Sport
Narberth Under 16s host touring Irish side
ON Saturday (Apr 9) Narberth Under 16s hosted a touring side from Ireland and supporters who attended were treated to a close game of rugby.
The visitors’ squad of 37 players and committee men came from Mallow which is a town in County Cork, Ireland, approximately thirty-five kilometres north of Cork.
The previous day the team had played Llangwm and on Sunday they were due to play Haverfordwest. A very busy weekend was made possible only by them bring a large squad allowing them to rotate players and guarantee that each lad would get game time in at least two matches in quick succession.
Narberth were only able to field 12 players and so the Mallow Committee very sportingly loaned three of their players to the Narberth squad.
In the first half Mallow kicked off looking into the Sun playing East to West on a superbly maintained dry pitch.
After 10 minutes the Otters Under 16’s scored under the posts following a good passing sequence right to left amongst the backs. The try scorer wearing the 14 shirt was speedy Irish lad Reilly O’Hanlon. The conversion by scrum half Olly Hough took the score to 7-0.
Later, from a cleaned out ruck near the five metre line the outside half broke through on the left side and Aeron William scored. The try was nearly converted by Olly Hough.
In another break on the left-hand wing another try was scored by the Irish player Reilly O’Hanlon in Narberth colours and it was converted by Ollie Hough. The score after 15 minutes 19-0.
Then another try by the Otters after 20 mins converted by the scrum half Olly made the score near the end of the first 30 minute half 26-0.
The rotated squad from the 37 Irish players with fresh legs started to dominate the tiring Welsh team and they scored after some skilful jinking and swerving moves by the No 12 the inside centre which was converted by the number 10 outside Half Callum Lyon’s. After 25 minutes the score was 26-7.
In the second half 10 minutes into the game the number eight for Narberth Aaron Williams made a breakout from a ruck a few moments after the Irish Loose Head prop had been slightly injured and winded.
The conversion attempt 8 metres in from the left touch line was narrowly missed and the score stood at 31-7. But it was not over for the Irish stalwarts. They rallied and battled on gaining dominance in the forward.
During the closing minutes of the game there was a further score by the Irish player No 10 Outside half Evan Sheahan but this was not converted. Score 31-12.
Not to be outdone, and now playing back in his Irish green colours Reilly O’Hanlon scored with 5 minutes to go, converted Evan Sheahan. Score 31-19.
The dominance of the Irish team which had enough squad members to rotate players continued right up to the last minute where Reilly and Evan completed their double act by scoring and converting. The Final score was 31-26.
This was a very entertaining game played in a truly sportsman-like way and the game was a credit to the skills of both sides. After the match the teams enjoyed a hot meal with refreshments in the Clubhouse and Narberth team coach Ian Hough commented on the good standard of play before his wife Cathy Macphee, who had helped organise the reception, was presented with a memento by the Irish Chairman Mike Boyle.
Sport
Letterston marksman wins junior athlete award
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
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
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.
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