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Sport

Third time lucky for Cresselly in Clive Huxley Cup final

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CRESSELLY were crowned winners of the Clive Huxley Cup Final on Sunday (July 25), at the third time of asking.

Cresselly had reached the previous two finals where they were beaten by Burton but it was third time lucky for Cresselly who prevailed over Whitland in Sunday’s final which was played at Stackpole Cricket Club.

Whitland batted first but they could only reach a score of 97-2. Caroline Cooper was out early on as she fell to the bowling of Lucy Johnson.

Kelly Rogers and Angharad Jenkins then shared a second wicket partnership of 47 runs. That partnership was broken by Ffion Ashman as she had Jenkins caght on a score of 25.

Whitland CC ladies before the final

Rogers batted well as she finished not out on 48 after hitting five fours while Lani Hogben was not out on 11.

Lucy Johnson and Lauren Arthur got Cresselly’s reply off to a good start as they shared 35 runs for the first wicket.

Johnson was first out as she was caught by Kelly Rogers off the bowling of Fflur Davies.

Rogers then caught and bowled Megan Arthur to reduce Cresselly to 40-2.

Lauren Arthur had batted well for her score of 28 (three fours) but she was bowled by Rogers as Whitland began to hit back.

Ffion Ashman and Elen Williams added another 24 runs for the fourth wicket before Williams was caught by Rogers off the bowling of Amy Morgan.

Ashman hit four fours in a score of 29 before she was caught by Caroline Cooper off the bowling of Davies as Cresselly slipped to five down with the score on 91.

Zoe Minnett and Han Truman took Cresselly into a lead before Truman was caught by Morgan off the bowling of Davies.

Minner went on to finish unbeaten on 20 while 26 extras from Whitland pumped Cresselly’s score to 125-6.

That gave Cresselly a lead of 28 at the interval giving Whitland a tough task to try and erase the deficit before posting a score for Cresselly to chase.

And Whitland struggled early on in their second innings as Meg Arthur trapped Caroline Cooper leg before for a duck.

Action from the final played at Stackpole Cricket Club

Arthur then bowled Kelly Rogers and Angharad Jenkins to leave Whitland reeling on 11-3.

That became 22-4 when Amy Morgan was out with Whitland still six runs away from building a lead.

Lani Hogben and Fflur Davies stopped the flow of wickets and shared a fifth wicket stand of 31 to put their side back into the lead.

Davies was then out for a score of 17 before another wicket fell to leave Whitland on 60-6.

Hogben and Mary Kirk shared another 39 runs for the seventh wicket as they took their side to the edge of a three figure score.

Hogben was out on a score of 47 while Kirk went on to finish unbeaten on 13.

It meant that Whitland finished their second innings on 100-7 meaning Cresselly would need 73 to win the game.

Lucy Johnson and Lauren Arthur fell early on in Cresselly’s reply but a stand of 25 between Megan Arthur and Ffion Ashman for the third wicket set them up for victory.

Caroline Cooper trapped Ashman leg before on a score of 13 before Arthur was bowled by Amy Morgan on a score of 17.

Williams finished unbeaten on 7 while Zoe Minnett finished unbeaten on 18 to see their side to victory.

Kelly Rogers, who had also taken two wickets in the final innings, was named the woman of the match.

For Cresselly, the win represented their first win in a final since 2012, when the cup was known as the Skelfayre Cup.

Kelly Rogers was named as the woman of the match

Sport

A history of horse racing in Wales 

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Horse racing is deeply rooted in Welsh culture and the history of the sport can be traced back to the 18th century. As early as the 19th century, it had become a popular form of entertainment amongst Welsh residents and attracted people from all over the country.

Nowadays horse racing is a thrilling sport enjoyed by millions across the UK. With over 49,015 race meetings held between 2017 and 2021, it’s clear that the sport is more popular in the UK than ever before. 

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the history of horse racing in Wales and how it has evolved into what it is today. 

The beginnings of horse racing in Wales 

Horse racing in Wales began in the 18th century and was mainly enjoyed by royal members or those of a higher social status. It wasn’t until the 19th century that the sport became more widespread. 

By 1833, horse race competitions were regularly organised throughout the country, predominantly in Cowbridge, Haverfordwest, Conwy, Aberystwyth, Brecon, and Wrexham. Cowbridge in particular attracted spectators from all over the country. 

Over the next few decades, horse racing became increasingly popular. Not only did heavy betting on races become conventional, but the events also created large crowds and disorderly behaviour. 

Eventually race days became problematic in some circles. As a result, in the late 19th century, religious leaders felt pressure to take action. This led to races at Wrexham being postponed for almost three decades. 

Welsh racecourses 

Midway through the 20th century, most of the country’s racecourses closed. This came after a decline in popularity and participation caused by the cost of keeping and breeding horses and the introduction of other leisure activities. Now, only a few racecourses remain in Wales – Chepstow, Bangor-on-Dee and Ffos Las. 

Modern day horse racing 

Whilst just three racecourses remain in Wales, horse racing attracts around 160,000 customers a year, and the popularity of the sport is increasing. One of the country’s racecourses, Bangor-on-Dee, saw a rise in attendance of almost 3,000 spectators between 2014 and 2023. 

The dwindling popularity of betting 

Betting has been prevalent in horse racing since its inception. Today, in Wales, off-course betting remains popular – particularly with punters who watch the action at Chepstow from home. After all, the introduction of online betting has made the process of making a bet easy and people are using sites like this GG horse racing betting page to find the right bookies and the best odds.

But, despite being a prominent form of betting, it has seen a decline in popularity in recent years. In 2009, the annual turnover of off-course betting in the UK was just over £5.7 million, but by 2023, this number had reduced to just over £3.3 million.

The future of horse racing in Wales 

Wales has a rich history when it comes to horse racing. It’s clear that whilst the desire for betting on horse races has seen a decline, the sport itself is still as thrilling as ever for spectators and will most likely remain a popular form of entertainment for years to come. 

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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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