It means the cup holders will go into the draw for the final four along with three other previous winners, Cardiff, Llandovery and Championship cup Pontypool.
But the Ironmen will have to complete the final furlongs in the defence of their Cup and Principality Premiership titles with the services of scrum half Justin James, who broke his ankle shortly after coming on as a replacement in the second half at The Wern
“We haven’t been playing well in the league, but now is the time we need to be performing and playing at our best. It is the business end of the season and there are some good signs,” said Merthyr chief executive, Nigel Davies.
McIntosh wasn’t happy with his side’s high penalty count, but they were good value for their second win of the season over their nearest neighbours. They have one more meeting to come at Sardis Road in the Principality Premiership before the season is out.
The opening quarter was played at high pace, but only featured three penalties. Ceri Sweeney hit the mark in the first and 16th minutes for the visitors, while Matthew Jarvis got one back for the Ironmen in between.
The first of the game’s four tries came midway through the opening period. Gareth Davies cross-kicked to Kyle Evans, Hemi Barnes charged on and then popped a pass for Rhys Downes to score.
That try went unconverted and both Jarvis and Sweeney had bad days off the kicking-tee. Sweeney twice hit the upright, pushed a third wide of the mark and also failed to convert Gary Williams’ 25th minute try that put his side back in front.
The Ironmen hit back before the break when Downes sent Teri Gee through a hole on the Ponty 22 for a vital try that this time Jarvis improved. Osian Davies made the game safe with the only score of the second half, even though Merthyr will still down to 14 men after Downes had been sent to the bin.
Cardiff reached their first Cup semi-final in nine years with a 43-12 home win over Bedwas to stay on course to rival Merthyr for a possible league and cup double and end a decade without a trophy.
“We’re in a good place on the coat tails of Merthyr in both the cup and the league. I thought we were really good in the first half and then got a bit loose, but that usually happens when one team is well ahead,” said Cardiff’s head coach Steve Law.
“I’m pleased, but we need to have longer periods of playing at seven out of 10. We were only at that level for 50 minutes, whereas against the top sides you need 60-65 minutes to be really competitive.”
Cardiff last reached the final back in 2007, when they were beaten by Llandovery, and enjoyed the last of their seven cup triumphs a decade earlier when they beat Swansea 33-26. They currently sit two points behind Merthyr in the league.
The Blue & Blacks were on top right from the start as they scored at more than a point a minute in the opening quarter-of-an-hour with tries from No 8 Morgan Allen and centre Will Rees-Hole. Allen was sent in by some clever work from Ben Thomas while Rees-Hole simply powered his way through the defence.
Gareth Thompson, who opened the scoring with an early penalty, converted both and then added the extra to breakaway fourth try from wing Joe Gatt to make it 24-0 at the break. It was always going to be a long way back from there for the visitors, but they had a go.
They finally broke their duck when replacement scrum half Luke Crane took a quick tap penalty from five metres out to scamper over six minutes after the re-start. Allen immediately responded with a typical driving line-out score, but from the re-start Crane raced over for his second, and the third try in a breathless four minute spell.
Normal service was then resumed as replacement hooker Ian Jenkins was driven over for a brace of tries from close-range line-outs to underline the power of the home pack. Jenkins then picked up a yellow card for a late shoulder charge and missed the next 10 minutes.
A crowd of nearly 2,000 turned out at Pontypool Park to see runaway WRU National Championship leaders Pontypool maintain their unbeaten record with a dramatic extra-time triumph over Bridgend to to reach the semis for the first time since 1991.
It was feisty from start to finish, with the Ravens losing Cai Lewis to a red card for an elbow in the first half and then Pooler’s Mike Herbert being given his marching orders for throwing a punch in the closing moments of extra time.
By then though it was too late to affect the outcome as tries from Rob Nash and Kieran Meek had already helped send the hosts into last four. Meek added a conversion and a penalty while Matthew Jones kicked six points.
“It was a really good cup tie, although there were plenty of errors in the game. Both teams showed full commitment and we dug in throughout extra time and deserved the win,” said Pooler head coach Leighton Jones.
The clash was also a potential dress rehearsal for the end of season promotion-relegation play-off. The Ravens currently occupy the fifth bottom spot in the Premiership but do have games in hand.
“My nerves won’t be great for it, but if this is the Premiership promotion play-off then I think we’ll take some confidence from this match,” added the Pooler chief.
Bridgend drew first blood with less than 90 seconds on the clock when Jamie Murphy kicked a 40-metre penalty. Pontypool levelled on 19 minutes after Matthew Jones kicked an equally as long-range goal.
Then came what was arguably the gamebreaker. Bridgend’s Lewis elbowed Pontypool’s Darren Hughes and was sent-off, whilst his team-mate Murphy and Pontypool’s Danny Hodge were given 10 minutes for their part in the fracas.
It was 3-3 at the break, but less than four minutes had gone in the second half when Nash dived over in the corner for an unconverted Pontypool try. Then, with 10 minutes to go, Jones dropped a goal to extend Pontypool’s advantage to eight points.
Bridgend hit back straight away, replacement Aaron Grabham diving over in the corner. Murphy missed the conversion attempt but kicked an 80th minute penalty to take the game into extra time.
Pontypool regained the lead via a Meek penalty on 83 minutes and they soon increased that advantage as Meek ran through a gap in the Ravens line to ground and then convert. Bridgend had no strength to come back and the late red for Herbert was merely a footnote.
Two-time winners Llandovery were too strong at Church Bank for Swansea as they outscored them by five tries to one to take their place in the semi-finals on the back of a 28-7 win. Wing Aaron Warren helped himself to two tries and Rhodri Jones, Lee Rees and Ricky Guest scored the others.
