Sioned sparkles in rugby sevens
PWLLHELI performed well in earning a 1-1 draw with Division One champions Glantraeth last Saturday.
Playing a fifth game in nine days and with manager Warren Gibbs rotating his squad to keep players fresh, it was hardly surprising that it was not Glan at their most fluent against a lively Pwllheli side.
However, the title winners went ahead on 33 minutes as Corrig McGonigle took possession of a through ball near the goal-line before turning a defender and creating an angle to fire a low shot past the keeper and finding the far corner of the net.
It was number 57 and as good as any goal he has scored this season.
Pwllheli’s best player Tomos Jones put the home side level with a fine finish eight minutes after the break and although the hosts shaded the second period there were chances at both ends but no further score.
Treble-chasing Glantraeth were due to play in the Mawddach Cup Final against Llanrug United last night at the Bangor University Stadium.
Then on Saturday, Maes Dulyn, Nantlle Vale will be the venue when Glan take on Penrhyndeudraeth in the Cookson Cup Final.
Llanrug United stayed in contention for second spot with a 2-1 success at Llandyrnog United.
Alan Mark Owen and James Phillips put ‘Rug 2-0 up before Mark Roberts responded for the Cae Nant men.
Greenfield led 2-0 and 3-2 at home to Llanberis but had to settle for a 3-3 draw.
Connor Hughes, Tom Carney and Liam Robinson were on target for the hosts, Jonathan Cyster and Guto Llywelyn (2) earning the Darans a point. Carney was red-carded for Greenfield with the score at 2-2.
Penrhyndeudraeth and Abergele Town shared a 0-0 draw.
Denbigh Town sealed runnersup spot in the Reserves Division after fighting back from two down to win 4-2 at Llanrug United.
Last Friday in Welsh Alliance Division One, Nantlle Vale whipped Trearddur Bay United 5-1, Rob Owen (2), Rob Daniels, Kai Holdsworth and Aled Jones on target for the hosts, Asa Thomas replying.
The previous evening Y Felinheli pipped Pentraeth 1-0, Ifan Emyr netting the only goal of a close contest at Cae Seilo.
WELSH domination of the AoC Sport British Colleges Championships girls Rugby 7s continued as they secured the gold medal for a record ninth consecutive year in Nottingham - and there was some significant involvement from the Herald area.
The AoC Sport British Colleges Championships saw more than 1600 college students across 13 different sports including football, squash, volleyball, basketball and cricket take part in this year’s National Championships.
The Wales girls team are managed by Coleg Menai’s Jenny Davies, an exWelsh international prop forward with 74 caps, who was thrilled to retain the gold medal.
“It has been my eleventh year at the National Championships with this team and the standard of girls rugby is getting higher and higher,” said Davies, who is also the Welsh Colleges Girls Rugby Co-ordinator.
“It is an honour to be part of the squad and exciting to observe these talented individuals possess both technically and tactically.
“Both Darryl Morgan (Scarlets coach) and I are so proud of these girls and we are excited to see how they progress in their rugby careers.”
One member of the winning Welsh squad was Coleg Menai’s Sioned Phillips, who hails from Llanberis.
Sioned, who is currently studying a Level 3 Sport qualification, was delighted to be part of the squad.
She said: “What an experience! To be selected in the first place for the squad was unbelievable but to actually go and win the competition was something else.”
Sioned, who plays fly-half, and who scored one of the tries that defeated the East region, is a member of the Caernarfon and RGC youth teams and added: “I’ve got a lot to thank Jenny and Coleg Menai for giving me this opportunity to represent my country, it is something that I will never forget, one of the reasons I decided to go to college to help further my sporting career and hopefully this can be a springboard for more personal success.”
She also plays football for Bethel in the North Wales Women’s League, being part of the squad which reached the quarter-finals of the Welsh Cup this season and also made it to the semis of the Betty Pickering Cup, with Sioned scoring a fantastic goal in Bethel’s 3-3 first round draw at Kinmel Bay, which went to a replay won on penalties by the Caernarfon area side.
In total over the weekend festival, the girls won all of their six matches against the other British regions, with resounding victories over the North West, South West and the East. Wales’ toughest opponents came from the East Midlands and Yorkshire.
Not so successful was fellow learner Cadi Llwyd Roberts from Blaenau Ffestiniog, a member of the Welsh Colleges Hockey team, who like Sioned thoroughly enjoyed the experience of representing her country.
She said: “To play for Wales was unreal, not only from a playing perspective but also from a social one as I’ve made so many friends over the weekend, hopefully I’ll be selected to go again next year.”
Both Cadi and Sioned are part of the successful Academi Menai programme run by Coleg Menai, which gives learners from across all college courses an opportunity to participate in sport alongside their vocational course with weekly fixtures in Wales and the North West of England.
For more information contact Marc Lloyd Williams on 01248 370125.