Report by Hywel Roberts.
Dolgellau are through to the final of the North Wales Senior Cup following this monumental game under flood lights at Cae Ddol.
The match was a credit to both sides, and belied their indifferent form in the League, and the match swayed from side to side making for a classic climax, after the sides were locked at 18-18 at the end of normal time.
Dolgellau kicked off with the benefit of a slight breeze, and took the lead after 5minutes with a penalty to stand-off Gerwyn Thomas. They had to withstand a long sustained period of Ruthin pressure, but after 25 minutes they stretched their lead, when the forwards drove on from a 5m scrum, No 8 Dylan Llewelyn was hauled down in front of the posts, but managed to find prop Huw Emyr Jones to drive over. Thomas’ conversion was a formality, and Dolgellau were 10-0 ahead.
With 5 minutes of the half remaining Thomas slotted over his second penalty, when Ruthin 2nd row Arwyn Davies was yellow carded for deliberate handling at a ruck. Dolgellau were leading 13-0 at the interval, and seemingly in complete control, with Ruthin down to 14 men.
However the pendulum swung spectacularly at the beginning of the second period, and Ruthin inside centre Shay Owen managed to out flank Dolgellau’s right hand side to score an opportunist try, and Ruthin were back in business at 5-13. After 5 minutes home stand-off Callum Bennett slotted over his first penalty after visiting stand-off Gerwyn Thomas was yellow carded for stalling a Ruthin move in front of the posts. After only 10 minutes Ruthin squeezed ahead when centre Owen crossed for his second try of the night near the posts. Bennett converted to make it 15-13.
It was now Dolgellau’s turn to survive with 14 men. They did survive, and on 25minutes a second yellow card for Ruthin saw Dolgellau take control and re take the lead when a catch and drive on the home 5 m line saw hooker Geraint Evans surge over to make it 15-18.
Dolgellau needed to keep their nerve, but Ruthin with stand-off Bennett now pinning the visitors back with some intelligent touch finders drew level with 7 minutes of normal time remaining with Bennett slotting over a drop goal. 18-18 and the momentum had swung towards the home side. Dolgellau came back again and it was they who looked the most likely to clinch it, but a penalty from skipper Thomas, went narrowly wide with only a minute left.
The sides were all square with two tries each, so it was 20 minutes of extra time. Inexplicably Ruthin’s Owen found himself sent off for an off the ball incident, just on the re-start, and this once again swung the advantage to the visitors.
However Dolgellau centre Gareth Hughes has to stop the ever threatening home wing, Josh Wilson from breaking free down the left touchline, but from there on it was Dolgellau who seized the initiative, and their reward for sheer determination came with 4 minutes remaining, when following hard yardage by flanker Dewi Thomas, and 2nd Row Rob Lewis, hooker Evans was driven over to score the winning try, and making the score 18-23, to the delight of a large contingent of visiting supporters, and book a well deserved place in the final of North Wales Rugby’s most prestigious event.
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