Sport

Bridge taste West Wales Cup glory

Published

7 years ago

May 7, 2019

MERLINS Bridge won the West Wales Cup on Tuesday night (May 7) as they beat Carew 3-1 at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea in an exciting clash.

It was the first time both sides had reached the final and the first ever all-Pembrokeshire final and both were keen to put on a show for the good crowd in attendance.

Both have had excellent runs to the final with Merlins Bridge earning a narrow win against last season’s runners up Penlan Club while Carew have come from behind in two separate games.

Anticipation grew ahead of the match as Carew and Merlins Bridge named strong sides.

For many of the Carew side it was a first taste of the West Wales Cup Final while three members of the Merlins Bridge squad won the cup with Johnston a few years ago.

Merlins Bridge came from behind to beat Carew in the Senior Cup Final in April while their two league encounters finished in a draw and a 3-1 win for the Wizards.

There was a scare for the Rooks with only a minute on the clock as Scott Richards overcooked his back pass and keeper Tom Davies could only kick the ball out of play.

It was Carew who had the first chance as Iwan Izzard won the ball in midfield and passed to Jordan Richards on the edge of the box who wriggled his way past a couple of defenders before shooting just wide of the goal.

Merlins Bridge’s Dai Davies was shown the first yellow of the evening as he brought down Shaun Whitfield but the free kick came to nothing.

Carew again came close as Sam Christopher found Pembrokeshire League top scorer Jordan Richards in the box but he took a touch before seeing his shot saved. He then poked the rebound towards goal but the ball was cleared off the line by a combination of Bridge defenders.

With ten minutes gone, Shaun Whitfield took a throw which came back to him and he crossed into the box but Richards saw his header saved by Gary Thomas.

Carew would have been regretting those missed chances two minutes later as, from a Carew corner, the ball was cleared to Adam Hawkins who found Laurie Haworth on the right and he crossed to the back post for Hawkins to half volley in.

The Rooks were given a free kick just inside the D moments after but Jack Christopher saw his effort hit the wall and his follow up go over the bar.

Joe Leahy then saw a shot saved while Lloyd Hughes saw a shot go wide for Carew.

Alex Bayley then played in Lloyd Hughes and he fired low into the net for a deserved goal to bring the Rooks level.

Hughes then crossed into the box towards the back post but keeper Thomas fumbled the ball, allowing Richards a shot but he was equal to it to keep the scores level.

The Wizards were then given a free kick near the half way line which Leahy sent towards goal and his cross had to be turned over by the Carew keeper.

With just over half an hour gone, Carew’s Jack Christopher was shown a yellow for a foul on Leahy, giving the Wizards a free kick on the edge of the box. Leahy stood over it but saw his effort blocked over the bar.

There was a blow for Carew shortly before half time as Lloyd Hughes had to go off injured and he was replaced by Scott Ferney.

With two minutes to go until half time Sam Christopher crossed into the box for Richards but his shot was blocked with claims of handball waved away.

The half time whistle went with the sides still locked at 1-1 with everything still to play for in the second half.

At the start of the second half Sam Christopher flashed a cross towards goal which bounced out off the angle of post and crossbar.

Zac Rowell then made his way into the box but after he went down he was shown a yellow card for diving.

Nathan Greene then came close for the Wizards but his strong shot was turned over the bar.

Jack Christopher then crossed into the box for Richards but his header was straight at Gary Thomas.

Matthew Divry then crossed from the right for Joe Leahy just inside the box but he flashed a shot just over the bar.

With just over an hour gone Adam Hawkins won the ball back from Jack Christopher and he went on to slot the ball into the bottom left corner to give the Wizards the lead again.

Insult was added to injury for Christopher as he had to go off to be replaced by Max Brindley.

Iwan Izzard then came close to bringing Carew level again but his curling effort was saved by Gary Thomas.

Hawkins was denied the chance of a hat trick as he was then replaced by Will Haworth with fifteen minutes to go.

With nine minutes to go the Bridge made it 3-1 as Ashley Beck played a nice one-two with Nathan Greene and the former finished in similar fashion to team mate Hawkins with the ball going in off the boot of the Carew keeper.

With four minutes to go Carew won a corner which fell to Tom Grover but he fired over the bar.

Both sides made a number of substitutions with Joe Leahy seeing yellow for his slow walk off late on.

The Wizards saw the game out to seal their first ever West Wales Cup win.

After the match, two goal hero Adam Hawkins said: “It’s amazing, it’s my second time winning it, we’ve got an amazing group of lads here.

“We were unlucky with the league but to come away with the Senior Cup and the West Wales Cup this season, you couldn’t ask for much more really.

“They are a quality side and we knew it would be a close game but on the balance of play I think we deserved it.”

Merlins Bridge manager Matthew D’Ivry added: “I am delighted, this group of players deserve it for the hard work and commitment they have shown. We’ve had tough draws in the cup this season but that hard work has paid off.

“Carew are a really good side and we knew they were going to have a good spell in the game. Gary Thomas made a few good saves and towards the end of the first half we started playing our football.

“At half time we were confident that if we came out and started well we would get the right result.”

The two sides also drew praise from Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Stephen Crabb who tweeted: “Congratulations to Merlins Bridge for winning the West Wales Cup at the Liberty Stadium. Comiserations to Carew but great to have two Pembrokeshire teams in the final.”

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Awards celebrate all that is good about Pembrokeshire sport

Published

3 days ago

December 2, 2025

Herald Sport

PEMBROKESHIRE’S sporting community came together on Friday evening as Folly Farm hosted the annual Sport Pembrokeshire Awards – a night dedicated to honouring achievements across every level, age group and discipline.

The awards recognise exceptional performances, inspiring journeys and the volunteers who keep local sport thriving behind the scenes. The ceremony was once again presented by Ceri Coleman-Phillips of BBC Wales Sport, supported by Cris Tomos.

Lifetime honour for Premier League star

This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award went to Pembrokeshire’s own Simon Davies.
The former Wales winger enjoyed a distinguished Premier League career with Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton.

Davies scored in the 2010 Europa League final for Fulham, won fifty-eight caps for Wales – scoring six – and captained his country during the 2010 World Cup qualifiers. He was named Welsh Footballer of the Year in 2002 and Fulham’s player of the season in 2007–08. After leaving the club in 2013, he returned to his boyhood side Solva AFC, famously paying £3 subs to play against St Ishmaels.

Special recognition for Wales Women’s Street Football Team

Welsh rugby legend Gareth Thomas introduced the evening’s Special Award, honouring the players of the Wales Women’s Street Football Team for their remarkable run to the quarter-finals of the Homeless World Cup in Oslo.

The squad trains in Haverfordwest and included five outstanding Pembrokeshire players – co-captains Tor Planner and Marie Tilley, alongside Claire Mantripp, Sam Lewtas and Bryony Davies. All have overcome personal challenges, including homelessness, mental health difficulties and social exclusion, yet wore the Welsh jersey with pride on the world stage.

The team was led by manager Jo Price, former Wales and Arsenal goalkeeper.
Support staff included Anji Tinley, Manager of the Garth Youth & Community Project and a Pembrokeshire County Councillor.

Cruising Free honoured after rowing the Atlantic

The Chairman’s Award for 2025 was presented by Pembrokeshire County Council Chairman Cllr Maureen Bowen to ‘Cruising Free’ of Neyland Rowing Club, who achieved one of the world’s toughest endurance feats – rowing 3,200 miles across the Atlantic Ocean.

Sophie Pierce, Janine Williams, Miyah Periam and Polly Zipperlan completed the gruelling crossing from Lanzarote to Antigua, raising money for cystic fibrosis and the Paul Sartori Foundation.

At 32, Sophie became the first person with cystic fibrosis to row an ocean, while 70-year-old Janine became the oldest woman ever to complete the challenge. The team’s achievement was hailed as a powerful example of determination, unity and courage.

Parkrun pioneers win School Award

The School Award went to the Federation of Tavernspite and Templeton Schools – the first Parkrun School in the UK.

The federation has built a Parkrun curriculum with Parkrun UK, using the weekly event to boost physical activity, support wellbeing, and develop leadership through the Parkrun Ambassador scheme. The schools were praised for exceptional inclusion, providing adapted PE equipment, wheelchair races and strong support for disadvantaged pupils. Estyn has highlighted their work as best practice.

A strong year for Pembrokeshire sport

Summing up the event, Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said:
“My congratulations go to everyone who won awards and all those nominated. We are so lucky to have such a strong sporting scene here in Pembrokeshire, and my thanks go to all those who work so hard to ensure people of all ages and abilities can take part in the sports they love. Thanks also to our sponsors Valero, Folly Farm and Pure West Radio for supporting this celebration each year.”

Full list of winners

Girls U16: Ava Tyrie (Brazilian Ju Jitsu – Pembroke MMA)
Boys U16: Ned Rees-Wigmore (Hockey)

Club of the Year: Milford Haven Hockey Club (MAIN PHOTO)
Junior Disability: Jake Evans (Llangwm RFC)
Young Volunteer: Alannah Heasman (Haverfordwest High School)
Junior Team: Merlin’s Bridge FC Under-14s 2024/25
Unsung Hero: Jenny Lewis (Clarbeston Road AFC)
Senior Team: Fishguard & Goodwick Ladies Hockey Club
Male Achievement: Liam Bradley (Triathlon)
Female Achievement: Sanna Duthie (Running)
Disability Sport: Rachel Bailey (Boccia)
Club Organiser: Silfan Rhys-Jones (Fishguard Table Tennis Club)
Coach of the Year: James North (Kilgetty AFC)
School Award: Tavernspite & Templeton Federation of Schools
Chairman’s Award: Cruising Free (Neyland Rowing Club)
Special Award: Street Football Wales
Lifetime Achievement: Simon Davies (Wales, Spurs, Fulham, Everton & Solva AFC)

Sport

South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls: Week ten results

Published

4 days ago

November 30, 2025

Herald Sport

The Friendly League continues as Reynalton close the gap on leaders East Williamston

THE LATEST round of fixtures in the South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association’s Friendly League produced another mix of tight contests and emphatic victories.

Kilgetty were beaten 8–2 at home by Hundleton, while Reynalton delivered the standout performance of the week with a 10–0 win over East Williamston. Llanteg also impressed, defeating Carew 8–2.

Elsewhere, St Twynnells claimed a 7–3 win away at the Badgers, and Lamphey ran out 7–3 winners against St Johns. Cosheston had the bye.

League table – Week ten

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	S/D	Points
East Williamston	8	7	0	1	+130	62
Reynalton	8	5	1	2	+64	50
Hundleton	8	4	1	3	+3	42
Llanteg	8	4	0	4	–5	41
Badgers	9	3	1	5	–21	41
St Johns	8	3	1	4	–6	38
St Twynnells	8	4	0	4	–34	37
Lamphey	9	4	0	5	–15	36
Kilgetty	9	4	0	5	–49	36
Cosheston	8	3	0	5	–13	35
Carew	7	3	0	4	–54	32

Reynalton’s dominant win means they move within touching distance of leaders East Williamston, setting up an intriguing second half to the season.

Sport

South Africa run riot as Wales suffer record defeat in Cardiff

Published

5 days ago

November 30, 2025

Herald Sport

Wales 0–73 South Africa
WALES endured one of the heaviest defeats in their history on Saturday as world champions South Africa ran in 11 tries at the Principality Stadium, producing a brutal 73-0 demolition that exposed the gulf between the sides and underlined the scale of the rebuilding task facing Welsh rugby.

The fixture, arranged outside the international window, left Wales without several first-choice players and short on experience. South Africa, by contrast, arrived in Cardiff at full strength and in ruthless form. What followed was a one-sided contest from the opening minutes to the final whistle.

First-half dominance

The Springboks established their authority early, their scrum immediately overpowering the Welsh pack and setting the tone for the afternoon. Tries from Gerhard Steenekamp, Ethan Hooker and Jasper Wiese put the visitors 21-0 ahead, with Wales struggling to exit their own half and repeatedly conceding penalties under pressure.

Wales’ lineout functioned reasonably well and there were brief flashes of ambition from Joe Hawkins, Joe Roberts and Rio Dyer, but every half-chance dissolved through handling errors or South Africa’s suffocating defensive line. A late surge from the Boks saw Morne van den Berg cross just before the break for a 28-0 half-time lead.

Second-half collapse

Any hopes of containment disappeared after the interval. South Africa emptied their bench—bringing on yet more power—and immediately cut through Wales again. Wilco Louw, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (twice), Canan Moodie, Ruan Nortje and Eben Etzebeth all scored in a relentless second half.

Wales’ discipline faltered under the pressure. Taine Plumtree and Aaron Wainwright were both shown yellow cards, with Wainwright’s high tackle sent to the bunker for review. South Africa’s own discipline cracked late on when Etzebeth received a straight red card for making contact with the eye area of Alex Mann—an incident captain Siya Kolisi later claimed was accidental.

Reaction

Player of the match Andre Esterhuizen, who produced a series of thunderous carries and turnovers, said the Springboks “worked really hard” to complete their Autumn clean sweep, praising Wales for “never giving up”.

Kolisi was gracious in victory but said he did not want the Etzebeth incident to overshadow the performance, adding: “The only way a team gets better is by playing the best. Wales will be stronger for facing this.”

Former Wales captain Dan Biggar, working as a pundit, was blunt in his assessment. “There are players there that aren’t at this level now, and may not play this level again,” he said. “I don’t think anyone learned anything from that.”

A difficult day for Welsh rugby

For Wales, the defeat will strengthen scrutiny of the WRU’s scheduling and long-term planning. A young and inexperienced squad battled gamely in patches—Mann, Hawkins and Dyer among those showing fight—but the mismatch was stark.

A crowd of around 50,000, well below capacity, reflected the mood of supporters as another bruising year for Welsh rugby nears its end.

Head coach Warren Gatland will now attempt to piece together the positives from a chastening afternoon, but the bigger questions facing the structure of the game in Wales remain unanswered.