Sport
Bluebirds get season off to winning start
HAVERFORDWEST County kick-started their 2022-23 JD Cymru Premier campaign with a 1-0 victory over Caernarfon Town at the Ogi Bridge Meadow on Saturday (Aug 13).
Jordan Davies’ header with 10 minutes remaining was enough to give the Bluebirds all three points, as they marked manager Tony Pennock’s first league game in charge in winning fashion.
In sweltering conditions at the Ogi Bridge Meadow – with the temperature reaching a high of 32°C – both teams showed impressive fitness levels to stick to their task throughout the 90 minutes.
County showed positive intent right from the off, with Jack Wilson having a couple of opportunities inside the opening six minutes which goalkeeper Josh Tibbetts was equal to.
Henry Jones then put a ball into the area which picked out Jordan Davies at the back post, but the forward was just unable to bring it under his spell to get a shot away.
Wilson had another chance not long after when Ryan George showed jet heels to beat his man before putting a ball into the area which picked the forward out, but his effort went over the crossbar.
Despite their early pressure, the Bluebirds could have found themselves behind but for some excellent last-ditch defending which saw Sion Bradley’s shot from inside the area blocked on its path to goal.
Striker Ben Fawcett was next to have an effort on goal when he picked the ball up from Jordan Davies and got a shot away, which was heading for the right corner, but Tibbetts got down to produce the save.
With the searing heat in mind, two water breaks were scheduled to be taken 25 minutes into both halves. While there was a risk that this stoppage in play could have taken some of County’s tempo away, this was not to be the case as they continued to play on the front foot.
The best chance of the first-half came 10 minutes before the break, when George again beat his opposite number and put a ball into the area which found Fawcett, but after having a couple of efforts from a few yards out, the ball was somehow kept out of the net.
The second-half followed a similar pattern to the first, with County dictating the play against a well-organised Canaries side.
Pennock’s side created three chances in as many minutes in the early stages of the second period, with Lee Jenkins – who was making his Bluebirds top-flight debut – heading just wide from a free-kick, before Jordan Davies’ cross-cum-shot was palmed behind from a corner and Fawcett had his shot from inside the area deflected just wide.
The game lost some of its tempo for a 15-minute period, but it was sparked back into life when Henry Jones’ shot from inside the area was inadvertently blocked on its path to goal by a teammate.
With the final 10 minutes approaching, it looked as if the match might be heading towards a stalemate, however the Bluebirds were finally able to make their pressure tell.
Henry Jones picked the ball up on the left side and delivered a pinpoint cross into the area which found Jordan Davies at the far post, and the striker guided his header home to send the home supporters wild and get his team off to a winning start to the Cymru Premier season.
Haverfordwest County are next in action on Saturday, August 20, when they travel to Maes Tegid to take on Bala Town (Kick-off 2.30pm).
WALES’ search for a first win in this year’s Women’s Six Nations continues after a tough afternoon at Rodney Parade saw them fall 40-14 to a dominant Ireland side.
Despite a strong start and an early try from Carys Cox, the home team quickly lost control of the match as Ireland ran in six tries – two apiece from Linda Djougang, Aoife Wafer, and Dorothy Wall.
A second-half score from late squad addition Hannah Bluck gave Wales a glimmer of hope, but it was little more than consolation in front of a record crowd of 3,568 at the Newport venue.
Ireland’s forwards proved too powerful throughout, and Wales’ defensive frailties were exposed time and again. The defeat marks Wales’ fourth consecutive loss of the tournament, and they now face a must-win match against Italy to avoid finishing bottom of the table for a second straight year.
Wales began with purpose, with stand-in fullback Lleucu George causing problems early. Her clever kick down the flank forced an error from Ireland’s Amee-Leigh Costigan, allowing Cox to dive on the loose ball for the opening try.
But Ireland soon found their rhythm, capitalising on soft tackling and set-piece pressure. Djougang muscled over after a burst from Wafer, who soon added one of her own as the visitors took control.
Even a yellow card for Ireland fly-half Dannah O’Brien – shown a card for dangerous contact – did little to help Wales. The Irish maintained their dominance with Wall crossing just before half-time to put them 21-7 ahead.
Ireland continued their charge in the second half, with Wall securing the bonus point shortly after the restart. While Cox and Jasmine Joyce-Butchers tried to spark a response, handling errors and turnovers repeatedly derailed Welsh attacks.
Bluck’s try, created by strong carries from Carys Phillips and a sharp offload from Keira Bevan, gave fans something to cheer. But Wafer had the last word, bulldozing her way over from the base of the scrum to seal the win.
Ireland now look to cement third place when they face Scotland, while Wales have one last chance to salvage their campaign when they travel to face Italy.
After the match, head coach Sean Lynn admitted the performance was painful: “It hurts. We all feel it. We had moments where we were right in it – we could have gone 14-0 up – but didn’t take our chances. That’s the difference at this level.”
Ireland’s Aoife Wafer reflected on the team’s spirit: “We talk about being the most connected team in the world. That shows in how we play – not just the 23 here, but the girls back home too. Winning away is never easy, so we’re proud of this.”
Wales team: Joyce-Butchers; Neumann, Jones (capt), Keight, Cox; George, Bevan; G. Pyrs, K. Jones, Scoble, Fleming, Evans, K. Williams, Lewis, Callender.
Replacements: C. Phillips, Davies, Rose, John, A. Pyrs, S. Jones, Bluck, Richards.
Ireland team: Flood; McGann, Dalton, Breen, Amee-Leigh; O’Brien, Scuffil-McCabe; McCarthy, N. Jones, Djougang, Campbell, Wall, Hogan, McMahon (capt), Wafer.
Replacements: Moloney, McGrath, Haney, Tuite, Boles, Lane, Higgins, Elmes Kinlan.
Yellow card: O’Brien (36 mins)
Tries – Wales: Cox, Bluck | Conversions: Bevan 2
Tries – Ireland: Djougang 2, Wafer 2, Wall 2 | Conversions: O’Brien 3, Breen 2
FISHGUARD will once again play host to the Wales Triathlon this summer, with hundreds of competitors set to descend on the town for the popular sporting event on Sunday, June 15.
Organised by Activity Wales Events, the triathlon includes a two-lap sea swim in Fishguard Bay, followed by a two-lap cycle from Fishguard to St Davids and a four-lap run along the Marine Walk and out onto the breakwater.
In order to facilitate the bike leg on closed roads, several road closures will be in place throughout the day.
Major road closures
The A487 between Goodwick and Mathry will be closed between 9:45am and 3:00pm.
Between Mathry and Croesgoch, the A487 will be closed from 10:00am to 3:00pm, and from Croesgoch to St Davids the closure will run from 10:00am until 2:45pm.
Crossing points will be in operation at Mathry crossroads, Croesgoch crossroads, and the Llangoffan to Granston junction. Diversions will be signposted, with local traffic routed via minor B roads and through Haverfordwest for longer journeys.
Town centre impact
In Fishguard, West Street will be closed between 12:00pm and 6:00pm for the running stage. Residents will still be able to exit side roads, with diversions clearly marked.
Goodwick residents will be able to exit the town via the Tesco roundabout, which will remain open all day.
Care access and course passes
Care workers will be allowed access to visit clients within the closed sections, but must obtain a course pass via their organisation in advance.
On the day, carers using the route must:
- Follow the direction of the race
- Display their pass clearly
- Keep hazard lights on at all times
- Exit the route as soon as safely possible
Further information
The event attracted over 1,000 athletes last year, and organisers anticipate another strong turnout.
More information can be found at: www.walestriathlon.com/athletes/event-info
Road closure details are available at: community.walestriathlon.com
For course pass enquiries, contact: info@activitywalesevents.com
All matches complete as season concludes
THE 2024/25 season of the South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association – known as The Friendly League – has now officially concluded, with all clubs completing their outstanding fixtures.
The past few weeks saw the following catch-up matches played:
- Carew 8–2 Llanteg
- St Johns 8–2 Cosheston
- Hundleton 8–2 Reynalton
- Reynalton 9–1 Lamphey
- Cosheston 10–0 Kilgetty
- East Williamston 9–1 Kilgetty
Final League Table (2024/25 Season)
| Position | Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | S/D | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Williamston | 20 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 313 | 158 |
| 2 | St Johns | 20 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 111 | 122 |
| =3 | Carew | 20 | 11 | 1 | 8 | 105 | 111 |
| =3 | Cosheston | 20 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 77 | 111 |
| 5 | Reynalton | 20 | 11 | 0 | 9 | 28 | 104 |
| 6 | Hundleton | 20 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 74 | 97 |
| 7 | Llanteg | 20 | 7 | 1 | 12 | -71 | 92 |
| 8 | St Twynnells | 20 | 8 | 1 | 11 | -97 | 89 |
| 9 | Badgers | 20 | 6 | 1 | 13 | -22 | 82 |
| =10 | Lamphey | 20 | 6 | 0 | 14 | -179 | 67 |
| =10 | Kilgetty | 20 | 6 | 0 | 14 | -262 | 67 |
Congratulations to East Williamston, who finish the season as clear champions with an impressive 158 points and a shot difference of +313.
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