Even though they were beaten 40-29 in Munster at the weekend, the young Scarlets matched the unbeaten home side try for try in an eight-score thriller.
They are now four points clear of the Ospreys at the top of the Welsh regional conference with one game to go in the pool stages.
In an enthralling game, Scarlets had a nightmare start when Morgan Williams was shown an early yellow card for taking a man out in the air.
After Munster went ahead, the visitors hit back to go 14-7 up thanks to tries from Shaun Evans and Rhys Fawcett with Dan Jones converting both scores.
Jack Stafford, Liam Coombes, Ben Healy and Sean O’Connor were the men to account for Munster’s tries over the course of the 80 minutes and Bill Johnston kicked four conversions and four penalties.
Johnston and Jones exchanged penalties to make it 20-17 to Munster at the break and a thrilling second period saw plenty of entertainment.
After returning from the sin bin, Williams made his way over the line and there was also a try for senior Scarlets and Wales winger Steffan Evans.
Jones ended the game with three conversions and a penalty and although it was not enough to win his team the game, the Scarlets still have plenty to play for this weekend.
In the other fixtures to take place, Cardiff Blues A claimed an impressive 26-12 victory away to Connacht Eagles in Galway.
Richie Rees’ side had a 19-point advantage at the interval thanks to tries from Aled Summerhill, Liam Belcher and Tom James.
The home side struck back with intent in the second half, but Harri Millard’s score put the game beyond doubt and also secured a vital bonus point.
The Blues started the game well and claimed the opening score of the day with only six minutes on the clock.
Tom Williams received the ball from deep and spotted space behind the Connacht defence. His hack bounced up perfectly for Summerhill who stepped past the final defender to touch down.
Williams converted, but the Blues were then hit by a yellow card for openside Sion Edwards who was sent to the sin bin for a no-arms tackle.
But the Blues responded well and Belcher was bundled over from the base of a strong maul.
Dan Fish’s smart kick then sent James over.
The hosts came out firing in the opening stages of the second half and a series of penalties gave them territory in the Cardiff Blues A 22.
Belcher was sent to the sin bin and the pressure finally told as Jonny Murphy crashed over for the home side’s first points of the game.
However, Rees’ men came up with the perfect response. A Sion Bennett charge put them on the front foot and another grubber from Fish found Millard who dived over the line.
Millard became the third player to be sent to the sin bin as he was penalised for a no-arm tackle and although Murphy claimed his second try, the Blues were not to be denied.
The Ospreys, who pipped the Scarlets in their opening game, saw their chances of reaching the final take a dent when they were beaten 39-19 by Ulster A in Bridgend.
Visitors Ravens were hit by a red card for Rodney Ah You, but it couldn’t stop them coming out on top on a wet night at the Brewery Field.
Wales Under-20 international and scrum Reuben Morgan-Williams was on the scoreboard for the Ospreys and Dewi Cross and Morgan Morris both crossed the line too.
Cai Evans converted Morgan-Williams’ score for a 7-3 lead, but that was as good as it got for the Ospreys in the first period.
Bruce Houston had kicked an Ulster penalty and Irish tries from Peter Cooper and Johnny Steward put the away side 15-7 up at the break.
Marcus Rea and Cross exchanged tries when the game resumed, but further Ulster scores from Aaron Sexton and Ah You put them in control.
After being sin binned earlier, Ah You was then handed a red card for a scrum infringement and Houston was also yellow carded, but it failed to derail Ulster who came out on top.
The Dragons scored four tries against unbeaten Leinster before going down 48-29 at Ystrad Mynach.
James Chapron’s men led 21-12 at the break and were still very much in the game up to the hour mark.
In the end, though, four late tries sealed it for the unbeaten visitors, who are now one win away from reaching the
inaugural final.
Leinster got off to a flying start with a second minute try from Adam Byrne, but were then hit by a hat-trick of home scores from Chris Coleman, Rhodri Davies and Tom Hoppe.
The game Dragons weren’t finished there and bagged a bonus point with a Matthew Screech try after the break.
But that was the end of the points for the home side as they ran out of steam in the third quarter. A try in each half from livewire flanker Scott Penney launched the fightback and brought Leinster back to within two points.
The Screech try dented the revival, but there was still more to come from the visitors.
The first of two tries from centre Jimmy O’Brien helped to tie things up at 26-26 after 55 minutes before Nick McCarthy, Caelan Doris, Adam Byrne and Jimmy O’Brien again rounded off proceedings with four more tries to make victory safe.
CELTIC CUP RESULTS
Munster A 40-29 Scarlets A
Ospreys A 19-39 Ulster A
Connacht Eagles 12-26 Cardiff Blues A
Dragons A 29-48 Leinster A
CELTIC CUP FIXTURES (Saturday, October 13)
Scarlets A vs Dragons A (Church Bank, kick-off 2pm)
Cardiff Blues A vs Ospreys A (Cardiff Arms Park, kick-off 2.30pm)
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