NANT CONWY booked a dream SWALEC Plate final date at the Millenium Stadium after triumphing 9-3 over competition favourites Ystrad Rhondda.
Playing on neutral turf at Llaniddloes, Ystrad took the lead through Andrew Bennett’s eighth minute penalty, but Nant struck back through Carwyn ap Myrddyn’s second penalty attempt of the day, after the Rhondda number 10 was sin-binned for handling in the ruck.
Another dismissal, this time for the opponent’s number 9 for a tip-tackle, turned the tie in Nant’s favour, with Myrddyn converting twice more to open up a 9-3 half time lead.
Despite yellow cards for Carwyn Ellis and Emrys Evans, Nant held firm in the second half, with some superb work at the line-outs and dogged defending shutting out their opponents, as Rhondda failed to score a try in a match for the first time in two years.
The win books Nant Conwy’s spot in the Plate final at the home of Welsh rugby on Monday, May 7 against Penallta, who won their north versus south clash with Bethesda.