YOUTH ARE CHAMPIONS - 02/05/2010

LLANHARAN YOUTH 21 ST JOSEPHS YOUTH 8
Llanharan Youth secured the win they needed to claim the champions title in their respective section of the Cardiff Blues league.
It was far from easy for Zach O’Driscoll’s team but tries from Gethin Cashmore and Lewis Midgely gave them the edge, with Chris Williams adding a conversion and two penalties.
Tonight (Wednesday) they face a tough task as they take on Ystrad Rhondda in the Taff Rhondda Merit semi final at the Dairyfield (7.15)

.
Report by Jeff Pick, Coach
We managed to win our league with not the best performance of the season but one of real character. Indeed after we had played our first league game back in September at Rhiwbina we wondered whether we had done the right thing to move up a level. On that day at the final whistle when we had been mauled 38-13 we had a sit down and an honest chat about the need to step up and improve in all facets of our training and play.
And we must have hit home with the right message as we have gone on and won all league games since the opening day defeat culminating in winning the league title on sat.
As mentioned the performance wasn’t what we would have liked but in St Joseph’s we had a team that could have won the league themselves had they turned us over. So there where some great scenes at the end of the game with champagne corks flying everywhere.
The game started with us falling foul of the referee from the kick-off. Zach O’Driscoll putting a huge hit on the ball receiver in what looked to be a perfectly timed tackle but the ref. deemed it an early dangerous tackle and that set the tone for the half. We dominated at scrum and line-out but couldn’t make the most of our numerous line breaks to get the scoreboard ticking. With that and our indiscipline at the break down our momentum kept faltering and so our frustrations grew. Out-side half Chris Williams kicked an early penalty to get ourselves in front but from the restart we again infringed at the contact area and St Joes levelled at 3-3.
As stated our set piece was solid all game and from a penalty Chris kicked us to a line-out just in our opponents 22.Jordan Jones won the line-out and we drove a full 20 metres for Gethin Cashmore to crash over and get the first try of the game. What followed was our best period of the game with wave after wave of attack. It wasn’t long before some good phase play and slick hands sent right wing Lewis Midgely flying over in the corner. A touch line conversion from Chris made the scores 15-3 at half time.
We spoke about discipline and composure at half time but still we made the game hard for ourselves by repeated giving away needless penalties and the second became a bit of a slog. A shame as a good crowd had turned up to cheer us to help us get that vital win. We managed to knock over another 2 penalties in the second half but the boys where disappointed to concede a try in final stages that left the final score 21-8 in our favour. A special mention for our skipper Zach O’Driscoll who gave a captains performance at various times in the game playing in the front row, second row, flanker and no8.
Also a big thank you to photographer Ceri Thorne for capturing the memorable scenes during the day and also thank you to all the parents they sponsored the game with liquid refreshments.
WELL DONE BOYS FROM THE COACHES.

« back