Despite leading for long periods of the game, a penalty in the final 10 minutes allowed Ioan Hughes to step up and slot the winning penalty to keep alive the dreams of the Drovers to add a league and cup double this season to the Premiership title they secured last year.
“Credit where credit is due, we might not have deserved that and they made us win ugly. They negated us pretty much throughout the game,” said Drovers skipper Jack Jones.
“We’ll go on now and try to win the league. We’ve got to refocus for the league now and make sure we keep on winning ugly if that’s what’s required.”
Jack Jones receives the WRU Challenge Cup from WRU president Terry Cobner
It was an emotional win for Jones who followed in the footsteps of his legendary grandfather Brian Thomas, who won the cup in its inaugural year with Neath in 1972. His father, Robin Jones, also played in a final with Neath.
“It didn’t really hit me until I looked at the trophy and saw Neath as the first winners. It’s a special moment for me and my family and I’m pleased to win it for him, and I hope he’s looking down on me and feeling proud,” added Jones.
Merthyr had the first chance to score after six hectic minutes, but Josh Lewis saw his penalty bounce off the post. The Drovers then controlled possession and territory as they piled on the pressure, but an interception from Merthyr centre Cole Swannack finally broke the deadlock.
After picking off a midfield pass from Ioan Hughes, Swannack pinned back his ears and raced 60 metres to the posts for a try that Lewis converted to give his side the lead against the run of play.
Merthyr second row Craig Locke, playing in his record equalling eighth final, was shown a yellow card by referee Tom Spurrier following a high tackle on Llandovery second row Chris Long after the re-start.
The Drovers used the man advantage well as they turned to the rolling maul and rumbled over the try line for hooker Taylor Davies to grab the points. Hughes added the extras, but a Lewis penalty then edged The Ironmen back in front with 25 minutes on the clock
Merthyr extended their lead 10 minutes later with a try right out of the top drawer. Full back Morgan Meaclem raced through a gap over half-way and somehow managed to off load with one hand in a double tackle to put left winger Adam Hoskins in space.
Now it was two on one with his fellow wing Lloyd Rowlands racing up in support and an inside pass enabled him to run to the line for a stunning score. Lewis missed with his conversion attempt, but his side were still 15-7 ahead.
It would have been different but for a magnificent tackle by former Dragons star Lewis when he bundled Kian Abraham into and over the corner flag to prevent what looked like a certain try with the last play of the half.
The resilience displayed by Paddy McBride’s men had kept them in the hunt in the opening 40, but they quickly found themselves trailing in the third quarter as the Drovers, seeking their third cup triumph after wins in 2007 and 2016, raised the tempo.
“Everything we asked from the boys they delivered. We were massive underdogs coming into the game because Llandovery have been at the top of the table for most of the season and have only lost twice,” said McBride.
“We put on a show for the crowd, and it could have gone either way in the end. We proved a point today.”
Davies crawled over for his second try and Hughes added the wide-angled conversion and then struck a penalty to give Llandovery a two point lead. That quickly evaporated when the Drovers were penalised for not rolling at a ruck in front of their posts and Lewis restored the lead at 18-17 with his simple kick just before the hour mark.
Merthyr continued to defy the odds, but failed to take full advantage of a line-out close to the Llandovery line when they were caught for obstruction. That gave the Drovers the chance to relieve the pressure and scrumhalf Lee Rees put them back on the offensive.
Having gained some much- needed territory and possession they earned a penalty just to the right of the Merthyr posts which Hughes took to put his team back in front.
Merthyr weren’t happy because the TV replays showed there had been a foot in touch in the build-up, but the points stood. Then Rees burst clear from a powerful scrum on half-way, but his kick and chase failed to yield a try as he just failed to touch down with Lewis diving on top of him.
PREMIERSHIP CUP FINAL – MERTHYR 18 – 20 LLANDOVERY
Merthyr: Morgan Meaclem, Lloyd Rowlands, Cole Swannack, Morgan Sieniawski, Adam Hoskins, Josh Lewis, James Soanes; Callum Lewis, Ellis Shipp, Rhys Lewis, Craig Locke, Paddy McBride (captain), Lennon Greggings, Jack Perkins, Thomas Jevons
Reps: Ben Rhodes, Travis Hawkins, Dave Whiting, Callum Bradbury, Kian Evans, Ethan Lloyd, Gareth Thompson, Rhys Davies
Scorers: T: Cole Swannack, Lloyd Rowlands; C: Josh Lewis; P: Josh Lewis 2Llandovery: Harri Doel, Kian Abraham, Adam Warren, Rhodri Jones, Aaron Warren, Ioan Hughes, Lee Rees; Jamie Hughes, Taylor Davies, Berian Watkins, Jack Jones (captain), Chris Long, Osian Davies, Stuart Worrall, Joe Powell
Reps: Dino Dallavalle, Craig Thomas, Llyr Green, Nathan Hart, Jordan Evans, Macs Page, Jack Maynard, Dafydd Land
Scorers: T: Taylor Davies 2; C: Ioan Hughes 2; P: Ioan Hughes 2Referee: Tom Spurrier (WRU)
Go.Compare Player of the Match: Stuart Worrall (Llandovery)
