The wet and windy conditions made life difficult for the home back line, but their forwards rose to the challenge and tight head prop Gethin Davies picked up the man of the match award for his role in a dominant scrum.
The only points in the first half came from Newcastle Emlyn wing Dan Davies and the home sides were delighted to change ends not only with the lead, but also to find the wind behind them for the final 40 minutes.
Davies kicked a second penalty at the start of the second half before full back Shaun Leonard made the most of a line out steal on the Aberystwyth throw to squeeze over in the corner for the game’s first try. That took the home side into an 11 points lead, but it didn’t stay that way for long.
Aber came thundering back into the game with a try from a quickly taken penalty by centre Paul Bumford. But a well conceived try by Jones at the posts, which he also converted, made the game safe and put kept Newcastle Emlyn on course for their dream date in the Plate final at the Millennium Stadium.
Penallta maintained their winning ways with a hard-fought 12-5 win at Penlan that keeps them on course for another Millennium Stadium date, and potential title. Wing Elliott Keep and Matthew Angel scored the tries for the visitors and Joe Scrivens added a conversion.
Full back Dai Gratton crossed for four of Ystrad Rhonnda’s six tries as they beat Loughor 34-0 in a one-sided quarter-final. Wing Jarrad Llewellyn grabbed the other try and Rhys Truelove contributed two conversions.
Skewen proved too strong for Nat Conwy, running out 24-0 victors’ over the would-be Division 1 North champions and North Wales Cup finalists.
There were four home wins in the Swalec Bowl quarter-finals with Simon Veall becoming the toast of Oakdale scoring all his side’s points in a 13-10 win over Nantyffyllon. Veall scored the winning try in injury time to haul his side into the semi-finals.
Ystradgynlais upset the odds at home against Division 3 East A leaders Caerleon as they ran out 24-3 victors’ over a team that had only lost once this season, while Ynysddu beat Cwmavon 17-5 and Cambrian Welfare saw off Ynysowen 13-3.
