Fixture

Well done to Mountain Ash Youth on overcoming the absence of talisman scrum half and captain Morgan Cartwright with illness, and playing the last 30 minutes of this Blues North Cup semi-final in Abercynon with 14 players due to a player being dismissed for a harsh second yellow card. The win really did show this Mount team is never beaten and has tremendous spirit to keep going until the final whistle.

Before a sizeable crowd in Abercynon, the Young Firm got off to a flyer and went ahead in the first minute when a grubber kick through the Abercynon midfield bounced past the home full back for quickly-up Mount full back Jak Thomas to seize the ball and run in near the posts for the first try. Centre Jarrad Cushion added the extras to make it 7-0.

From the restart, Abercynon had a forward yellow carded for an offence. After ‘cynon had taken play up to 5 metres from the Mount line, Young Firm second row Mitchell Barnard came away with the ball and took play up into midfield. A kick into space behind the ‘cynon defence once again had the home full back in trouble, with the ball regathered by quickly-up centre Jarrad Cushion, who passed to oncoming fellow centre Jamie Long for him to run in under the posts from 20 metres out for Mount’s second try of the night. Cushion converted to make it 14-0 after just 5 minutes play.

Minutes later, Abercynon nearly had their first score of the match when a turnover was moved wide but a forward pass after a jinking run stopped a dangerous attack. The home side were not to be denied and got their first try after 12 minutes when a break in midfield just 15 metres out led to a try under the posts which was converted to reduce Mount’s lead to 14-7.

The Young Firm were conceding penalty after penalty and also had a forward yellow carded, but although play was mainly in and around the Mount 22, ’cynon could not make it count. Just before half time, the Young Firm worked their way up into the ‘cynon half and kicked a penalty to touch for a 5 metre lineout, but sloppy play saw the ball turned over and ‘cynon clear to touch for the referee to end the half.

Mount opened the second half with a tremendous 20 metre driving maul from a lineout which had ‘cynon going backwards, but once again sloppy play at the breakdown in midfield saw the ball turned over and moved wide by ‘cynon. A split-second tackle after just 5 minutes play as the ball was kicked ahead saw a Mount player unluckily shown a yellow card, which was his second, and dismissed.

Some nice handling by Mount from their own 22 saw them break out of defence, but a poor pass to the wing saw the chance lost.

After 15 minutes play, petty indiscipline by an Abercynon forward saw him shown a yellow card and Mount take play up to the ‘cynon 22. A well-placed diagonal kick into space by outside half Ethan Conway had the home defence in trouble and some quick following up by Mount saw pressure on the ‘cynon try line, but the home defence held.

As the second half approached its 20^th minute, a breakaway by a ‘cynon forward from a maul near halfway saw him nearly go all the way, but a tremendous tackle by Mount full back Jak Thomas stopped him 5 metres out. Try as they might from a number of drives, ‘cynon could not get over, but they were awarded a penalty 5 metres out which was taken quickly, and although the home player was tackled, he managed to touch down midway out. The try was converted to bring the scores level at 14-14.

Mount hit back straight away and a superb break by athletic No.8 Ryan Jenkins in loose play saw him almost go through the whole ‘cynon defence from halfway. A penalty to Mount and further pressure in midfield yielded a penalty which Cushion converted from 20 metres after 24 minutes of the second half to put the Young Firm 17-14 up.

Play was fast and competitive, and after ‘cynon had taken play into the Mount 22, a clearance kick by the Young Firm up to halfway saw a home forward break away from a maul and take play up to the Mount 22. After several drives were repelled by the Young Firm, the ball was moved wide where an overlap saw the home wing run in from 15 metres out for an unconverted try which put his side in front for the first time, 19-17, with just 7 minutes to play.

The Young Firm are not Blues Premier division champions for nothing, and like champions, they responded.

From the restart, the Mount forwards regathered the ball and with a number of drives, they took play up to the ‘cynon line where they were unlucky not be awarded a try, the referee giving the Young Firm a 5 metre scrum near the ‘cynon posts with just minutes left to play.

First, scrum half Owain Reddick – who did well throughout the game, getting the ball away – tried to get over. Then, when he was stopped, the ball was recycled by the quickly-in Mount pack and moved to centre Mason Cooper who went through a gap and, although tackled, managed to touch down to put the Young Firm back in front, 22-19, to great celebration. It turned out to be the last score of a typically hard-fought, competitive, and entertaining local derby, played in good spirit.

The Young Firm now play Merthyr Youth in the Blues North Cup final on a date and at a venue to be decided. In the League Champions of Champions Final, Mount, who are the Blues Premier division champions, will play the Scarlets champions, Crymych Youth, at the Talbot Athletic Ground, the home of Aberavon RFC, on Saturday 11 May, kick off 2:30pm.