Sport

Ireland too strong for Wales

Published

11 years ago

February 20, 2014

IRELAND are still on course for the 6 Nations Grand Slam as they proved too strong for a below-par Wales side on Saturday.

They dominated the game and ran out deserved winners by 26 points to 3 at the Aviva Stadium.

Two penalties from Jonathan Sexton put Ireland ahead early on as Wales started slowly. Andrew Trimble then cut inside and ran forward but he was eventually tackled and the ball came loose allowing Wales to pounce on the ball to relieve the pressure. Possession went back and forth between the two teams as both sides looked to gain the advantage going into half time.

Wales were guilty of not keeping the ball on a number of occasions as two of their line-outs went straight into Irish hands. With eight minutes to go until half time Ireland won a line-out and the ensuing drive saw Chris Henry go over the line for the first try of the game. The ever reliable boot of Sexton then sent the conversion through the posts from a tight angle to make the score 13-0.

The half ended with Ireland in a dominant position and Wales knew they would have to perform better if they had any hopes of winning. Ireland looked to continue where they had left off and just five minutes in to the second half they had another penalty which Sexton again sent through to make it 16-0. Wales looked to respond but the normally reliable Sam Warburton was guilty of a knock on and Ireland had the ball back.

However from the resulting scrum Ireland were penalised for collapsing the scrum and Leigh Halfpenny duly obliged scoring the penalty to give Wales their first points of the game. Rain began to fall heavily making conditions tough for both sets of players. Another penalty from Sexton on the hour mark further increased Ireland’s lead to 19-3.

Wales came within inches of scoring a try but the referee spotted Rhodri Jones crawling on his knees which gave Ireland a penalty. As the clock ticked down the Irish looked for one final push and after a big drive the ball came to Paddy Jackson who scored and converted to make the score 26-3.

It was a dominant performance from the Irish as the Welsh failed to cope with the home side’s intensity.

It means Ireland are still on course for the championship while Welsh hopes faded. Wales’s next game will be February 21 against France.

Sport

Annual veterans tennis tournament was the most popular yet

Published

5 days ago

October 2, 2024

Herald Sport

HAVERFORDWEST Tennis Club’s ninth annual veterans tournament proved to be the most popular yet with a record 42 entries.

Running from 9 September to finals day on 14 September, players over the age of 45 competed in singles, doubles and mixed doubles competitions.

David Roch James beat Marc Thompson to claim the men’s singles title, while Liz Green edged Jenny Guard in the ladies’ final.

Marc was consoled in the men’s doubles, where he and partner Gwyn Scale defeated Louis Warren and Peter Brooker.

Meanwhile Liz enjoyed double delight, with she and Angela Scourfield beating Helen Groves and Jane Groves in the ladies’ final.

Jane Allen and John Parker triumphed in the mixed doubles, beating Ruth Moss and Richard Davies in a hugely entertaining finale.

The traditional finals day dinner took place in the clubhouse afterwards, with the trophies presented by club president Brian Hearne.

Tournament organiser Richard Davies was thanked for his hard work, along with Sarah Keogh and her team of volunteers who provided the meal.

Sport

Don’t miss Sport Pembrokeshire Awards nominations deadline

Published

6 days ago

October 1, 2024

Herald Sport

THE deadline for nominations for the Sport Pembrokeshire Awards is fast approaching.

Anyone thinking of putting a sportsman or woman, coach, club, team or organisation forward for any of the categories is urged to do so before the closing date of Sunday October 13^th.

The Awards will be held at Folly Farm on Friday November 29^th.

The award categories are:

Coach of the Year
Female Sporting Achievement
Male Sporting Achievement
Boys (U16) Sporting Achievement
Girls (U16) Sporting Achievement
Disability Sport Award
Junior (U16) Disability Sport Award
Unsung Hero
Club Organiser of the Year
Team Achievement of the Year
Junior (U16) Team Achievement of the Year
Young Volunteer of the Year
Club of the Year
Lifetime Achievement

An additional award announced on the night is the Schools Award, which recognises a local school which works extra hard to make sport and physical activity fun, inclusive, and innovative – and forges strong bonds with the local community.

Thanks go once again to the Awards sponsors, Valero, Pure West Radio and Folly Farm for ensuring that the celebration of Pembrokeshire sport can continue.

To make a nomination, go to: https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/forge/index.asp?x=F53021F86D

Sport

Division 4 West sees high-scoring affairs and tightly contested fixtures

Published

1 week ago

September 30, 2024

Herald Sport

THE latest round of matches in the division 4 west saw some high-scoring affairs and tightly contested fixtures, as the table starts to take shape early in the season. Neyland and Narberth Athletic continue to set the pace, while Llangwm’s struggles continued, and Teirw Crymych recorded a dominant win. Here’s a breakdown of all the action.

Llangwm 17-19 Dreigiau Emlyn

In a closely fought contest, Dreigiau Emlyn narrowly edged Llangwm 19-17. Llangwm put up a brave fight, with tries from Calum Jenkins and George James, both converted by Harry Makepeace, who also added a penalty. However, Dreigiau Emlyn’s scorers were not available, though their performance was enough to secure the victory. Llangwm, despite showing flashes of quality, remain winless after three games.

Pembroke Dock Harlequins 22-40 Neyland

Neyland continued their unbeaten run with a commanding 40-22 victory over Pembroke Dock Harlequins. Damien Miller was in fine form for the Quins, scoring two tries, while Ben Gibby also crossed the line. Ben Hathaway added a conversion and a penalty. However, Neyland proved too strong, with Ben Williams, Josh Watts, and Owen Hamer each contributing tries, while Oli Rothero starred with two tries of his own. Rothero also slotted over three conversions and three penalties, guiding his team to a comprehensive win and cementing their position at the top of the table.

St Davids 0-40 Narberth Athletic

Narberth Athletic dominated St Davids in a one-sided affair, winning 40-0. The scoring started early, with Harry Phillips and Shane Rossiter each scoring two tries. Harry Williams and Kyle Williams also crossed the line, while Rossiter’s reliable kicking saw him add five conversions. St Davids, who struggled to make an impact, were simply outclassed by a Narberth side that looks like serious title contenders after their second consecutive victory.

Teirw Crymych 42-21 Llanybydder

Teirw Crymych produced one of the performances of the weekend with a resounding 42-21 win over Llanybydder. Tomos Lewis led the charge with two tries, while Hedd Jones, Griff Lloyd, Luke Freebury, and Osian Thomas each scored a try apiece. Elgan Wilson was flawless with the boot, converting all six tries. Llanybydder did respond, with Osian Roberts crossing the line twice and Will Evans also adding a try. Roberts converted all three scores, but Teirw Crymych were too strong on the day, earning their first win of the season.