Sport
Reds given the Blues by County
HAVERFORDWEST County pulled off an MG Cup first round shock on Tuesday (Aug 28), as they beat Welsh Premier League side Llanelli Town at the Bridge Meadow.
Perhaps with one eye on Friday’s (Aug 31) encounter with Aberystwyth Town, the Reds rested a few of their players but still featured James Loveridge who scored in Llanelli’s game with Barry last Friday (Aug 24).
The Bluebirds were also without a number of their key players, including former Llanelli Town striker Lee Trundle but the youthful Bluebirds did not seem to miss his presence on the pitch.
There was a cagey start to the match with both teams giving the ball away and testing the other keepers with a few long range efforts.
James Loveridge came close for the visitors when he broke free of the defenders but his shot was well saved by County keeper Steve Hall.
Jordan Follows also looked lively but he saw a number of efforts blocked as the Bluebirds defended well.
Jack Wilson then played the ball into the box for Fraser Finlay but his shot was plucked out of the air by Reds keeper Oliver Davies.
Then with fifteen minutes on the clock Wilson picked up the ball in his own half and went on a mazy run which saw him lay the ball off for Tom Dyson who in turn passed back to Wilson who ran on to slot the ball into the bottom right corner for a fine opening goal.
Dyson was then unlucky not to get on the scoresheet as his rasping 25-yard drive smacked back off the crossbar and was cleared from danger.
Wilson then saw a shot go just wide as the Bluebirds continued to have more of the possession.
Hall was then forced into a save by Robert Thomas as his long drive looked to be going in before Hall got his hands on the ball.
On the stroke of half time Llanelli almost got themselves back in the game as a ball into the box wasn’t dealt with as Follows stole the ball only to send his shot into the side netting.
It remained 1-0 at half time but the home side knew they would face a fight back in the second half.
Both sides had chances early on in the second half but it was the Bluebirds who got the all-important second goal.
Twenty minutes in a corner from Finlay found Ben Fawcett whose header flew into the net to give the home side one foot in the next round.
Their place was secured five minutes from time as sub Martyn Carroll squared into the box for Finlay who fired in for a deserved goal.
The Bluebirds will now look forward to seeing who they play in the next round while Llanelli will look to concentrate on their Premier League campaign.
Haverfordwest return to Welsh League action on Saturday, September 1, as they take on Briton Ferry Llansawel at the Bridge Meadow, kick off 2.30pm.
WALES’ search for a first win in this year’s Women’s Six Nations continues after a tough afternoon at Rodney Parade saw them fall 40-14 to a dominant Ireland side.
Despite a strong start and an early try from Carys Cox, the home team quickly lost control of the match as Ireland ran in six tries – two apiece from Linda Djougang, Aoife Wafer, and Dorothy Wall.
A second-half score from late squad addition Hannah Bluck gave Wales a glimmer of hope, but it was little more than consolation in front of a record crowd of 3,568 at the Newport venue.
Ireland’s forwards proved too powerful throughout, and Wales’ defensive frailties were exposed time and again. The defeat marks Wales’ fourth consecutive loss of the tournament, and they now face a must-win match against Italy to avoid finishing bottom of the table for a second straight year.
Wales began with purpose, with stand-in fullback Lleucu George causing problems early. Her clever kick down the flank forced an error from Ireland’s Amee-Leigh Costigan, allowing Cox to dive on the loose ball for the opening try.
But Ireland soon found their rhythm, capitalising on soft tackling and set-piece pressure. Djougang muscled over after a burst from Wafer, who soon added one of her own as the visitors took control.
Even a yellow card for Ireland fly-half Dannah O’Brien – shown a card for dangerous contact – did little to help Wales. The Irish maintained their dominance with Wall crossing just before half-time to put them 21-7 ahead.
Ireland continued their charge in the second half, with Wall securing the bonus point shortly after the restart. While Cox and Jasmine Joyce-Butchers tried to spark a response, handling errors and turnovers repeatedly derailed Welsh attacks.
Bluck’s try, created by strong carries from Carys Phillips and a sharp offload from Keira Bevan, gave fans something to cheer. But Wafer had the last word, bulldozing her way over from the base of the scrum to seal the win.
Ireland now look to cement third place when they face Scotland, while Wales have one last chance to salvage their campaign when they travel to face Italy.
After the match, head coach Sean Lynn admitted the performance was painful: “It hurts. We all feel it. We had moments where we were right in it – we could have gone 14-0 up – but didn’t take our chances. That’s the difference at this level.”
Ireland’s Aoife Wafer reflected on the team’s spirit: “We talk about being the most connected team in the world. That shows in how we play – not just the 23 here, but the girls back home too. Winning away is never easy, so we’re proud of this.”
Wales team: Joyce-Butchers; Neumann, Jones (capt), Keight, Cox; George, Bevan; G. Pyrs, K. Jones, Scoble, Fleming, Evans, K. Williams, Lewis, Callender.
Replacements: C. Phillips, Davies, Rose, John, A. Pyrs, S. Jones, Bluck, Richards.
Ireland team: Flood; McGann, Dalton, Breen, Amee-Leigh; O’Brien, Scuffil-McCabe; McCarthy, N. Jones, Djougang, Campbell, Wall, Hogan, McMahon (capt), Wafer.
Replacements: Moloney, McGrath, Haney, Tuite, Boles, Lane, Higgins, Elmes Kinlan.
Yellow card: O’Brien (36 mins)
Tries – Wales: Cox, Bluck | Conversions: Bevan 2
Tries – Ireland: Djougang 2, Wafer 2, Wall 2 | Conversions: O’Brien 3, Breen 2
FISHGUARD will once again play host to the Wales Triathlon this summer, with hundreds of competitors set to descend on the town for the popular sporting event on Sunday, June 15.
Organised by Activity Wales Events, the triathlon includes a two-lap sea swim in Fishguard Bay, followed by a two-lap cycle from Fishguard to St Davids and a four-lap run along the Marine Walk and out onto the breakwater.
In order to facilitate the bike leg on closed roads, several road closures will be in place throughout the day.
Major road closures
The A487 between Goodwick and Mathry will be closed between 9:45am and 3:00pm.
Between Mathry and Croesgoch, the A487 will be closed from 10:00am to 3:00pm, and from Croesgoch to St Davids the closure will run from 10:00am until 2:45pm.
Crossing points will be in operation at Mathry crossroads, Croesgoch crossroads, and the Llangoffan to Granston junction. Diversions will be signposted, with local traffic routed via minor B roads and through Haverfordwest for longer journeys.
Town centre impact
In Fishguard, West Street will be closed between 12:00pm and 6:00pm for the running stage. Residents will still be able to exit side roads, with diversions clearly marked.
Goodwick residents will be able to exit the town via the Tesco roundabout, which will remain open all day.
Care access and course passes
Care workers will be allowed access to visit clients within the closed sections, but must obtain a course pass via their organisation in advance.
On the day, carers using the route must:
- Follow the direction of the race
- Display their pass clearly
- Keep hazard lights on at all times
- Exit the route as soon as safely possible
Further information
The event attracted over 1,000 athletes last year, and organisers anticipate another strong turnout.
More information can be found at: www.walestriathlon.com/athletes/event-info
Road closure details are available at: community.walestriathlon.com
For course pass enquiries, contact: info@activitywalesevents.com
All matches complete as season concludes
THE 2024/25 season of the South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association – known as The Friendly League – has now officially concluded, with all clubs completing their outstanding fixtures.
The past few weeks saw the following catch-up matches played:
- Carew 8–2 Llanteg
- St Johns 8–2 Cosheston
- Hundleton 8–2 Reynalton
- Reynalton 9–1 Lamphey
- Cosheston 10–0 Kilgetty
- East Williamston 9–1 Kilgetty
Final League Table (2024/25 Season)
| Position | Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | S/D | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Williamston | 20 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 313 | 158 |
| 2 | St Johns | 20 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 111 | 122 |
| =3 | Carew | 20 | 11 | 1 | 8 | 105 | 111 |
| =3 | Cosheston | 20 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 77 | 111 |
| 5 | Reynalton | 20 | 11 | 0 | 9 | 28 | 104 |
| 6 | Hundleton | 20 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 74 | 97 |
| 7 | Llanteg | 20 | 7 | 1 | 12 | -71 | 92 |
| 8 | St Twynnells | 20 | 8 | 1 | 11 | -97 | 89 |
| 9 | Badgers | 20 | 6 | 1 | 13 | -22 | 82 |
| =10 | Lamphey | 20 | 6 | 0 | 14 | -179 | 67 |
| =10 | Kilgetty | 20 | 6 | 0 | 14 | -262 | 67 |
Congratulations to East Williamston, who finish the season as clear champions with an impressive 158 points and a shot difference of +313.
Dŵr Cymru loses 251 million litres each day due to leaks
Welsh Lib Dems slam water firms as millions of litres leaked daily WELSH Liberal Democrats have criticised Dŵr Cymru and...
Search continues for missing sailor in Irish Sea
THE SEARCH for a man who went overboard from a UK-registered yacht in the Irish Sea entered its third day...
Pope Francis Dies at 88: Tributes pour in for a Pontiff of compassion and reform
REQUIEM MASSES TO BE HELD ACROSS WALES POPE FRANCIS, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church and...
Search continues for man overboard from UK yacht in Irish Sea
A MAJOR search and rescue operation is under way in the Irish Sea after a man went overboard from a...
Calls for urgent sale of Oakwood site amid trespasser fears
CONCERNS have been raised about trespassers entering the closed Oakwood theme park, prompting calls for a swift sale of the...
Reform candidate co-opted to town council — graffiti appears days later
A MAN who recently lost a by-election standing for the Reform UK party has been co-opted onto Haverfordwest Town Council...
Body found in tent in Pembrokeshire woodland
Death not believed to be suspicious POLICE are investigating the unexplained death of a man whose body was discovered in...
West Wales sewage crisis: New calls for accountability amid environmental concerns
THE SEWAGE pollution crisis engulfing West Wales continues to deepen, with new data and growing public pressure exposing serious environmental...
Charity distances itself from viral post as £4,000 theft claim goes viral
A VIRAL social media post accusing a man of stealing £4,000 from a veterans’ charity has been described as “unauthorised...
Police appeal after woman seriously injured in Haverfordwest assault
POLICE in Haverfordwest are appealing for witnesses following a serious assault in the Castle Square area. A woman was taken...
-
News7 days agoDriver lies injured in rain for hours at Fishguard Port after fall from lorry
-
Crime6 days agoSenedd member welcomes police crack down on high street money laundering
-
Charity5 days agoBusinessman ‘honoured’ to become Wales Air Ambulance’s first business ambassador
-
Community2 days agoWarning after suspected drug-related incidents in Haverfordwest
-
News7 days agoFestival pulls appearance by ex-MP despite acclaim for honest memoir
-
Crime6 days agoTwo Pembrokeshire vape shops face court closure orders
-
Charity5 days ago
Charity distances itself from viral post as £4,000 theft claim goes viral
-
Crime5 days agoTwo men sentenced for vicious crimes against badgers.