The win at Principality Stadium ensured Joe Denman’s side completed an unbeaten season in the tournament and went one better than two years ago when they fell at the final hurdle to Cardiff & Vale College.
Glantaf were reduced to 14 men on the stroke of half-time when referee Kristoff Young sent off centre Osian Darwin-Lewis for dissent at a ruck five metres from his line. No sooner had he departed than Llandovery scored a driving line-out try through hooker Dafydd Ebsworth to turn a 13-11 deficit into a 16-13 interval lead.
Glantaf had hit the front with a Lloyd Lucas penalty in the 14th minute, which man of the match Carwyn Leggatt-Jones matched a few minutes later. The first try of the game came in the 21st minute when Leggatt-Jones was robbed on the blindside of a scrum close to his line and replacement back row man Joel Crocker picked up and dived over.
If Glantaf eyes were smiling at 8-6, they didn’t have long to enjoy their lead as Llandovery hit back with a second penalty and then a try from tight head prop Cameron Stuart. It was nip and tuck all the way and just past the half-hour mark, scrum half Sion Davies just made the line after a driving line-out was held just short.
Sion Davies dots down for Glantaf
That made it 13-11 to Glantaf and they looked set to changes ends with their noses in front. Then came the dismissal, and they immediately lost their advantage. Llandovery piled on the pressure at the start of the second half and it took every ounce of effort for Glantaf to keep them at bay.
Their brave defensive effort then turned into a counter offensive with their 15-year-old No 8 Tom Howe bravely and belligerently leading the charge. They got up to, but not quite over, the Llandovery line and then found themselves having to make a crucial decision in the 58th minute after they were awarded a penalty just to the left of the posts.
It was a simple chance to level the scores with a penalty kick, but they boldly went for a tap penalty . . . and lost the ball in the tackle inches short!
To make matters worse, Llandovery got a toe hold in the Glantaf 22 and lock Gabe Williams came in at the side of a ruck to clear out a player illegally and was shown a yellow card. The penalty was kicked to the corner and against 13 men Llandovery eventually worked win Owen Griffith over at the right corner flag.
Owen Griffiths puts the final nail in the Glantaf coffin
Five minutes later, and with the Glantaf defence running out of numbers, replacement hooker Owen Griffiths dummied his way through the stretched back line to add a fourth and final try. Leggatt-Jones added the extras and a thrilling game was done and dusted.
