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Blues made to work for win over Quins

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HAVERFORDWEST maintained their 100% record in League 3 West A on Saturday (Jan 15) but they were made to work for their 17-11 win by a determined Pembroke Dock Quins side.

It was a pulsating encounter and the teams will do it again in the near future with their Pembs KO Cup quarter final at Bierspool still to be played.

The Quins kicked off on a very still day without an ounce of wind anywhere and went straight on the attack and forced a penalty after just 5 minutes.

Up stepped Outside Half Euan MacDonald and he made no mistake and put the Quins 0-3 in front.

From there on the Quins were in the ascendancy, and it seemed it was only penalties that was giving the Blues respite.

The Quins’ lineout showed a big improvement from previous weeks with Flanker Liam Scourfield winning some good ball.

Euan MacDonald tried his luck from a long range penalty but unfortunately for the Quins it just went wide of the upright.

The Blues started to hit back in the last ten minutes of the half and they were camped inside the Quins’ 5-yard line.

The Quins gave away a penalty try, and with only one minute of the half remaining that seemed to be that.

As the match went into added time, the Quins chased the ball down well and forced a Blues lineout 10 yards from their own line.

The Quins had clearly not read the script, and pinched the ball and went straight at the Blues line.

After holding on to possession well they finally recycled left and outflanked the Blues defence with a try for Full Back Sam (Rasher) James who dived over in the corner.

Euan MacDonald missed the conversion but the Quins, against the odds, went in at the break 7-8 in front.

The Quins recently have not had the best of starts after the break, but this time it was different. They were soon in the Blues’ half, attacking with some fine driving runs and some accurate kicking from the Half Backs.

They caught the Blues holding on, and up stepped Euan MacDonald to stretch the lead to 7-11.

The question now was could the Quins keep this intensity up and what were the Blues going to do about it?

We soon had the answer as the Quins were penalised and the Blues kicked to the corner. They won the Lineout and Prop Terry Lovell crashed over for an unconverted try to put his side in front at 12-11.

Now it was the Quins’ turn to answer some questions and they duly did, as once again they were camped in the Blues half. A drop Goal attempt from Scrum Half Jonathan Rogers went narrowly wide as the Quins desperately tried to regain the lead.

The Quins Scrum was struggling as the game was entering the final few minutes, which resulted in penalties which relieved the pressure for the home side.

Right on time Right Winger Jack Blockwell scored in the corner for another unconverted try. Could the Quins do what they did at the end of the first half? The answer was no but it was not for lack of trying.

The Quins can take a lot of Pride from this match, having lost No8 and Captain Harry Owen to a head injury, and without the ball carrying of Flanker Hywel Baker, which was a big loss to them.

The win moves the Blues up to second in the table and they are now the only unbeaten side in the division and they also have two games in hand on leaders St Clears.

On Saturday, January 22, Haverfordwest are in action in a preliminary round of the WRU Bowl competition as they take on Tylorstown.

The sides are next in league action on Saturday, January 29, when the Blues travel to Llanybydder while the Quins host Tregaron.

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Fox’s Fantastic Clarby shock the county to win Senior Cup

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Strong favourites Goodwick United were expected by many to be lifting the senior cup again come Saturday afternoon. However Clarbeston Road had other ideas, we warned they were a dangerous opponent with pressure off, this proved to be the case.

A healthy crowd at the Bridge Meadow were treated to an excellent final, often cagey perhaps boring affairs this final was far from boring. It took just seven minutes for the deadlock to be broken when Clarby captain Rheinallt George put the underdogs ahead. However just before the twenty minute mark his opposite number in Scott Delaney squared things up with a trademark header.

Goodwick then took the lead when another set piece caused problems for Clarby who failed to deal with a free kick before Rhys Dalling latched onto the loose ball to volley his team into the lead. However the lead was short lived as the impressive Jake Booth found the net at the second time of asking to make it all square at the break.

Halfway through the second half another set piece led to the equaliser when Matthew Davies headed home a Laurie Haworth corner. Goodwick manager O’Sullivan rung the changes in search of a way to find an equaliser. Newly introduced striker Nathan Greene was fouled in the box and Rhys Jones had the chance to level the cup final, however Rhys Mansell had other ideas and he saved the penalty. The save gave his team a huge boast and belief that this could be their day, and indeed it was.

Most of the season we have hyped up the quality and character of this Clarby team and praised Matthew Fox and his players. Fox has done a excellent job and this is just rewards, it shouldn’t be forgotten that Clarby began this cup run by beating Hakin who have dominated this cup for so many years. An excellent achievement for all involved and an interesting plot going into next season, will Clarby be able to challange Goodwick in the league also.

For Goodwick it’ll be a bitterly disappointing defeat in a season of such dominance just the one trophy will be the least most expected from this quality side. Many thought Goodwick would win the treble and they were certainly capable, which will be the frustrating factor for the Goodwick management.

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South-West Wales Athletes Aiming to Shine at the Summer Olympics

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Two of the finest athletes in south-west Wales are dreaming about bringing home medals from the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.

Track cyclist Emma Finucane and sailing star Micky Beckett will head to France in a buoyant mood after enjoying a successful build-up to their respective events.

Welsh athletes collected a record-equalling 11 medals at the Tokyo 2020 Games and hopes are high that the tally could be beaten this year.

The Carmarthen-born rider cemented her rapid rise up the sprint ranks by winning a gold medal at the 2023 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Glasgow.

She became Great Britain’s first women’s sprint world champion since Becky James in 2013 and is now on track to chase more medals at the Olympics across three events.

The 21-year-old has yearned to compete at the Summer Games since watching Team GB sparkle at London 2012 and she is eager to make her mark this summer.

“It’s a massive dream of mine and it’s pretty cool that I’m kind of living my dream,” Finucane said. “I’m just trying to enjoy the journey and hopefully I’ll get selected and compete for my country.

“And it’s exciting because as the Team GB women’s sprint. I feel like we’re in a really good place to do well at the Olympics, not just compete as Olympians.”

Pembrokeshire-born sailor Beckett will also head to Paris with his sights firmly set on winning gold in the hugely competitive ILCA 7 class.

He will renew rivalries with Australian Matt Wearn, who controversially claimed the World Championship title ahead of Hermann Tomasgaard and Beckett earlier this year.

Online bookmakers rate Wearn as the favourite to emerge victorious this summer, but Beckett’s recent form gives him every chance of turning the tables.

Several new sports betting sites in Australia cut the Welsh sailor’s Olympic odds after he completed a trio of World Cup successes at a recent event in Palma.

Beckett believes the hard work he has done over the past few months gives him every chance of toppling Wearn when the action gets underway this summer. 

“There is still plenty of work to do and managing form is probably the most important thing of any athlete’s job,” Beckett said. “There is no point being the best in the world unless you are the best in the world when it counts.

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Kilgetty and Carew Share Spoils in End-of-Season Showdown

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In the picturesque setting of Kilgetty, under the soft glow of the evening sun, local football fans were treated to an enticing clash between Kilgetty and Carew in the Pembrokeshire League Division 1. With the season winding down, both sides took to the pitch amidst numerous squad rotations, following a hectic week of multiple fixtures.

The match kicked off in a leisurely pace, resembling more of an end-of-season friendly than a fierce competition. Kilgetty seized the early initiative, with the trio of Josh Bevan, Richard Tebbut, and Richard Cope causing headaches for the Carew defense, skillfully led by Gareth Lewis. It was Jac Waters who broke the deadlock for the home side, putting Kilgetty ahead 1-0 as the first half came to a close.

However, Carew emerged revitalised after the break, with Jonty Bennett, James Hinchcliffe, and Zac Rowell putting in the hard yards to level the score. The introduction of Harvey Drummond for the ineffective Sam Christopher added further depth to Carew’s attacking prowess, culminating in an equaliser courtesy of the excellent Hinchcliffe.

As tensions rose, the game took on a newfound intensity, marked by needless bookings, after a clearly offside goal and a few heated moments on the field. Despite the fatigue evident from their recent fixture congestion, both teams showcased their competitive spirit, treating the fans to an entertaining second half.

In the end, neither side could break the deadlock, with Kilgetty and Carew having to settle for a well-fought 1-1 draw. While neither team was at their absolute best, the match provided a fitting conclusion to their respective seasons.

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