Sport
Thrilling finale sees Clarby through to Final
CLARBESTON Road are the first team into the Senior Cup final after they knocked out holders Merlins Bridge on Wednesday night (Feb 21), thanks to a last minute deflected strike from Ieuan Cooke.
The Bridge, who had a man sent off with twenty minutes to go, had thought they forced the game into extra time when Chris Ormond headed in but it wasn’t to be as Cooke’s winner sent the Clarby players and fans into delirium.
The game was a repeat of last season’s Final which the Wizards won and both sides were clearly determined to reach the Final once more.
It was a quiet first half with Merlins Bridge shading the possession and having the better of the chances.
Will Haworth came close for the Wizards but his shot was pushed wide by Clarby keeper Lee Scott.
Adam Hawkins also tried his luck but his shot was tame and was easily saved by Scott.
On the half hour mark, Clarby’s Jason Griffiths tried a long shot but Bridge keeper Gary Thomas was equal to it.
A minute later, Griffiths flashed a ball across the face of goal but nobody was able to get on the end of it.
Joey George then sent an inviting cross to the back post for Hawkins but as the Clarby players appealed for offside, he could only send his effort into the side netting.
Matthew D’Ivry then played Hawkins in once more but he dragged his shot well wide of the posts.
Then on the stroke of half time Clarby got the all-important breakthrough as Tom Reubens beat the defender before sending a shot towards goal which was deflected in by the Wizards’ Richard Hughes.
There was still time for Merlins Bridge to come back and from the kick off a long ball was missed by the Clarby defence allowing Will Haworth in but his shot was saved at the near post.
The half time whistle went with Clarby leading by a goal to nil but the game was still up for grabs.
The Wizards started well in the second half and Luke Hayward saw his effort pushed wide by Scott and from the resulting corner, Hawkins saw his volleyed effort also saved.
Mike Turpin then sent a cross into the box which had to be tipped over by Bridge keeper Thomas with players lurking.
Bridge top scorer Nathan Greene was introduced to the action and he almost made an immediate impact when he turned and shot towards goal but Scott got down well to save it.
Then came a few moments of madness from Bridge defender Richard Hughes as he was booked and then brought down Clarby’s Matthew Davies and after waving play on, referee Sean O’Connor waited for play to end before producing a second yellow card for Hughes.
Despite being down to ten men the Wizards still had chances and Hawkins saw a shot saved before Greene saw an effort cannon back off the crossbar.
With three minutes to go the Wizards were awarded a free kick which D’Ivry delivered and Chris Ormond rose highest to head the ball into the net despite the best efforts of the Clarby keeper to save it.
That got their tails up and moments later Greene headed over from a corner as the Bridge pushed for a winner.
Then, deep into injury time, a ball into the box fell to Ieuan Cooke and his effort looked as if it would be saved by Thomas but a Bridge defender stuck an unfortunate leg out and the ball bounced off him and into the net.
Nathan Greene heads over from a corner
That sent the Clarby players and coaches wild and they held on to reach the final for the second year in a row.
They will now play the winners of the second semi-final between Carew and Hakin United which takes place next Wednesday (Feb 28).
Speaking after the match, Clarbeston Road coach Matthew Ellis said: “Everyone gave 110% as we knew we would have a tough night ahead of us. They started at a high pace and were on top until we changed formation slightly and this slowly got us into the game.
“The goal came at the perfect time and gave us a massive boost going into half time knowing they would have to break us down and would leave gaps at the back. Tom Reubens has been excellent this season and showed his power and pace to create the goal.
“The sending off didn’t really affect the game as we kept the same shape and allowed them to have the ball in their half as we tried to conserve energy for the final onslaught.
“It was a big blow when they scored when they did, I gave away the free kick which led to the goal so when Cookie got the goal in injury time I was ecstatic as none of us wanted extra time.
“It is a massive achievement for the team and the whole club as it is so well run behind the scenes. This is a reward for both us and them.
“Two senior cup finals in two seasons is outstanding, let’s hope this season we will be the winning side!”
TENBY Sailing Club was left becalmed last week, with scheduled races abandoned due to a complete lack of wind.
Both the Tuesday (Apr 8) and Saturday (Apr 12) dinghy races had to be called off. Despite the slow start, members are hopeful for more favourable weather when the National Redwing series gets underway on May 15.
Cruiser racing is set to begin on Sunday (May 4) at 11:30am, marking the start of a packed sailing calendar.
Meanwhile, two familiar vessels have now departed the club’s fleet. Cocoa, formerly owned by Frank Miller, has been sold and relocated to Aberdovey. Heather, once skippered by Denny Young, has been retired after reaching the end of her sailing days.
Looking ahead, a passage race from Pembroke Haven to Tenby on Saturday (Jun 14) promises to be a major event, bolstered by sponsorship offering £500 in prize money.
That same day, Swansea Sailing Club plans to cruise to Tenby, which could result in a large and impressive flotilla anchoring in North Bay. To assist visiting crews, Tenby Sailing Club will run a Rhib shuttle to shore.
In the junior section, 26 young sailors have enrolled in this season’s training sessions. From Wednesday (Apr 16) at 5:30pm, they’ll be out on the water in three newly acquired RS Teras, expanding the club’s training fleet to six boats.
The new dinghies were secured through funding from the Sport Wales Be Active Wales Fund. Senior instructor Harrison Richards welcomed the additions, which were delivered to the club by Jon Nuttall.
WELSH rugby fans have something extra to cheer about this year, as the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) launches its 2025 Autumn Nations Series ticket sales with exclusive discounts for clubs, students, and young supporters.
In a first for the Union, tickets purchased through WRU Member Clubs will benefit from a £5 discount across all categories for every match in the series. The move is aimed at strengthening grassroots engagement and rewarding those who support their local clubs.
The senior men’s side will face a blockbuster line-up at Principality Stadium this November, taking on Argentina, Japan, New Zealand, and reigning world champions South Africa in what promises to be an unforgettable month of Test rugby.
WRU CEO Abi Tierney said the initiative is about keeping international rugby accessible and supporting the clubs at the heart of Welsh communities.
Tickets went on sale today (April 15) for debenture holders and premium members. From May 20, WRU Member Clubs will be able to offer tickets to their communities at the new discounted rates. Public sale will follow shortly after.
“It’s incredibly important that international rugby in Wales remains accessible to a wide audience,” said Tierney.
“We want to encourage fans to purchase tickets from their clubs. Clubs are the beating heart of Welsh rugby, and rewarding early purchasers with a discount just made sense.
“We’re also excited to introduce student pricing for the first time, after a successful trial last year. Alongside our existing 50% concession for under-18s, students will now also benefit from half-price tickets — even on the discounted club prices.”
The series kicks off against Argentina on Sunday, November 9 — Los Pumas’ 13th visit to the Welsh capital — followed by Japan on Saturday, November 15, in their first Cardiff clash since 2016.
Wales then take on the All Blacks on Saturday, November 22, before concluding the series with a heavyweight showdown against South Africa on Saturday, November 29.
Hospitality packages for all matches are also available from £270 + VAT via WRU.WALES/VIP, while general tickets can be purchased from WRU.WALES/TICKETS.
Autumn Nations Series 2025 – Fixtures and Prices
WALES v ARGENTINA
3:10pm, Sunday 9 November, Principality Stadium
Priority sale:
- CAT A: £40 / £20 concession
- CAT B: £30 / £15 concession
- CAT C: £20 / £10 concession
- AFZ: £20 / £10 concession
Public sale: - CAT A: £45 / £22.50 concession
- CAT B: £35 / £17.50 concession
- CAT C: £25 / £12.50 concession
- AFZ: £25 / £12.50 concession
WALES v JAPAN
5:40pm, Saturday 15 November, Principality Stadium
Priority sale:
- CAT A: £40 / £20 concession
- CAT B: £30 / £15 concession
- CAT C: £20 / £10 concession
- AFZ: £20 / £10 concession
Public sale: - CAT A: £45 / £22.50 concession
- CAT B: £35 / £17.50 concession
- CAT C: £25 / £12.50 concession
- AFZ: £25 / £12.50 concession
WALES v NEW ZEALAND
3:10pm, Saturday 22 November, Principality Stadium
Priority sale:
- CAT A: £100 / £50 concession
- CAT B: £75 / £37.50 concession
- CAT C: £55 / £27.50 concession
- AFZ: £55 / £27.50 concession
Public sale: - CAT A: £105 / £52.50 concession
- CAT B: £80 / £40 concession
- CAT C: £60 / £30 concession
- AFZ: £60 / £30 concession
WALES v SOUTH AFRICA
3:10pm, Saturday 29 November, Principality Stadium
Priority sale:
- CAT A: £85 / £42.50 concession
- CAT B: £65 / £32.50 concession
- CAT C: £45 / £22.50 concession
- AFZ: £45 / £22.50 concession
Public sale: - CAT A: £90 / £45 concession
- CAT B: £70 / £35 concession
- CAT C: £50 / £25 concession
- AFZ: £50 / £25 concession
Anyone who has sailed with a yacht crew will know just how bonding that experience can be.
From the moment the boat is launched, the crew hauls away as one cohesive body, resulting in one of the strongest team ethics imaginable.
But if you’re female, then a degree of ‘gender division’ may rear its dampening head, quashing your confidence, your ability and your downright enjoyment of being at sea.
But now, thanks to the foresight of local vet Charlotte Hamilton and her iconic pink boat, ladies of all ages and all sailing abilities are being introduced to the joys of sailing whilst supporting two of the UK’s foremost breast cancer charities – Breast Cancer Now and Metup UK.
Two years ago Charlotte lost one of her closest friends to breast cancer, following a ten-year battle after she was diagnosed with the disease when she was just 23. In 2022, Charlotte’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer; thankfully has made a complete recovery.
“Because of what I’ve witnessed, with my mother and with Connie, who was my best friend from college, breast cancer is something that’s very close to me,” Charlotte told The Pembrokeshire Herald from her home in Neyland.
“Connie was only 23 when she was diagnosed, but by then, the cancer had gone to her liver as they initially thought it was hormonal. She fought it for ten years and always wanted to visit Pembrokeshire, but sadly she died two weeks before she was due to come and visit.”
As a result, the pink boat is being sailed in memory of Connie, while the women who are learning to sail her are called ‘The Pink Puffins’.
Charlotte, who is a vet with the Fenton Vets practise in Haverfordwest, was given the boat some 18 months ago by her husband, Lloyd.
“Lloyd is a keen sailor who regularly races on the Cleddau, but I’d never really taken part,” she explains. “So the idea was for me to start building my sailing confidence. Last summer I took the boat out with two other women and we enjoyed it so much it got us thinking about starting to race. If the men can do it, so can we.”
The boat is an Achilles 24 cruise-racer, capable of reaching decent speeds and covering good distances.
“She’s capable of crossing the Atlantic, although The Pink Puffins are perfectly content to stick with the Cleddau for the time being,” laughed Charlotte.
“Since launching her a few weeks ago, we now have around 40 women who are starting to sail her,. We train every Sunday at Neyland and we took part in our very first race last Wednesday.
“Ok, we didn’t win, but being able to take part was fantastic and that’s the whole purpose of The Pink Puffins. It’s about having fun, and the women taking part can do as much or as little as they like. A lot of women have never set foot on a sailing boat before, and because it tends to be such a male-orientated thing, the thought of learning to sail can be a bit intimidating. So if somebody wants to come out with us just to watch, that’s perfectly fine. And if they want to get involved with sailing her a little later on, then that’s great.”
The interest that is already being shown and the rise in numbers means that additional racing sessions will be introduced later this season on Sundays.
Everyone attending the training sessions and the races is asked to make a donation which will be shared between Breast Cancer Now and Metup UK, however individuals can give as much or as little as they choose. If anyone is interested in finding out more about The Pink Puffins can email Charlotte on sailpinkpuffins@hotmail.com
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