Pontypridd 12-41 Carmarthen Quins

Pontypridd slumped out of the SWALEC Cup, going down to a heavy semi final defeat against Carmarthen Quins by 12pts to 41.

Conditions at the Brewery Field were ideal, on a bright day and with a huge and very vocal Ponty support amassing on the terraces. That support was stunned as Carmarthen shot into a first minute lead, winger Jamie Davies taking advantage of a kick and rush attack to scramble over for a try which outside half Gareth Cull converted. Ponty responded swiftly, chasing an up an under with scrum half Rhys Downes crossing wide out.

A strong Carmarthen scrum was denying Ponty any platform, and the West Wales side once more turning pressure into points as centre Andrew Banfield surged through for a try which Cull converted in front of the posts. Ponty at times looked purposeful with ball in hand, but too often pulled up for handling errors or forward passes, simply unable to find their killer instinct.

It was the Quins who seized the initiative, spreading the ball wide and wing Jamie Davies cruising past some last ditch tackles to score in the corner.

Down by 5pts to 19 at the interval, Pontypridd needed to come out firing on all cylinders, but within seconds of the restart were further behind. An angled run from Quins centre Banfield took him through some weak midfield defending to score a try which Cull again converted. There was a long delay as Ponty full back Aaron Bramwell was stretchered off, and Gareth Cull then hoisting over a penalty to add to the valleys’ side significant woes.

All attempts by Ponty to raise the tempo of their own game were thwarted by their own errors or by being penalised in the process, Carmarthen setting off on a snap counter attack to send winger Richard Carter over for a try. Ringing the changes, Ponty were at least striving to make a show in attack, but losing the ball in contact and knocking on, out-muscled in the set pieces and looking a pale shadow of their former selves.

Ponty registered a consolation score as wing Lewis Williams capitalised on a Darren Waters break to cross for a try which Gunter converted – far too little and far too late. Fittingly it was Carmarthen who had the last word, an interception try scored by Carter and converted by Cull summing up the events of the day.

Going down to a demoralising defeat by 12pts to 41 and exiting the domestic cup competition at the last hurdle but one, suffice to say it was a bad day at the Bridgend office for Pontypridd.

Pontypridd:

15.Aaron Bramwell (Matthew Nuthall). 14.Chris Clayton (Lewis Williams). 13.Gavin Dacey – cpt. 12.Adam Thomas. 11.Owen Williams. 10.Dean Gunter. 9.Rhys Downes (Kristian Baller).

1.Ken Knaggs. 2.Tom Hetherington (Darren Waters). 3.Ryan Harford (Jon Williams). 4.Grant Harrington (Ryan Savage). 5.Chris Martenko. 6.Rhys Lloyd (Kristian Dacey). 7.Wayne O’Connor. 8.Chris Dicomidis.

Scorers: