Late McDonald try brings the festive Cardiff Clash cheer for Cardiff University.
by Charlie Thomas
A fifty-meter solo effort from scrum half George MacDonald secured a hard-fought victory for Cardiff University in the season’s second Cardiff Clash against Cardiff Met at the Arms Park.
With 73 minutes on the clock and the match evenly poised MacDonald scored a 50-meter solo effort, with a blistering interception to give Cardiff the lead 26-29.
The try was converted by Harrison James once again, and with Cardiff University on the edge of an historic win, they held onto their lead with an impenetrable defensive effort and won 26-31.
The match started with a fierce opening 15 minutes from Cardiff University which saw them take the lead. Both blindside Jack Ramsay and winger Samuel Plumer scored well worked tries in the 9th and 15th minute, as fly-half Harrison James converted both to take a 0-14 advantage.
Two swift converted tries from Met followed in the 20th and 26th, scored by 8 Will Owen and fullback Josh Carrington respectively, with a yellow for Cardiff University’s openside Owen Popple in between, saw the teams drawing equal on 14 points.
A second yellow for Cardiff University in the 30th minute saw George MacDonald head to the sinbin, as 13-man Cardiff held their own for the final 10 minutes into half time.
The second half saw much of the same. Harrison James converted a penalty in the 43rd to make it 14-17, butwas cancelled out by a Met converted try just 10 minutes later by substitute Vikas Meijer making it 21-17 after 55 minutes played, as tension began to build.
Cardiff Uni replied in the 63rd with a well worked backs move, finished off by winger Jack Thomas and converted again by Harrison James to take a 3-point lead.
This was again cancelled out by another Met try, as winger Henry Kirwan stormed over the line for Met’s fourth try and a 2-point lead, as the conversion was missed.
The score stood at 26-24 with just 7 minutes left on the clock, before McDonald crossed for the decisive score.
A huge win for their season which takes them 3 points clear of Swansea, and a well-earned victory over their noisy neighbors moves Cardiff off the bottom of the table.
A historic milestone to carry them into the Christmas break, not a single face left without a smile and a spring in their step as the second Cardiff Clash of the season went to the away side.
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