Fixture

Mountain Ash Youth and Treorchy Youth met in the Blues North Youth Cup final in Merthyr last Saturday with the Rhondda team emerging winners by 26 points to 11. Treorchy had by far the better of the first half and turned around 13-0 up through two penalties from 38 and 41 metres from their outside half, and a try from a diagonal kick up to 5 metres out from the Mount line which saw the ball not gathered properly and the Treorchy wing taking full advantage to run in for a try which was converted.

The Young Firm started the second half with more intent and playing at a quicker pace. After a Treorchy lineout throw was taken on halfway, Mount put several phases together to take play into the Treorchy 22 where they were awarded a penalty for offside, full back Morgan James converting it from 15 metres out to make it 13-3. From a scrum on the Treorchy 10 metre line, a break by centre Jarrod Cushion took play into the Treorchy 22, where several phases were once again put together which took play up to 5 metres out, but the ball was turned over and cleared. However, it was far better from Mount, and another period of pressure in the Treorchy 22 resulted in another penalty, which James kicked from 10 metres out to reduce Mount’s arrears to 13-6 with 20 minutes left to play. Outside half Ethan Conway and centre Cushion combined to take play once again into the Treorchy 22 where wing Rhys Davies was quickly up in support. The attack continued but frustratingly, the ball was turned over to Treorchy, however a high tackle by a Rhondda player resulted in a penalty to Mount just 15 metres out, near the touchline, which was kicked to touch. Then came the crucial moment in the game. Although Mount took the 5 metre lineout, a knock-on from a drive let Treorchy off the hook and a long kick out of defence into the Mount half saw Treorchy quickly up to make a tackle and gain a penalty, which their outside half – who kicked well all game – converted from 38 metres out. From going for a score which might have put them level, the Young Firm found themselves 10 points behind. A couple of minutes later, the game was decided when a Mount lineout just 5 metres from their own line was won by Treorchy and resulted in a try wide out, which was converted to make it 23-6. A 43 metre penalty made it 26-6, but the Young Firm regrouped and finished the stronger, winning the restart and taking play into the Treorchy 22 where centre Jamie Long jinked his way over, the conversion of which hit the post. From the restart, Mount once again took play into the Treorchy 22 but time run out, leaving Treorchy winners of a fast, competitive game, between two committed sides. All in all, the Young Firm played 22 games during the season, won 16 and lost 6, scoring 501 points, which included 74 tries, and conceded 248. They finished 3^rd in Blues Division 1, the top Youth division, and got to the final of the North Blues Cup. All in all, it was another good season for Mountain Ash Youth under the captaincy of No.8 Cameron Davies, who led his team from the front.