Sport

Quins upset Blues to reach KO Cup semi-final

Published

3 years ago

April 17, 2022

PEMBROKE DOCK Quins upset all the odds by beating League 3 West A leaders Haverfordwest on Saturday (Apr 16) in a pulsating clash with the result in doubt up until the last minute.

The win now puts them into the semi-final of the KO Cup against Aberystwyth at home on a date to be arranged.

On a beautilful Easter Saturday in front of probably the biggest crowd in Pembrokeshire rugby this season, it was the Quins who forced the first error after just three minutes. Outside Half Euan MacDonald sent his 45-yard attempt just wide of the Blues Uprights.

The Blues were dominating the early scrums but were not taking full advantage of the penalties that the Quins were conceding, the Quins first up tackling was stopping the Blues virtually every time they tried to mount a serious attack, and with Prop Jack Davies and a resurgent Flanker Jordan Palmer causing all sorts of problems at the Breakdown and with Centres Jack Price and Gethin Bradney bottling up the middle, things were not going the Blues way as they found the Quins difficult to break down.

On 26 minutes the Quins struck when Centre and Captain Jack Price scattered Blues defenders everywhere and touched down near the posts, Euan MaDonald converted and against all the odds the Quins were 7-0 up.

Once again the Blues responded, but still could not make any inroads into Quins defence.

Then right on half time the Quins scored their second try through Jack Price with a carbon-copy of the first try, Euan MaDonald added the extra to stretch the Quins lead to 14-0 and a few minutes later the referee blew for half time with the Quins on the attack.

The second half started and the Blues showed that they are not unbeaten in the League for nothing, when Wing Jack Evans hauled his side back into the game, out flanking the Quins defence to touch down wide out with the half just four minutes old, Outside Half Jake Morgan missed the difficult conversion.

Points were now a precious commodity for the Blues as they tried to get within one score of the Quins.

The Quins, after defending as if their lives depended on it finally transgressed, and Jake Morgan slotted over a penalty from in front of the posts to drag his side back into it at 14-8.

The home side still held on, barely getting out of their half as they dug deep.

With 10 minutes to go the Blues struck when Centre Matthew John cut through the Quins defence to touch down wide out. The Quins defenders to their credit made the conversion difficult and Jake Morgan missed.

The Quins were now leading 14-13 and it was going to be a tough ask for the young side to hang on.

But this they did admirably, the forwards were putting in a huge effort with Hywel Baker, Harry Owen, Ben Gibby coming to the the fore as the Quins rang the changes from the bench and the interchanges.

With five minutes to go the Quins almost put the game beyond doubt when replacement Centre Aaron James hacked through but the bounce of the ball eluded him about a yard from the line.

The Quins were now firmly deep in Blues territory for the first time in the half. As the game went into injury time and with the Blues’ backs behind their own goal line, the Quins looked odds on favourites.

The Blues tried to run out of defence with 6 minutes into injury time already gone, they transgressed more in desperation than anything else and up stepped Euan MaDonald to put the penalty over, the referee blew for no side and the Quins Marched into the Semi Final.

The Pembrokeshire KO CUP is one of the oldest cup competions in Wales, it has struggled over the years since professionalism, but by hook or crook it has still managed to keep going.

With Grass Roots Rugby struggling,this match was a beacon of hope with a large crowd and a local Derby played on a Bank Holiday which is very important to the respective Clubs.

Related Topics:Haverfordwest KO Cup Pembroke Dock Quins Rugby

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Letterston marksman wins junior athlete award

Published

1 day 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

2 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

3 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.