Flanagan positive as Scarlets go down in final

SCARLETS A.........................8 LEINSTER A........................15

ULTIMATELY it was not to be for Scarlets A, but assistant coach Dai Flanagan hopes the young players will benefit from their Celtic Cup experience as they progress with the region.

The West Walians were pipped to glory by their Leinster counterparts in the competition’s inaugural final at Parc y Scarlets.

Prop Javan Sebastian scored for the Scarlets with Jac Wilson kicking a penalty, but it was the Irish province who ran out victors thanks to a brace of tries from hooker Ronan Kelleher.

Ciaran Frawley added five points from the tee.

“Whilst disappointed to lose, we can take heart from the effort that our team put in,” said attack coach Flanagan.

“This was a learning curve for many of the younger players and will hopefully provide a springboard to progress to a higher level.

“The intensity with which Leinster A played is what our players can expect week in, week out when they step up to senior regional level.

“A collective effort was put in by the Scarlets region to reach this final, with co-operation from our semi-pro clubs who offered up players.

“But winning the Celtic Cup was not to be on this occasion.”

Both sides were guilty of committing errors during the contest, with the referee’s whistle a prominent feature almost throughout.

Scarlets applied concerted pressure in the Leinster 22 as the game went into injury time, but it was to no avail as the visitors held out defiantly to deservedly claim the cup.

Flanagan added: “We threw a lot at Leinster and worked hard over the course of the game.

“Their credentials as a fully professional side with a great pedigree in competitions like this, the British & Irish Cup previously and now the Celtic Cup, were obvious as the game went on.

“Leinster are a very good side at this level and don’t lose many games in cup competitions and the A League.

“They did not miss many tackles and took their chances as they came.

“On our part, we committed errors and presented our opponents with turnovers which eventually proved costly.”