In half-backs Martyn Roberts and Gareth Thompson and man of the match and hooker Joey Tomlinson Steve Law’s Blue and Blacks had the game’s outstanding performers.
Merthyr were shocked as Cardiff tries came from Tom Daley, Edd Howley and Ben Thomas. This result means Dale McIntosh’s men can no longer win the double double.
The Ironmen were sitting pretty when Kyle Evans scored twice in the first half, but they were unable to stop themselves from falling to a rare defeat.
“When the season began this was something we thought about. The squad have put in a big effort throughout the season,” said Cardiff captain Tomlinson.
“This is something Cardiff as a club, the players, coaches and supporters will always be able to remember.
“We spoke about building into the game slowly and we did that. You have to be in the game for 80 minutes against a team like Merthyr and we were.”
Merthyr started like a train and were soon ahead as left wing Evans scored in the corner and full-back Matthew Jarvis added the conversion.
Thompson kicked a penalty for Cardiff, but the Evans show soon continued. Again he broke clear down the wing and exchanged passes with scrum-half Rhys Downes to score.
Jarvis struck a post with his conversion attempt and Cardiff soon responded.
Daley smashed through Downes and past the tackle attempt of despairing Merthyr captain Craig Locke.
Thompson added the conversion with effortless ease and then kicked a penalty to put his team into the lead for the first time as the Cardiff forwards began to get on top.
The Blue and Blacks were spoiling impressively and disrupting Merthyr possession.
Thompson couldn’t extend their lead from the tee with what was a tough penalty attempt, but Merthyr were being penalised repeatedly at the breakdown as Locke received a final warning from referee Adam Jones.
Howley attempted another monster penalty for Cardiff but didn’t succeed and the game was on a knife edge as Jarvis struck the post again with virtually the last kick of the half.
Cardiff began the second period in fine fashion. A flowing team move had Thompson at its centre and although he looked like he could easily have scored himself, he was unselfish.
Thompson popped the ball inside to Howley and then converted too.
Merthyr, all of a sudden, were up against it and they introduced Cardiff Blues wing Tom James to help their comeback.
It worked as Downes spun out of a ruck to score and this time Jarvis converted to make it a one-point game.
Cardiff hit back straight away via centre Thomas who delivered a sublime finish by fending off Teri Gee. The post again denied the kicker and Gee was immediately replaced by McIntosh in brutal fashion.
Merthyr pushed for a comeback win, but Howley caught a Gareth Davies kick and stopped it from going to touch as Cardiff held on.
Scorers:
Merthyr:
Tries: Kyle Evans (2), Rhys Downes
Conversions: Matthew Jarvis (2)
Cardiff:
Tries: Tom Daley, Edd Howley, Ben Thomas
Conversions: Gareth Thompson (2)
Penalties: Gareth Thompson (2)
