Bridgend 10 Llanelli 20 - Cup Review
By Zippy
April 19 2005
Review of the action in the second of the Konica-Minolta Cup Semi Finals. Bridgend were undone in a controversial game at the Gnoll, Neath. For details read on.
Bridgend 10 Llanelli 20
The Western Mail
AFTER calling time on his glittering career as a player, Scott Quinnell is now looking forward to winning his first major prize as a coach.
But after watching his Llanelli side clinch a place in next month's Konica Minolta Cup final at the Gnoll, the former
Quinnell's Scarlets were ultimately deserved winners of an ill-tempered semi-final that saw referee Huw Watkins brandish two yellow cards and one red - and now they face Pontypridd at the Millennium Stadium on May 7.
"I've been involved in many big occasions as a player but this will be my first final as a coach - although I told the boys before kick-off that I felt like pulling my boots on again!" said Quinnell.
"Anyone who says that the cup doesn't matter anymore in a professional era should have been here to witness this game.
"It certainly mattered to every player and every supporter at the Gnoll."
The referee had his work cut out from first whistle to last and the dismissal of prop Phil Booth - a former Scarlet team-mate of Quinnell - proved crucial.
With 12 minutes left on the clock and Llanelli leading 13-10, Watkins awarded Bridgend a penalty inside the 22 and also reached for his pocket to sin-bin Llanelli centre Jon Rimmer for a professional foul.
But Booth, who was being held down at a ruck, appeared to lash out with his boot and, on the advice of his touch judge, Watkins showed the red card.
Rimmer was yellow-carded but the penalty was reversed and, after a lengthy injury stoppage as Llanelli hooker Craig Hawkins received attention to a facial wound, Bridgend's chance had gone.
Ravens coach Chris Stephens pointed to that incident and the first-half loss of skipper Mike Powell for 10 minutes as crucial to the outcome.
"We didn't have a chance because Llanelli spoiled it around the contact area and were allowed to get away with it," he said.
"To be fair to them they were more streetwise than us and dragged us into a game that didn't suit us.
"There were some odd decisions made by the referee - and the two biggest ones proved costly for us."
On a windswept afternoon the sides were locked at 7-7 at the interval.
Llanelli took the lead in the 24th minute, while lock forward Powell was serving his spell in the sin bin.
The Scarlets were awarded a penalty on the Bridgend 22 but that was moved forward 10 metres after Ravens No 8 Dean Fitzgerald aired his opinions too loudly.
With a man advantage up front Llanelli opted for the scrum and when Bridgend collapsed, fly-half Ceiron Thomas converted.
Bridgend hit back on the half hour as a clever cross kick from outside-half Gareth David bounced kindly for wing Grant Epton, who raced over in the corner for David to convert superbly.
Thomas landed two third-quarter penalties to one by David to make it 13-10, before the flurry of cards which proved decisive.
Llanelli, superbly marshalled by scrum-half Chris McDonald, then took a stranglehold.
And they sealed the win and a place in the final when No 8 Gavin Quinnell did a passable impression of his elder brother by ploughing over from a close-range tap penalty for Thomas to convert.