Youth players are happy to show their skills in cup clash (From Barry And District News)

Youth players are happy to show their skills in cup clash

SOME years ago, the priority for the season would have been a good cup run.

Getting to the third round gave you the chance to draw one of the'big boys,' such as when Cardiff RFC were visitors to the Reservoir Fields back in 1981, providing a bumper pay day.

Nowadays, with the advent of league structures and no Division One teams until the fifth round, the Konica Minolta Cup is almost a hindrance to league fixtures the further you progress in the competition.

Missed games have to be caught up on at some stage, usually crammed in at the end of the season.

With this in mind, against Division 4 North side Colwyn Bay, a number of key Barry players were either rested or on reserve, and more youth team players were given the chance to show their potential.

Full back Rhys Hardy, making his senior debut, was secure under the high ball and showed good pace and handling skills.

Centre Andrew Buckland had class in abundance, operating in that key midfield position. Owain Brown, in his favoured flanker position, gave a great tackling display and University student Rhys Blumberg at Number 8, was immense with his dynamic runs.

After a rather frantic opening 15-minute period, Barry took the lead from a Chris Cummings penalty success.

From within the Barry half, some great handling skills along the back line put away wing Joe McCann on a blistering touch-line run, only to see him bundled out of play in the 22m area.

After numerous forward drives, the ball was finally slipped out on the blind to wing Dave Provis, who from close range barged through two tacklers for a try out wide.

With the home forwards now dominating an at-times bruising battle with their North Walian opponents, scrum half John Dimond was provided with plenty of good ball.

On the half hour mark, he was able to take full advantage of this possession and use his strength to force himself through half a gap between defenders and over the line.

The closing moments of the half saw Cummings cancel out a Colwyn Bay penalty kick for a 16-3 scoreline.

A further success to Cummings was the only score during the opening half of the second period. Then followed a try for lock Matthew Campbell to keep him up with his younger brother in the season's try-scoring campaign.

A scintillating crossfield run out of defence by Joe McCann saw him double dummy to split the Bay defence and enable another scorching 30m touchline dash.

On confronting the full back, a superb inside pass to supporting Campbell in full stride saw the lock cover the final 20 metres to crash dive in at the corner and avoid the chasing defenders.

As injury time approached, great use of the blind side by centre Cummings, going at full pace with a super angle of running to cut between defenders, enabled him to find Provis on the wing with an expertly timed pass.

A simple run-in for the flier saw him grab his second try in his trade mark swallow dive fashion, and Cummings converted.

The very last action of the match saw a consolation try to the visitors for a final 31-8 scoreline.

This Saturday, October 1, there is league action at home, against Aberdare, ko 2.30pm.