Sport
Harrison Allen final preview: Neyland v Carew
IT’S the one they all want to win. The Harrison Allen Final takes place this Saturday (Aug 28) with Neyland taking on Carew.
As always the game will be played at Cresselly Cricket Club and it promises to be another exciting final.
Neyland won the competition in 2020, beating Haverfordwest in the final, and having won the league last weekend, they will be keen to make it a double-winning season.
Carew though are playing in their first final since 2012 and will be looking to lift the trophy for the first time since 2010.
Carew beat Haverfordwest in that final but you have to go all the way back to 1971 for the last time Neyland played Carew in the final.
That occasion saw Neyland come out on top with Stuart Watts putting in a man of the match performance in that game.
50 years on and the two are set to do battle once again and with both teams evenly matched it is hard to choose a winner.
Division 1
In the league, Neyland finished top while Carew finished in fourth place after their final game of the season was abandoned.
The league games between the two produced similar results with Neyland winning on both occasions.
In May, Carew were bowled out for 122 before Neyland reached their target with seven wickets in hand.
Henry Durrant and Ross Hardy starred on that occasion for the hosts and there was a similar result when the two sides met in the reverse fixture in July.
Carew scored 171-9 in their innings with Hayden Shapcott scoring 45 and James Hinchcliffe scoring 32.
Hardy was again amongst the wickets before Nick Koomen scored 54 and Nathan Banner finished unbeaten on 57 to see Neyland to another seven-wicket win.
Although the results may have been the same, cup cricket is never the same.
Route to the final
Carew began their route to the final in May with a trip to Saundersfoot. Carew were kept to a low total of 122-9 in their innings but they were able to restrict Saundersfoot to 113-7 in their reply to win by nine runs.
In the second round, Carew beat Narberth in another close game.
They scored 151-4 first up before Narberth fell only two runs short in their chase on 149-8.
In the quarter finals, Carew made an excellent total of 236-3 in their innings against Kilgetty.
Lewis Hicks scored 65 and Nick Davies added 55 before Carew were able to bowl Kilgetty out for 137 to win by 99 runs.
The semi-finals saw them go up against Division 2 side Burton in Neyland. They successfully chased down Burton’s total of 142-5 to win by eight wickets.
Luke Hicks was again on form scoring 53 to see his side into the final.
Holders Neyland had a bye in the first round and they hosted Hook in the second round.
Neyland proved too strong with Patrick Bellerby scoring an unbeaten 101 in their total of 177-3.
They then restricted Hook to 81-9 in their reply to seal an excellent win.
Neyland played Lawrenny in their last-eight tie and they made it through to the last four with a narrow win.
The home side scored 145-8 in their innings with Ross Hardy scoring 58.
A score of 52 from Kurtis Marsh wasn’t enough for Lawrenny though as they could only reach 138-5 in reply, Brad McDermott-Jenkins taking three wickets for Neyland.
That set up another big clash against Cresselly in the semi-final which was played at Kilgetty.
Neyland batted first again and scored 160-5 in their innings with Ross Hardy scoring 41 and Ashley Sutton finished unbeaten on 52.
Cresselly pushed Neyland all the way with Iwan Izzard finishing unbeaten on 98 but they fell just two runs short on 158-4.
In their run to the final, Carew have shown they have the firepower to post a big total whilst also being able to defend a smaller one.
Neyland have also shown their ability to build a total and that they can restrict their opponents.
This season has also seen Neyland reach the Village Cup semi-final and Welsh Cup quarter finals and whilst they were beaten in both of those games, Sean Hannon’s team will have taken a lot from those experiences.
Having played on Saturday and Sunday for much of August and throughout the season, Saturday’s title win will have given them a big boost ahead of the final.
The Harrison Allen will represent their 36th game of the season and they will look to end on a high.
Carew also reached the Duggie Morris final earlier this year where they were beaten by Lawrenny and they will be keen to avoid another final defeat.
Their final game of the season was abandoned last Saturday but the team did take part in the Aled Davies Memorial tournament on Sunday.
Carew won that and they will look to follow that up this weekend.
What the captains say
Carew captain Shaun Whitfield said: “We’re definitely looking forward to it, especially after losing the Duggie Morris final.
“It should be a good game against a good team. They are the best team in our league, well captained, and well drilled so we know it’s going to be a tough game.
“You normally have to beat the top teams to win the Harrison Allen so this Saturday will be no different.
“We’ve got a full team to choose from, there should be a big crowd and a good atmosphere and we’re just really looking forward to it.”
Neyland captain Sean Hannon said: “We’ve had some good contests with them over the years. We had a very close game at the quarter final stage last season so we are not underestimating them, they are a good side with some dangerous players.
“It’s a great day out and you never get bored of taking part in it so I’m really looking forward to it.
“With our win last weekend it’s sort of taken a little bit of pressure off us next week as we’ve already got one trophy in the cabinet. It’s not going to distract us from the Harrison Allen though as that’s the trophy everyone talks about.”
A final word
Both teams are expecting a tough game and are keen to get their hands on the trophy so it promises to be another exciting final.
With spectators allowed in to sporting events once again, it will only add to the atmosphere.
The two teams are evenly matched so we won’t be predicting a winner. We’ll let the cricket do the talking.
May the best team win.
Sport
Devonald’s hat-trick secures St Ishmaels’ dominant win over Herbrandston
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.
Sport
Dominant wins for Pembrokeshire sides in West Wales Intermediate Cup round 3
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.
Sport
Thrills and dominance: Narberth shine in 6-1 victory
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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