The West Wales side sealed a 23-15 triumph at Loughor RFC to book their place at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday May 3. A Shaun Leonard masterclass edged the Red & Whites past the Division One East side, in a game played at a furious pace.
Leonard booted his side into the ascendancy after just two minutes with a nerve-settling penalty. But the early scare sparked a Penallta onslaught, with scrum-half Aaron Brigood leading the charge. He sniped through a gap on half-way and raced in at the corner before a Jo Scriven penalty extended their lead to five.
Matthew Williams added to Emlyn’s woe before the break when he finished off an expansive move, with Scriven on-hand to add the extras for a 12-3 half-time lead.
But the pendulum swung in the second period. Mike Jones spotted a hole in the Penallta defence and sniped through before he was brought down just short, but the ball was recycled and moved wide to wing Llyr Jones, who dotted down for a seven-point score.
Leonard then took the game by the scruff of it’s neck and collected his own opportunistic chip to score. He converted to give Newcastle Emlyn a five point lead, he then added two penalties to a single Penallta effort to seal their place at finals day.
They will face an Ystrad Rhondda side who overcame Skewen RFC 26-12 at Llanharan RFC. The Division One East Central side produced a first-half flurry of tries to see off a plucky Skewen side, who’s fightback was extinguished late-on.
Dano Roberts sparked the scoring before Marc Jones crossed for a converted score. And the try-fest continued as wing Chris Clayton crashed over before Skewen landed a first blow before half-time.
But Ryan Howells doused the flames with Ystrad’s fourth converted try before Skewen scored a late consolation.
