Sport

Clarbeston Road v Hakin United: Senior Cup Final Preview

Published

7 years ago

April 20, 2018

THIS Saturday (Apr 21), sees Hakin United and Clarbeston Road battle it out for the biggest prize in Pembrokeshire Football as they take to the field for the Senior Cup Final.

The game will be played at the Bridge Meadow Stadium in Haverfordwest and another big crowd is expected.

Clarbeston Road were beaten in last year’s final by Merlins Bridge but having beaten them in the semi-final, the Road will be eager to pick up the trophy on Saturday.

For Hakin, it is a first final since 2016 when they were beaten by Goodwick United and they will also be keen to regain the trophy they last won in 2012.

The two side met in the league back in October, 2017, and on that occasion it was Hakin United who came out on top with a 2-1 victory at the Obs.

The Vikings come into this game top of Division 1 following a 5-2 win over Pennar Robins on Saturday (Apr 14) which saw danger man Nicky Woodrow scoring a hat trick.

Clarbeston Road eased to victory as they beat Angle 13-1 with league top scorer Jason Griffiths scoring seven of their goals.

Those seven goals put Jason way out in front with 34 goals in the league so far this season and he will be keen to get on the score sheet once again.

Path to the final

Clarbeston Road began their route to the final with a 6-1 win at home to St Clears back in September with Griffiths scoring four of the goals in that game.

That was followed by victory over Fishguard Sports in the second round thanks to goals from Mathew Davies and Josh Wood.

In the third round, Clarbeston Road overcame a determined Hundleton side with Griffiths scoring a hat trick, the third of which came in injury time.

That put them in to the semi-finals where they played Merlins Bridge in a repeat of the 2017 final.

The Bridge won that game 2-1 but on this occasion it was Clarby who went through by the same scoreline with goals coming from Tom Ruebens and Ieuan Cooke.

Hakin United began their Senior Cup campaign with a 4-1 win away to Camrose which saw Nicky Woodrow score a hat trick.

In the second round, the Vikings made it through with a 5-1 over Narberth as Justin Harding scored twice.

The quarter final saw them take on Neyland and after a tense battle, they came out on top with a 2-0 win.

That set up a semi-final with Carew but an excellent first half saw them lead 3-0 courtesy of goals from Justin Harding and Nicky Woodrow.

Carew hit back but Woodrow scored a second to send Hakin through to the final with a 4-2 win.

What the teams say?

Hakin United manager Kristian Bennet told the Herald: “The boys trained on Monday and they are ready for the game and excited for it.

“For a few of the boys it is their first Senior Cup Final and we also have a few boys that have done it before.

“We will give Clarbeston Road all the respect, they reached the final last year and we only beat them by one goal in the league in October so we are expecting another tough game.

“We will be approaching the game like a normal game as we’ll meet at the club as usual on the day before heading up to the Bridge Meadow.”

Clarbeston Road’s Matthew Ellis said: “All at the club are looking forward to the game Saturday and are hoping that we can go one step further this season and lift the cup.

“We have no injury concerns and should all be fresh after a free midweek schedule.

“Our plans for the day are the same as last year, breakfast in the Cross and a bus to the ground.

“The bus is then collecting supporters from around Clarbeston Road, the support last year was outstanding. Hopefully the weather will be as good as it was last season.

“We will approach the game as we always do and give 100%”.

Club captain Jason Griffiths added: “I think as a team we should all be proud of reaching the last two finals. Last season we were huge underdogs being in the second division and only having two players with senior cup final experience but this season we are very much equals and shouldn’t be taken lightly.

“We are aware of how good a side Hakin are but having already played them in the league we can see where we can beat them.

“Everyone in the squad is very much looking forward to it and will all have huge roles to play on the day and hopefully get a memorable victory!”

Good luck to both sides and may the best team win!

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Letterston marksman wins junior athlete award

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2 days ago

January 21, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A TALENTED young athlete from Letterston has been honoured at the British Shooting Awards 2024.

Seren Thorne was shortlisted for the prestigious awards and attended the gala event held at the Imperial War Museum in Manchester. To the delight of her family and supporters, Seren was named the winner of the Rifle Pathway / Junior Athlete of the Year award.

This accolade highlights Seren’s exceptional skill and dedication to the sport, marking her as one of the rising stars in British shooting.

Her mother, Sian Thorne, expressed immense pride in Seren’s achievement, sharing photos of the memorable evening.

The British Shooting Awards 2024 celebrated excellence in the sport, with a full list of winners available on their official website.

PHOTO CAPTION: Champion marksman: Seren Thorne receiving the Rifle Pathway / Junior Athlete of the Year award (Pic: Supplied).

Sport

Previewing the 2025 Super Bowl

Published

3 days ago

January 20, 2025

Staff Writer

Each year millions of people across the world gather to watch one of the biggest sporting events of the year – the Super Bowl. Last year, 3.4 million people in the UK watched the Super Bowl, up 1.1 million from the previous year. Considering the growth in popularity of American football in the UK, we anticipate the viewership will be even higher for 2025.

The 2025 Super Bowl is scheduled to take place on 9 February 2025 at Caesars Superdrome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

NFL teams

12 teams began competing for a spot in the 2025 Super Bowl when the playoffs began on January 11. At this point, four teams were eliminated. This now leaves eight teams to compete in the Divisional playoffs. Four of these will make it to the Conference Championships before contesting for a spot at this year’s Super Bowl.

The eight teams left with a shot at competing in the 2025 Super Bowl are:

Philadelphia Eagles
Baltimore Ravens
Buffalo Bills
Detroit Lions
Houston Texans
Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Rams
Washington Commanders

Last year, the Kansas City Chiefs took the title for the second year in a row. However, the latest Super Bowl odds puts the Detroit Lions as the favourites to win this year’s Super Bowl, following a series of impressive performances in the regular season.

The national anthem and halftime show

Before the game commences, a special guest performs the national anthem. Last year, Reba McEntire offered a moving performance of The Star-Spangled Banner, and this year the task falls to jazz singer Jon Batiste.

It’s not just the football match that people look forward to. Super Bowl halftime shows are a spectacle in themselves and many look forward to the performance as much as the game itself. This year, 17-time grammy winner Kendrick Lamar is headlining the halftime show. Lamar previously headlined the Super Bowl in 2022.

How can I watch the Super Bowl in the UK?

The Super Bowl is being broadcast to fans free on ITV, including live online via ITVX on your laptop, mobile, or tablet.

Sky Sports is also broadcasting the event which you can watch online via Sky Go, NOW TV, or using the Sky Sports mobile app. You could also head to your local pub as plenty of pubs in Pembrokeshire will be showing the big game.

Will you be tuning in?

With a surge in popularity for American Football, it’s anticipated that more people from the UK than ever before will be turning their TVs on for the big event this year. Will you be watching this year’s Super Bowl?

Sport

Division Four West rugby: Thrills and tight contests on a chilly Saturday

Published

4 days ago

January 19, 2025

Herald Sport

Exciting matches, hard-fought battles, and standout performances define the weekend’s action.

Dreigiau Emlyn Edge Harlequins in Close Contest
Dreigiau Emlyn 21 – Pembroke Dock Harlequins 15
Dreigiau Emlyn secured a narrow victory over Pembroke Dock Harlequins, strengthening their position in the top half of the table. Gethin Davies scored two crucial tries, while Deiniol Rees added three penalties and a conversion to steer the hosts to victory. The Harlequins kept the game competitive with tries from Craig Barnett and Tom Donovan, with Ben Hathaway converting one and kicking a penalty. However, Emlyn’s composed performance ensured they held on for the win.

Teirw Crymych Outgun Llangwm in High-Scorer
Llangwm 22 – Teirw Crymych 33
Teirw Crymych powered to a 33-22 victory over bottom-placed Llangwm, bolstering their challenge for the league’s top spots. Sion Williams and Morgan Jones led the visitors’ try-scoring efforts, with additional tries from Sion Owen and Nick Bevan. Adam Phillips was reliable from the tee, adding four conversions. Llangwm fought back with tries from Aidan Rees and Ryan Banner, while Harry Makepeace contributed two conversions and a penalty. Despite their spirited display, the hosts couldn’t match Crymych’s attacking prowess.

St Davids Win Key Clash Against Llanybydder
Llanybydder 17 – St Davids 29
St Davids took a significant step away from the relegation zone with a vital 29-17 win over Llanybydder. Harvey Godkin, Nathan Foster, Zac Morgan, and Morgan Griffiths all crossed the whitewash for the visitors, with Bob Froy converting three and adding a penalty to secure a bonus-point victory. Llanybydder’s John Evans delivered an impressive hat-trick of tries, with one conversion by Matthew Rowlands, but St Davids’ all-round performance proved too much for the home side.

Division Four West continues to deliver thrilling rugby as teams battle for position in a tightly contested league.