Sport

Haverfordwest County miss out on Europe after play-off final defeat

Published

2 weeks ago

May 2, 2026

Penybont secured a 2-0 win in Bridgend as the Bluebirds’ long season ended one game short of another European campaign

HAVERFORDWEST COUNTY’S hopes of another European adventure were ended on Saturday (May 2) as Penybont claimed a 2-0 victory in the JD Cymru Premier European play-off final.

The Bluebirds travelled to the DragonBet Stadium in Bridgend looking to secure a place in next season’s UEFA Conference League qualifiers, but it was the home side who struck first.

Chris Venables put Penybont ahead inside the opening ten minutes, giving the hosts early control of the contest.

Haverfordwest, who had reached the final after beating Barry Town United on penalties, were unable to find a way back before the interval.

The decisive second goal arrived in the second half when Mael Davies made it 2-0 on 63 minutes.

That proved enough to settle the final, with Penybont seeing out the closing stages to secure European qualification for the third time in four seasons.

For Haverfordwest, the defeat brought an end to what the club described as a “long, rollercoaster ride of a season”.

After the final whistle, Haverfordwest County manager Tony Pennock admitted his side had not performed at the level required.

He said: “It’s probably our most poor performance since the start of the season, really.

“But we knew it was going to be tough. Penybont are a fairly good side. Congratulations to them — third European qualification in four years, so they’ve been consistent and they’re there or thereabouts all the time. You’ve got to give them credit first and foremost.”

Pennock also questioned the opening goal, suggesting Haverfordwest felt there had been an offside in the build-up.

He said: “We just didn’t get going today. I thought we started okay and then, I don’t want to go on about decisions, but the goal is offside.

“I can’t understand why the linesman can’t see it. But we didn’t really threaten.

“We huffed and puffed but just couldn’t get into the game.”

Despite the disappointment, Pennock praised his players for the way they recovered from a difficult start to the campaign.

He said: “I can’t fault them. I keep saying we were bottom of the league in October. Loads of people wrote us off this year.

“We lost players in the summer and all I heard was, ‘you didn’t replace him, you never replaced him’, but we’ve got to a play-off final — third final in four years.

“So we haven’t done too much wrong, really, to get where we are.”

Pennock said the players would learn from the defeat, adding that the club is already preparing for next season.

He said: “There’s always a winner and there’s always a loser. Unfortunately, we’ve come out on the other side today.

“We’ll have a break now in the summer. I’ve been busy recruiting for the last three months, really, with us going hybrid next season, which is exciting times for the club.

“It would have been nice to start the summer off with a European trip, but it’s not to be.

“There are a lot of boys in that room who will be with us next season, and as well as you learn from the experience of winning, you learn from losing as well.

“It’s not a taste that we want to repeat, and we want to give a better account of ourselves in the league next season.”

Pennock also welcomed changes to the Cymru Premier, with the league moving to a 16-team format.

He said: “I’m looking forward to some new clubs. It’s going to be a change and a refreshing change. I think it needed it.

“It will be nice just to play each other twice instead of probably four or five times.

“It has been a long season, and we just look forward to coming back and having another crack next year.”

Posting after the final whistle, Haverfordwest County AFC said: “It’s not to be for the Bluebirds in the play-off final.

“Thank you for your fantastic support today and throughout what has been another long, rollercoaster ride of a season, and we look forward to doing it all again in a few months time.”

The result means Penybont will take Wales’ final European place, while Haverfordwest must now regroup ahead of the new campaign.

Cover pic: Pic by Jamie Edwards/HCFC/FAW

Sport

Pembrokeshire Triathlon Club to hold next time trial event

Published

4 days ago

May 13, 2026

Herald Sport

MEMBERS of Pembrokeshire Triathlon Club are being encouraged to take part in the club’s next Time Trial Series event.

The 20km bike time trial will take place at Herbrandston, next to the old school, on Sunday, May 17, starting at 8:15am.

The club says the event is open to members of all abilities, whether they are chasing a personal best, building confidence, or simply looking to take part in a friendly club event.

Those wishing to enter are asked to book their place through the Connect My Club app.

Parking at the start is limited, so members are being encouraged to car share where possible or allow extra time before the event.

Sport

S4C secures exclusive Barbarians v Wales double-header

Published

4 days ago

May 13, 2026

Herald Sport

S4C will broadcast a live rugby double-header from Twickenham this summer, with Wales taking on the Barbarians in both men’s and women’s fixtures.

The matches will be shown live and exclusively on Friday, June 27, with the men’s game kicking off at 2:00pm and the women’s match following at 5:00pm.

Both fixtures will be available across S4C, S4C Clic, BBC iPlayer and S4C Chwaraeon’s YouTube channel, with Welsh and English-language commentary.

Sarra Elgan will present the coverage, with Lauren Salter reporting pitchside.

Gareth Charles will commentate on the men’s match, with analysis from Ken Owens and Elinor Snowsill. Siwan Lillicrap will also join the team for the women’s fixture, with further members of the broadcast line-up to be announced.

Tomos Grace, WRU Chief Commercial Officer said: “We’re delighted that S4C will bring coverage of Barbarians v Wales at Twickenham to supporters across the country and beyond.

“This fixture is always a celebration of rugby’s spirit and tradition, and it’s fantastic that fans will be able to enjoy it free-to-air, with comprehensive Welsh-language coverage at its heart alongside English provision, which is hugely important for the game in Wales.

“We look forward to what promises to be a memorable summer occasion for Welsh rugby.”

Sue Butler, Head of Sports at S4C, said the broadcaster was pleased to have secured exclusive rights to the event.

She said: “We are delighted to have secured the exclusive broadcast rights to this double-header, bringing Wales together with the Barbarians for a special day of summer rugby.

“These fixtures promise a great Wales day out, and we’re pleased that S4C’s coverage will be available across all platforms.

“This agreement underlines S4C’s commitment to delivering premium live sport exclusively to audiences across Wales and the UK, in both Welsh and English, and to showcasing the very best of international rugby on a global stage.”

John Spencer, President of Barbarian F.C., said: “Barbarian F.C. and Wales have an intertwined history, with supporters of both teams enjoying the spirit and values of the game.

“This summer’s double-header against Wales is a hugely exciting fixture and the announcement that the matches will be on S4C, on free-to-air TV, broadcast by a national broadcaster, with huge rugby experience, is really important.

“We want to showcase the very best of rugby and having the fixtures on S4C will allow us to reach a large audience for what will be a great day of rugby.”

Fans will also be able to attend the double-header at Twickenham, with tickets available through Ticketmaster and England Rugby.

The coverage will be produced by Whisper Cymru.

Sport

Merlins Bridge U14s girls celebrate league title success

Published

5 days ago

May 12, 2026

Herald Sport

YOUNG footballers from across Pembrokeshire are celebrating after Merlins Bridge U14s Girls secured the league title in the West Wales Women and Girls League.

The team confirmed their place at the top of the table after an away victory against Carmarthen Stars, capping a memorable season for the squad.

Title-winning season

The achievement follows the club’s decision to enter the West Wales Women and Girls League at U14 level, giving the players the chance to test themselves against teams from across the region.

Coach Jan Bojanowski said the success was a proud moment for the players, families and club.

The squad is made up of girls from across Pembrokeshire, who have shown commitment throughout the season and continued to develop as a team.

Growing girls’ football

Merlins Bridge AFC said the title win reflects the strength of girls’ football in Pembrokeshire and the increasing opportunities now available for young female players.

The team’s success is also a boost for grassroots football locally, with more girls taking part and representing their clubs in competitive leagues across West Wales.

The players celebrated with trophies and the league cup after completing their title-winning campaign.