Although the scoreline looked close at the end, Pontypridd were the dominant force for the majority of the game after they had overcome an early set-back when Cardiff No 8 Ali Al Jassem drive over for a try that outside half Finn Britton converted.
After a few early difficulties with their set-piece, Ponty settled into the game and lived off Cardiff errors in a first half that saw the unbeaten home town team conceded 13 penalties.
That meant there was no flow to the Cardiff game and allowed Ponty outside half Isaac Manning-Burke to kick beautifully into the corners. That’s when his well-drilled pack took over and plundered two of the five tries.
The first of those driving lineout efforts came from No 8 Will Watkins and Manning-Burke added the extras. Britton failed to hit the mark with an ambitious penalty from the 10 metre line and Ponty then came on strong to score three more tries before the break.
Pontypridd Schools Dewar Shield Winning Years
1983, 1985, 1991, 1992, 1996, 2018, 2024 (7)
Ponty celebrate their Dewar Shield triumph
Almost in the blink of an eye the scoreboard moved from 7-7 to 24-7 to P0nty, giving them a 17-point interval lead. Centre Harrison Richards dived over in the left corner, prop Brooklyn Baldwin converted another driving line-out and in the final move of the half flanker Ashton Gill crossed at the posts.
Manning-Burke stroked over the simple conversion and the underdogs were in complete control. Cardiff needed to start the second half more positively, but instead they conceded yet another breakdown penalty and lost a player to the sin-bin.
Manning-Burke knocked over a simple penalty and then from another Cardiff misdemeanor he sent the ball into the corner once more. This time Cardiff held the drive, but gave away a penalty that allowed them to work prop Samson Phillpot over from a tap penalty move.
Now the gap was 27 points and Cardiff were left chasing the game. They took full advantage of Ponty going down to 14 and then 13 me through two yellow cards, but even their three try salvo in the final quarter wasn’t enough to save them.
Skipper and second row Will Thomas bagged two of the tries and replacement Alex Mynett got the other. Britton converted all three, but it was too little, too late.
Scorers: Cardiff Central Schools: T: Will Thomas 2, Ali Al Jassem, Alec Mynett; C: Finn Britton 4. Pontypridd Schools: T: Will Watkins, Harrison Richards, Brooklin Baldwin, Ashton Gill, Samson Phillpot; C: Isaac Manning-Burke 3; P: Isaac Manning-Burke
Cardiff Central Schools: Rhodri Jones; Ashton Postgate, Hari Morris, Josh Greyling, Hari Paul; Finlay Britton, Lucas Driscoll; Jake Johnson, Owain Thomas, Cian Sterio, Will Thomas (captain), Sam Brookes, Efan Jenkins, Jack Mathieson, Ali Al Jassem
Reps: Gruff Dafydd, Dylan Hughes, Caiden Harrigan, Alex Mynett, Lloyd Davies, Max Wilson, Iwan Fenton, Ralf Sydenham, Alfie JamesPontypridd Schools: Iestyn Stephens; Macsen Berridge, Harrison Richards, Owen Lewis (captain), Josh Richards; Issac Manning-Burke, Cian McGee; Brooklin Baldwin, Adam Oaten, Samson Phillpot, Harri Lewis, Ashton Gill, Alex Ballinger, Will Watkins
Reps: Jac Hughes, Jac Davies, Gerwyn Bloxome, Mason Prosser, Regan Gibbons, Alfie Dyre, Jake Barkley, Lukas Williams
