Barry are the WRU Youth Plate champions for 2024-25 after a thrilling 24-21 victory over Gorseinon in the final.
The young Bombers gave their head coach John Dimond the perfect send off in his last match for the club - and created history - as they clinched silverware in an exciting, skilful and fiercely competitive showpiece at Rodney Parade on Bank Holiday Monday.
The triumph was hard-earned with Barry enduring a nerve-wracking last few minutes before they could celebrate the prize.
The victorious Youth side earned their place in the history of the Reservoir Field club, as the first team from Barry - first recorded playing in 1887 - not merely to reach a national final but to win it.
“We wrapped it up exactly as I hoped it would go,” said an emotional Dimond, as a more than 20-year spell as a player and coach at Barry came to an end. “It was an amazing final, well fought by both sides. Both sides deserved to win it. But the boys deserve it. They showed fire and desire.”
The match was played at a high pace throughout, with Gorseinon taking an early lead, which Barry gradually hauled back and overtook to be ahead by the interval. It was a lead they never lost, although Gorseinon’s late burst of pressure certainly had the nerves jangling.
“We started a bit slow, but we gradually got back, opened up, and started scoring,” said Dimond. “We had a bit of a lull, and two yellow cards which hurt us a little bit. But they just defended for the lives in the last few minutes against everything Gorseinon threw against them.”
If Barry and their large contingent of supporters thought the ten-point lead opened up late in the game was more than enough to secure the trophy, Gorseinon had other ideas and a try in the dying minutes set up a test of Barry’s mettle, which they passed in fine style.
Barry delivered four quality tries, with their second in the 33rd minute, player of the match Morgan Prosser scoring, following a super crossfield kick from Caelan Hurley, to give the Bombers the lead for the first time, the pick of the bunch.
Barry scorers:
Tries - Rhys Nicholls (22'), Morgan Prosser (33'), Joe Jenkins (45'), Morgan Beasley (61')
Conversions - Morgan Prosser (33', 61')
Gorseinion scorers:
Tries - George Davies (4'), Louis Daniel (57'), Theo Rogers (66')
Conversions - Emrys Jones (4', 57', 66')
Scoring: 0-7, 5-7, 12-7, 17-7, 17-14, 24-14, 24-21.
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