan (GK, C), N. Senthil Kumar, Patras Tirkey, Manoj Kumar, Prajwal Ravi Bijawad, Balachandar, Sudeep Chirmako

Coach: D. Muthukumar | Manager: B. Arun Kumar

🧑‍⚖️ Match Officials

Umpires: R.S. Suryaprakash, Krishnakumar

Judges: Lakshminarayanan (Scoring), Navaneethakrishnan (Timing)

Technical Officer: Dinesh Kumar | Reserve Umpire: Shajahan

🏅 Man of the Match

Dinesh Kumar C (Southern Railway) — for his commanding display and penalty corner strike.

Medal presented by Mr. Sirish, Co-Founder – NUO Clinic, Avadi.

🎙 Coach & Manager Quotes

B. Arun Kumar, Manager – Indian Overseas Bank:

“We lacked the intent and intensity we’ve shown in earlier games, and it was clear today. But the boys held their nerve in the shoot-out, and that shows character. Two points from a tough match keeps us alive in the Super Six.”

Senthilnathan, Manager – Southern Railway:

“Our seniors brought calm and class, and the youngsters fought with heart. We controlled large parts of the game, but missed chances in front cost us. Still, this team is improving every match, and the spirit today made me proud.”

🎙 Fans & Atmosphere

The Egmore turf came alive with fans from both camps — Railway men in whistles and drums, IOB supporters in full voice, and a growing crowd of neutral hockey lovers.

With over 500+ in attendance, the chants echoed across the stadium, while thousands followed live on i1Sports YouTube, where Ritish and Nandha kept viewers hooked with witty, high-energy Tamil commentary.

🌰 Stadium Flavour — The Groundnut Man

No hockey evening in Egmore is complete without the groundnut vendor, a living legend of Chennai sport. For decades, he has walked these stands, selling warm paper cones of roasted nuts, and in the process has become part of the city’s hockey folklore.

Coach C.R. Kumar paid tribute during the league:

“He has seen more hockey than most of us. He is part of this stadium’s soul.”

Our media team captured his photograph mid-sale, bag slung over his shoulder, smile intact — a reminder that hockey in Tamil Nadu is about people as much as play.

📌 The Bigger Picture

Indian Overseas Bank edge ahead in the Super Six standings with their shoot-out win, while Southern Railway proved themselves worthy contenders. More than the points, this match showed what TPL 3.0 is becoming: thrilling hockey, passionate fans, professional telecast, and timeless characters who give the league its soul.