On Monday, October 13, the second round of the Dyfed Netball Cup was held at Trinity Sports Centre, Carmarthen. Four cup games were played in this round, including Carmarthen Dragons v Cardigan B; St. Clears v Cardigan A; Milford v Lampeter University and the thrilling battle of Carmarthen Aces v Pembroke A at such an early stage of the cup competition.
After a highly competitive evening of playing, four teams emerged the winners and will progress through to the semi- finals of the cup in February.
Teams going through to this stage include Carmarthen Dragons after a significant win against Cardigan B. Both teams fielded players with injuries and unfortunately gained further injuries during the game, with Carmarthen proving too strong for the opposition.
St. Clears confirmed their presence with a confident win over injury stricken Cardigan A. Turning in a solid performance for St. Clears once again was goal defence Lynwen Griffiths, with superb shooting in the goal third. Milford had similar success, with a dominant win over Lampeter.
Fantastic teamwork in all areas of the court provided the shooting combination of Hanna (GS) and Beth Millar (GA) with the perfect opportunity to score the goals, ending with a clear win for Milford.
The final cup game of the night was a close encounter between local team Carmarthen Aces and Pembrokeshire A. The game followed a goal for goal pattern, with some amazing phases of play by both teams. The final score of 38-33 to Carmarthen Aces ensured their safe passage through to the semi-finals and sets them up as favourites to take the title along with the strong Milford team!
The week October 20 saw the start of the pool stages for the Dyfed Netball League. Included in Pool 1 up until Christmas, are Carmarthen Dragons, Cardigan A, St. Clears, Milford and Cardigan B. Pool 2 consists of Lampeter, Carmarthen Aces, Pembroke B, Carmarthen Colts and Pembroke A.
In the first matches of the evening, St. Clears played Carmarthen Dragons and Lampeter played Carmarthen Aces. In what was a close game, Carmarthen Dragons got off to the best start, scoring 14 goals to four during the first quarter. The second quarter saw a revival by St. Clears, closing the gap with some fantastic shooting to 21-22, and they remained ahead during the third quarter at 33-28. During the final quarter, Carmarthen Dragons linked well throughout all court play and pulled the scoreline back to a 44-41 win for St. Clears.
The Lampeter v Carmarthen Aces game proved to be one-sided, with Carmarthen showing their prowess in all areas of the court. Lampeter continued to battle hard, but failed to convert pressure into points, ending in a massive win of 88-4 to the local Carmarthen team.
During the second slot of the night, Cardigan A played Milford, while on the second court, Pembroke B played young side Carmarthen Colts. The first quarter between Cardigan and Milford was a competitive affair, ending in a score of 14-12 for the first quarter to Milford.
During the second quarter, Milford took hold of the game, combining some stout defence with accurate shooting and securing a lead of 31-19 at half-time.
The third quarter saw the gap remain, although in the final quarter, the combination of defensive players Lisa Jones and the Phillips sisters, Donna and Leanne, managed to disrupt Milford's play, converted into goals by shooter Gemma Griffiths and ending in a 44-57 win for Milford.
The final game of the night between mainly younger teams, Pembroke B and Carmarthen Colts, ended in a 37-21 win for Pembroke. The winners of the game played a strong first half with an effective performance from dependable player Megan Hall for Pembroke securing a half-time score of 18-8.
In the second half, Carmarthen Colts managed to improve their performance and scored more goals than in the first half. Significantly, Jessica Northcott played a blinder, working hard in all aspects of the game. Carmarthen's efforts, however, failed to close the gap completely, with an end score of 37-21 to the well-rehearsed Pembroke side.
The league has taken a break for half-term, but will return on November 3 when Cardigan B play Carmarthen Dragons, Lampeter play high-flying Pembroke A, Cardigan A have their second encounter of the season with St. Clears and Carmarthen Aces play fellow club team, Carmarthen Colts!
For further information on clubs or any netball related events in the league, please contact Dyfed Netball League publicity officer, Helen Thomas, on (01239) 652151 or mobile - 07976 003338.