Sport

2021: Another odd year but sport makes welcome return

Published

3 years ago

December 20, 2021

2021 has been another odd year for sport. It started with uncertainty over when competitive sport would resume and has ended with action in full swing.

JD Cymru Premier Football was played before the return of cricket while football and rugby made a welcome return later this year.

With all football suspended bar the JD Cymru Premier, Haverfordwest County carried the flag for the county.

Despite a good season for the Bluebirds there was to be no European football for them as manager Wayne Jones did not have the required licences to lead his team in Europe.

There was though a memorable occasion for long serving captain Sean Pemberton who hung up his boots after his 259^th game for the club in May.

Manager Wayne Jones resigned at the beginning of December and Pemberton was given the task of taking over, with former Wales international Jazz Richards by his side.

CRICKET IS BACK

Cricket returned at the beginning of May, well over 600 days since the last game of league cricket was played.

It was a welcome return for all concerned with many taking time to adjust to new rules such as having to sanitise the ball every couple of overs.

LEAGUE AND CUP WINNERS

The Division 1 title race took many twists and turns with Lawrenny pushing Neyland all the way.

In August, Lawrenny beat Neyland to go to the top of the table. The top two then met again in Neyland on the final day of the season but it was Neyland who came out on top to secure the Division 1 title.

Neyland led the way in cup competitions as they reached the semi-finals of the Village Cup and the quarter finals of the Welsh Cup.

Fishguard secured the Division 5 title on their return to league cricket while Llangwm and Pembroke Dock were promoted to Division 1.

Division 4 was won by Llanrhian seconds while their first team were crowned winners of Division 3.

Neyland seconds secured the Alec Colley Cup with a win over Cresselly in the final in August.

Llanrhian won the Alan Brown Cup in July as they beat Stackpole in the final which was played in Whitland.

Lawrenny did not miss out on silverware this year as they wrestled the Duggie Morris Cup from Neyland’s grasp, having beaten them in the quarter finals, by beating Carew in the final.

Narberth were also celebrating after beating Landsker Nomads in the final of the Ken Morris Cup.

In the ladies game, Cresselly were crowned league winners for the first time since 1999 and that made it a double-winning season after also securing the Clive Huxley Cup just a week earlier after they beat Whitland in the final.

HARRISON BOWL FIREWORKS

The Harrison Allen Bowl final took place at the end of August between Carew and Neyland.

Carew were bowled out for 109 in their first innings but what happened next was something special.

Neyland’s Patrick Bellerby hit a stunning 134 not out to guide his side to 241-2, the highest ever total in a bowl final.

It gave them a resounding 132-run lead and all but secured the Bowl for Sean Hannon’s men.

Carew gave it their all and at least made Neyland bat again but the damage had already been done and Neyland knocked off the 23 runs needed to win the Harrison Allen Bowl for a tenth time.

Bellerby’s knock included fifteen fours and nine sixes and came off just 69 balls with a strike rate of 194.20 and made him a worthy recipient of the man of the match award.

In September there was a charity cricket match in Pembroke Dock which raised £7000 for charity.

The money was split between mental health charities and Callum Jones who is recovering from serious injuries.

RUGBY AND FOOTBALL RETURN

It was the return of rugby and football that took centre stage in September. Rugby returned with the new WRU Cup competitions, designed to keep teams local in a bid to prevent the spread of covid-19.

Following the WRU Cups, the league seasons also recommenced in November and so far in the Championship, Narberth have secured four wins from their opening five games.

Whitland and Crymych have both picked up wins in League 1 West while Pembroke are yet to get off the mark.

In League 2 West, Fishguard and Milford are also off the mark while Tenby are also looking for their first win.

Cardigan are the leaders of League 3 West A with St Clears, Lampeter and Haverfordwest completing the top four.

In the football, Goodwick United are the leaders in Division 1 having won ten and drawn one of their 11 games so far.

Clarbeston Road sit second while Hakin are third having played three games less than the two teams above them.

Kilgetty are going well in Division 2 while Camrose are leading the way in Division 3.

It has been an up and down year for sport and with the break coming over the festive period it is time to stay safe and enjoy Christmas.

See you all in 2022.

Related Topics:Carew Cricket Football Haverfordwest Neyland pembrokeshire Rugby

Up Next

Steynton Chess Club win cup for first time

Don't Miss

Otters battle to win over Cardiff Met

Sport

Letterston marksman wins junior athlete award

Published

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.