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Voneus Village Cup debutants Neyland flying the flag for Wales

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A PEMBROKESHIRE cricket club’s journey to being two wins from playing at Lord’s is exactly why the tournament’s headline sponsors wanted to throw its weight behind the largest grassroots cricketing competition in the UK.

Voneus, one of the UK’s leading rural broadband specialists and sponsors of the Village Cup, has highlighted the run of Neyland Cricket Club, who are the sole Welsh team left standing in this year’s tournament.

The side will make the 500-mile round trip to face Derbyshire side South Wingfield on Sunday for a spot in the final four, with a Welsh side not progressing to the final since Vale of Glamorgan club Sully CC lifted the trophy in 2004.

A team from Pembrokeshire has never made the final in the history of the competition, but debutants Neyland are out to break that status, with the side’s entry in this year’s Voneus Village Cup the culmination of more than a decade of development amongst the club’s First XI squad.

Head of content and social media at Voneus, which has an office in Carmarthenshire, Mahir Prasad said: “Neyland’s run in the Voneus Village Cup is exactly the reason why we are passionate about backing grassroots competitions like this.

“Bringing rural communities together is what we do and throughout this cup run we’ve been able to see the entire community of Neyland and the wider county of Pembrokeshire get behind the club.”

Local businesses and sponsors have helped fund the club’s trips and other clubs have been willing to shuffle fixtures around to accommodate the side’s schedule during Neyland’s cup run.

Neyland CC First XI captain Sean Hannon said: “The squad has become one where when the chips are down, we are able to rally and pull through and a lot of that comes down to how long this team has been together.

“Nine of the 11 regular starters in the First XI have come through the junior system at Neyland and many of us have been playing together for more than a decade, so the squad has become a tight-knit group and even when we’ve had people from other squads step in, they’ve been quickly welcomed into the side.

“One of the reasons why the club entered the Voneus Village Cup for the first time this season was to see if we could test ourselves on a higher level, so to still be in the hunt and be one of the final eight sides has exceeded even our wildest expectations.”

Neyland booked their ticket to the quarters via a bowl-out, the Voneus Village Cup equivalent of a penalty shootout, downing Nottinghamshire side Clipstone & Bilsthorpe 4-1 after the game was rained out.

The victory was the latest in a busy season, with the side keeping its sights on a cup double after also progressing through to the final 16 of the Welsh Cup, but the side will be hoping they will be able to step foot on the hallowed turf which makes up the home of cricket.

Sean added: “We never want to get too far ahead of ourselves, especially as we are now the last Welsh team left in the competition, but the carrot of playing at Lord’s is definitely there for the side.

“The support from the community has been incredible and it really feels like this run has been something not only Neyland but Pembrokeshire has put their backing behind.

“Having that support has been invaluable to us as a team, it’s just a shame the quarter final is quite a long distance away as we would love to see that swelling of support behind us at the game, we just hope it is a happy trip back on Sunday evening!”

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Devonald’s hat-trick secures St Ishmaels’ dominant win over Herbrandston

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Herbrandston 0 – St Ishmaels 6

BRENNAN DEVONALD delivered a masterclass as St Ishmaels thrashed Herbrandston 6-0, with the skipper leading from the front and scoring a stunning hat-trick. The comprehensive victory propels St Ishmaels to eighth in the league table, while Herbrandston remain rooted to the bottom without a single point.

The visitors asserted their dominance from the outset. Devonald opened the scoring in the 9th minute, latching onto a pinpoint assist from Owen Lawrence. He doubled their lead just before halftime in the 40th minute, again set up by Lawrence, giving St Ishmaels a comfortable cushion at the break.

St Ishmaels maintained their momentum in the second half, adding four more goals to cap off a stellar team performance. Adam Kingsbeer’s clever play set up Ieuan Hawkins for the third, before Tom Williams capitalised on another opportunity to make it 4-0. Devonald sealed his hat-trick in the 85th minute with an expertly taken goal, and Joel Mills added the finishing touch in the dying moments, courtesy of an assist from Sol Goodall.

Team line-ups

Herbrandston: Adrian Rees, Oliver Robinson, Ethan Chalker, Scott Findlay, Dean John (Captain), Harley Barrett, Gedion Hockin, Leon Whatling, Scott Gillespie, Cian Davenport. Subs: Leo Duncan, Jacob James, Nico Cockrell.

St Ishmaels: Owen Thomas, Sol Goodall, Owen Lawrence, Finley Armstrong, Brennan Devonald (Captain), Adam Kingsbeer, Ieuan Hawkins, Joel Mills, Tom Williams, Daniel Coe, Nathan Thomas. Subs: Max Howells, Tyler Sheil.

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Sport

Dominant wins for Pembrokeshire sides in West Wales Intermediate Cup round 3

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Goodwick United 7-0 Carew

Goodwick United put on a commanding performance with a 7-0 triumph over Carew. The home side proved too powerful for their opponents, with Rhys Dalling and Rhys Jones each bagging two goals. Matty Delaney, Will Haworth, and Daniel Bryce also got their names on the scoresheet. As one of Pembrokeshire’s top teams, Goodwick will aim to build on this dominant win as they progress to the next round.

Hakin United 13-0 Clydach Sports

Hakin United were in ruthless form as they dispatched Clydach Sports 13-0. Jack Britton led the charge with an impressive five-goal haul, while Liam Parks netted a hat-trick. Jack Griffiths, Jay Kilby, Kieran King, Justin Harding, and Mason Dolling all contributed to the comprehensive scoreline. Hakin, one of the premier teams in Pembrokeshire, will be keen to continue their pursuit of the cup after this emphatic victory.

Merlins Bridge 7-3 Treboeth United

Merlins Bridge secured a thrilling 7-3 victory over Treboeth United in an exciting encounter. Nathan Evans was the star of the show, scoring a hat-trick, while Tom Jago, Jason Griffiths, Hayden Dimond, and Ashton Plunkett all found the back of the net. Treboeth’s Liam Manning, Cori Jones, and Matthew Colley fought valiantly but could not prevent the home side from taking the win. Merlins Bridge will be pleased with their attacking display and will look to build on this result.

Monkton Swifts 5-4 Clarbeston Road

In a dramatic local derby, Monkton Swifts edged out Clarbeston Road 5-4 in a high-scoring affair. Dylan Davies was the standout performer with four goals, and Liam Butland added another. Clarbeston Road fought hard with goals from Laurie Haworth, Matthew Davies, Greg Brown, and Ben John, but it was the Swifts who held on to secure the victory. Monkton will be happy to progress after such a closely contested match.

Neyland 1-2 Cwm Wanderers

Neyland were narrowly defeated 2-1 by Cwm Wanderers in a closely contested match. Ben Gale scored for Neyland, but goals from Joseff Shaw and Corey Raven-Sayce gave the visitors the edge. Despite a valiant effort from Neyland, Cwm Wanderers held firm to secure the win and advance to the next round.

Plough Colts 0-2 Pennar Robins

Pennar Robins comfortably saw off Plough Colts 2-0, with Kieran Smith and Jamie Wilkes scoring the goals. Pennar demonstrated their class and will look to carry this momentum forward into the next round.

Tenby 2-0 Blaen-y-Maes

Tenby continued their fine form with a 2-0 victory over Blaen-y-Maes. Sam Butler and Scott Ferney were on target for Tenby, who have been one of the most impressive sides this season. This win further cements Tenby’s status as one of the top contenders in the competition.

Analysis:

Pembrokeshire’s leading teams, Goodwick United and Hakin United, demonstrated their superiority with commanding wins, while Tenby showed their credentials with a solid 2-0 victory. With such dominant performances, Goodwick and Hakin are likely to be among the favourites to claim the title, with Tenby also emerging as a serious contender in this year’s West Wales Intermediate Cup.

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Thrills and dominance: Narberth shine in 6-1 victory

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Broad Haven 4-4 Solva

In an exhilarating, high-scoring encounter, Broad Haven played out a 4-4 draw with Solva. Marco Valentine netted twice for Broad Haven, with Owen Sheppard and Shane Howells also getting on the scoresheet. Solva responded through Josh Bland, who scored a hat-trick, and Lucas Price, ensuring the points were shared in this thrilling clash.

Camrose 1-3 Fishguard Sports

Fishguard Sports claimed a 3-1 victory over Camrose, with a clinical display of attacking play. Andrew John scored the only goal for Camrose, but Fishguard’s offensive strength proved overwhelming. Anthony Couzens, Luke Thomas, and Ieuan Llewellyn all found the net to guide their side to victory.

Carew II 0-2 Hakin United II

Hakin United II earned a solid 2-0 win over Carew II. Rowan Dixon and Tom Edmonds were the scorers for the visitors, with Carew struggling to break down Hakin’s defense. It was a well-executed performance that saw Hakin advance with all three points.

Johnston P-P Merlins Bridge II

The match between Johnston and Merlins Bridge II was postponed, with no further details available at the time of writing.

Lawrenny 1-6 Narberth

Narberth cruised to a commanding 6-1 victory over Lawrenny. Owen James scored the lone goal for Lawrenny, but Narberth’s attacking prowess was on full display as Steffan Williams scored twice, and Ashley Williams, Chris Brown, Conor Bowen, and Ryan Williams each found the back of the net in a comprehensive win.

Analysis:

The 14th December 2024 fixtures saw a blend of thrilling draws and dominant victories. Broad Haven and Solva shared the spoils in an action-packed 4-4 draw, while Fishguard Sports, Hakin United II, and Narberth all secured convincing wins. Narberth’s 6-1 triumph over Lawrenny was the standout result of the day, highlighting their attacking firepower.

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