Cardiff suffered last minute heartbreak at the Arms Park as Carmarthen snatched a win with the last kick of the match.
It had started well for the Blue & Blacks as within four minutes they were on the scoreboard. Lucas De La Rua had earned a penalty that was shunted into the Quins half. From the lineout simple hands put Rhys Cummings in space. He raced into the twenty-two and gave a scoring pass to try machine Dewi Cross. He had one man to beat and as he had done on many occasions he did so. Lloyd Lucas converted superbly from the touchline.
It took a further 10 minutes before the next score. Quins had had a period of pressure and were rewarded with a simple penalty that Ellis Price converted. And the Quins were next to score. After a bit of kick tennis Steff Evans found space and created a ruck in the Cardiff twenty-two. A cross field kick landed in Ben Williams hand, Ellis converted.
The Quins were full of confidence now and from a short range line out went further ahead when Lewis Morgan went over at the back of a maul. Price though ran out of time with the conversion. However, he was on target with a penalty on the stroke of half time having missed one two minutes earlier
HT Cardiff 7 – Carmarthen Quins 18
Cardiff came out fired up for the second half and had a score within 20 seconds, Cummings caught a ball over his head in his own half before beating most of the Quins defenders, He linked again with Cross who went over for his second of the night and his 60th in Cardiff colours, Lucas converted.
Quins hit back a few minutes later, Thomas Williams on the end of a slick move before the game went into a phase of ding dong back and forth, but Cardiff scored next. A lineout drive was stopped short, but from the resulting ruck Tom Cottle crashed over for his first score in Blue & Black.
Price extended the Quins lead with a penalty, but again Cardiff came back, a driving lineout close the Quins line saw the backs join in to send Gavin Parry over, Lucas added the extras to draw the scores level.
When Quins repeat offences meant they were reduced to thirteen Cardiff opted for the corner rather than the posts, and from the lineout Rhodri Morgan went over, Lucas converted, to give Cardiff a 33-26 lead that they barely deserved. Quins drew level with a maul of their own as Lewis Jones went over, Price drew the scores level again.
With the clock now in the red the game looked to be heading for a draw until the Quins had a long range penalty awarded. Price stepped up but the ball was short. Cardiff though wanted to play and ran the ball out of the twenty-two only for it to be turned over. When the Quins were awarded another penalty Price slotted the easier kick to take the points back to Carmarthen.
FT Cardiff 33 – Carmarthen Quins 36