Principality Cup Round 3 Review

Nantymoel picked up one of the biggest scalps in the third round of the Principality Cup when they overpowered Division Two side Dunvant 26-10 in extra
time.

Having squeezed through in the dying moments of their second round game, the home side almost found themselves dumped out when Dunvant grabbed a try two

minutes from time.

The conversion missed and with the scores level at 10-10 confusion reigned. The referee took both teams off the pitch before returning slightly red-faced to
play extra time.

Tries from Jamie Strang and Mike Richards in normal time kept Nanty ahead until the dying moments and then a third score from Anthony Isaac and eight points from the boot of Mark Jones secured a great win for the Division Five Central team.

There was drama, too, at Cwmavon where Newcastle Emlyn fought all the way to overcome their Division 2 hosts. The sides were locked 8-8 at half time and
then 16-16 at full time.

Simon Rogers was the hero for the Division 3 West visitors as he helped himself to 11 points in normal time with a try and two penalties. He then added two more penalties and a conversion in extra time.

But in the end, Cwmavon outscred their rivals by five tries to three with Andrew Sutter grabbing a brace. ian Williams, Richard Evans and John McPhail got the others to complete a 31-26 victory.

Another Divison Two outfit, Hirwaun, were happy to surive as they pipped hostsPencoed 11-10. A penalty from outside half Craig Hughes two minutes from time
put Hirwaun ahead for the first time in the game and sent them through to the fourth round.

Troubled Division Two club Oakdale gave their third round opponents Tonyrefail a free-passage into the next round, while the games at Aberavon Quins, Bridgend
Athletic and Trefil all fell foul of the weather.

Highest scorers on a wet and windswept day were Carmarthen Athletic, who bagged nine tries in their 57-7 home voctory over Tylorstown, while fellow Division
Two side Abertillery were happy to hang on to a 28-22 home win over Division Three West club Aberystwyth.

All the visitors’ points came from Barry Thomas, who scored a try, converted it and added five penalties. But tries from Matthew Penny, Lee Taylor and Rhodri
Jones, allied to 13 points from the boot of Penny, saw the Gwent club through to the next round.

Bettws came good in the second half of their home clash with Bryamman, three divisions higher than themselves as they piled on the pressure to bag tries through Jamie Parker and Matthew Harding. Craig Curry converted both to complete a notable triumph for the Division Seven East side.

Paul Williams kicked 14 crucial points to give Taffs Well a 24-20 away win at Birchgrove, while tries from Rhys Owen and Robin Robinson saw Risca through
to a 10-0 win at Brecon.

Felinfoel raced into a 32-6 interval lead in their home tie against Pentyrch before extending their winning margin to 46-6. That included six tries, witha hat-trick for Craig Stevenson and six conversions from Leighton Williams.

Division Five West side Hendy gave Division Two team Llanegennech a torrid time in the first half, marching into an 11-5 lead. But three second half tries from the visitors, from Gareth Morgan, Mark Bowen and Sean Lloyd, enabled them to rescue the day and move to a 24-11 victory.

The boot of Wayne Booth steered Merthyr past fellow Division Two side UWIC, 14-8, while in the other all-Divison Two clash Llantrisant outgunned Rhymney 21-0.

PRINCIPALITY CUP ROUND THREE
Aberavon Quins Abercynon POSTPONED
Abertillery 28 Aberystwyth 22
Bala 6 Banwen 28
Bettws 14 Brynamman 0
Birchgrove 20 Taffs Well 24
Brecon 0 Risca 10
Bridgend Ath Briton Ferry POSTPONED
Brynmawr 17 Fleur de Lys 10
Cardiff HSOB 11 Maesteg 27
Carmarthen Ath 57 Tylorstown 7
Corus (PT) 14 Tonmawr 5
Cwmavon 31 Newcastle Emlyn 26 (after extra time)
Felinfoel 40 Pentyrch 6
Hendy 11 Llangennech 24
Llandudno 5 Pill Harriers 23
Llandybie 11 Waunarlwydd 14
Llantrisant 21 Rhymney 0
Merthyr 14 UWIC 8
Nantymoel 23 Dunvant 10 (after extra time)
Pencoed 10 Hirwaun 11
Penygraig 24 Cardigan 13
Pontyberem 18 Gilfach Goch 15
Tonyrefail Oakdale TONYREFAIL WALK OVER