Llandovery wrecked Pontypridd’s plans of a treble this season by beating them 25-16 at St Helen’s, Swansea, while the Quins ended a run of five successive defeats against Cross Keys with a 21-20 triumph at the Talbot Athletic Ground, Aberavon.
It means the Drovers are into their first final since they so famously won the title by beating Cardiff 20-18 in 2007 and the Quins make a return to the home of Welsh rugby for the first time since their debut in the cup final in 2010.
Last weekend Ponty beat Bedwas to win the Foster’s Challenge Cup at Bridgend and then went to Crdiff during the week and picked up the bonus-point win they needed to return to the top of the Principality Premiership. But there was no fairy-tale end to the week for them as they were beaten by a Jack Maynard inspired Llandovery side.
Maynard’s 10-point haul in as many minutes sent Llandovery into their first final for nine years. He started with a penalty to edge his side in front and then added a match-clinching interception try which he also converted.
An early try from Ponty’s Joel Raikes was cancelled out by efforts from Aaron Warren and Will Thomas before the Drovers won the battle of attrition. Scrum-half Raikes gave Ponty the dream start when he spotted a gap and darted through to score at the posts after 10 minutes.
Former Wales outside-half Ceri Sweeney added the conversion before striking an opportunistic drop-goal to earn a 10-0 lead for his side. But the west Walians were not about to give up on their dream of reaching the Principality Stadium.
Ex-Scarlets star Warren raced home to get Llandovery back into the game after 23 minutes and then they hit the front moments later when full-back Thomas crossed and Maynard converted. Sweeney and Maynard then traded penalties, but it was the Drovers who took a 15-13 half-time lead into the changing rooms.
Llandovery survived a sin-binning to Stuart Worrall four minutes into the second half, but cup kings Ponty used all their experience to wrestle their way back in-front with 15 minutes remaining when Sweeney struck his third successful penalty.
At that stage it looked as though Ponty No 8 Dan Godfrey was going to have something special to celebrate his 200th appearance for the club, but then Sweeney went from hero to villain when he was picked up a yellow card That offence, five minutes from time, allowed Maynard to snatch an 18-16 lead.
The outside half then picked off a pass in midfield to seal with the clock entering the red zone to make the winning margin even greater and keep Llandovery on course for a possible league and cup double. They are currently one point behind Pontypridd in second place in the Premiership.
The second part of the west Wales double came at Aberavon where the Quins just edged out Cross Keys. Wales sevens international Ethan Davies had a shot for glory for Keys with a last ditch penalty shot from 30 metres, but it drifted wide and the Quins booked their ticket to a first final in six years.
Quins outside half Craig Evans kicked a penalty in the 69th minute to give his side a one-point advantage, which eventually proved decisive after Davies’ miss. The two No 10s exchanged early penalties before the Quins playmaker put his side back ahead.
But Greg Woods’ Keys side hit the front when Davies’ clever grubber-kick allowed Nathan Trowbridge to run onto the ball and cross at the posts. The Quins, however, responded with a Dale Ford try just five minutes later.
Davies then tied the game with a penalty before Gavin Thomas touched town after a quick break from Dylan Morgans. Evans missed the conversion and Davies skewed a late penalty for Keys to leave it a five point difference at the interval.
Both sides made a nervy start to the second half as the intensity dipped, but in the 54th minute it was Keys who edged in front through a try from Matthew Powell that Davies improved. The try failed to spark any inspiration, though, as the second half continued its lacklustre fashion.
Evans missed the chance to put the Quins ahead with a wayward penalty, but minutes later he made amends with a simple kick in front of the posts. Davies then had his chance to sneak the win for Keys, but put it wide-left as the Quins avenged last season’s semi-final defeat.
