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Rali Ceredigion attracts global champions in ground-breaking battle

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ORGANISERS of JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion from August 30 to September 1 have revealed a stellar entry list for the 2024 event, which features championship-winning drivers from around the world.

A round of the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) for the first time, Rali Ceredigion has attracted international interest with competitors from 14 different countries registering for the three-day, 183km event.

Included in the star-studded field are two former European Rally champions and competitors that have won 13 British Rally Championship (BRC) titles.

Topping the list is reigning European Rally champion and 2022 Rali Ceredigion winner, Hayden Paddon and co-driver John Kennard from New Zealand. Hayden’s fight for the 2024 ERC title with France’s Mathieu Fransceschi/Andy Malfoy will resume in Wales as the Škoda driver has also signed up for the event.

2022 winners Hayden Paddon and co-driver Jared Hudson with Phil Pugh from Rali Ceredigion (Pic: Supplied)

Other ERC regulars include Poland’s Miko Marczyk/Szymon Gospodarczyk, Italy’s Andrea Mabellini/Virginia Lenzi, Germany’s Albert von Thurn und Taxis/Franck Christian and Ireland’s Jon Armstrong/Eoin Treacy. They will all take on the best of the Probite British Rally Championship, many of whom have also registered for ERC championship points.

Those crews include 2023 Junior WRC champion and BRC championship leader William Creighton/Liam Regan, 2019 European Rally champion Chris Ingram/Alex Kihurani, four-time BRC champion Keith Cronin/Mikie Galvin, three-time BRC champion Matt Edwards/David Moynihan.

Other crews are 2022 British champion and two-time Rali Ceredigion winner Osian Pryce/Rhodri Evans and Rali Ceredigion podium finishers Meirion Evans/Jonathan Jackson and James Williams/Ross Whittock.

Rali Ceredigion is likely to play a pivotal role in the outcome of the 2024 British Rally Championship too, as the event’s two legs have been categorised into two separate points-scoring rounds for the BRC title fight.

Behind the crowd-pleasing Rally2 cars, a swarm of Rally4 crews will line up from both Junior ERC and the Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup IRE & UK. Eight drivers have entered Junior ERC, including from Czech Republic, Sweden, Germany and Italy and there’s a high chance the Junior ERC title could be settled in Aberystwyth.

Welsh star Ioan Lloyd and Ireland’s Kyle McBride will both tackle the ERC4 category alongside their battle for points in the Stellantis Cup.

The National Rally entry is similarly strong, with Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship title contenders Callum Black/Jack Morton and Neil Roskell/Rob Fagg both entering in their Ford Fiesta Rally2s.

Taking them on is a gaggle of local Welsh crews, including Kevin Davies/Owain Davies (Volkswagen) who were a superb seventh overall in 2023, Dylan Davies/Llion Williams (Škoda) and Andy Davies/Lee Taylor (Ford).

Former British Rally champions Mark Higgins (Subaru Impreza) and Gwyndaf Evans (Ford Escort Mk2) will also be mixing it with the state-of-the-art Rally2 machines.

Andrea Mabellini, ERC driver, said: “I don’t know much about the event but I’ve watched some videos on YouTube and it seems very different to what we are used to, especially because we will do the recce with right-hand-drive cars! But it’s one of the things we will appreciate more about the rally.

“It’s something different and for sure we will enjoy it because we always like to do new rallies and it’s a new adventure. That’s why we love it.”

Meirion Evans, BRC driver, said: “It’s the one we’ve looked forward to all year, especially as a Welsh driver. It’s great to have the ERC guys come over to bring some more quality to the entry and give us all a real yardstick.

“We haven’t had that in the UK for a long time and probably never had it on Tarmac, so that’ll be quite interesting.

“We need to monitor where we are in the British championship, especially as part of the Castrol MEM Rally Team with Chris Ingram, but it’s my home rally and to get a chance to do it in the European Championship is a complete dream, so I’d be lying if I said I won’t be looking at the overall picture as well.”

Callum Black, top-seeded National entrant, said: “This is probably the most technical rally in the country, the stages have got everything. I’d say they’re up there as some of the most rewarding stages you can drive that’s for sure, so I’m looking forward to it as I really enjoyed the rally last year.

“We have the Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship to think about, so the target is to win the National which would be massive for our title defence, but I’d love to post some competitive stage times overall as well.”

The full entry lists are available at https://www.raliceredigion.co.uk/competitors/

Sport

Devonald’s hat-trick secures St Ishmaels’ dominant win over Herbrandston

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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.

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Sport

Dominant wins for Pembrokeshire sides in West Wales Intermediate Cup round 3

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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.

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Sport

Thrills and dominance: Narberth shine in 6-1 victory

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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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