Scarlets book Celtic Cup final place

Llanelli Scarlets 23 Neath-Swansea Ospreys 15

A late try by replacement Gavin Quinnell earned the Llanelli Scarlets a place in next Saturday’s Celtic Cup final at Lansdowne Road.

Quinnell, the youngest brother of former Wales and Lions number eight Scott, ploughed over in the 79th minute to clinch victory from an an ill-tempered Stradey Park regional derby.

It was a score that put the Scarlets into the lead for the first time in the match and they will now await the winners of Sunday’s all-Irish semi-final between Munster and Leinster.

Ospreys fly-half Matthew Jones had given his side a 12-0 lead early in the first half, but the second-half sin-binning of Wales lock Brent Cockbain proved crucial.

The Ospreys, the Celtic League champions, took early advantage of a strong wind at their back with new Wales squad member Jones slotting over two superb long-range penalties.

He landed another after 12 minutes as the Ospreys began to exert control up front.

The Scarlets, with Lions Test contender Dwayne Peel a constant danger at scrum-half, came more into the game as the half progressed, although they were struggling to find holes in an impressive Ospreys defence.

With tensions simmering, Scarlets lock Chris Wyatt was fortunate not to see yellow for a late challenge on Jason Spice, although Jones punished the home side with his fourth success on 32 minutes.

The Ospreys’ Wales Under-21 star missed an opportunity to make it 15-0 just before the break, and it was the Scarlets who had the final word of the half.

Peel set it up with a trademark tap-and-go and veteran prop John Davies was surprisingly the man on hand to pick up and gallop 15 yards for the score.

Thomas’s conversion made it 12-7 at the break and the fly-half added a penalty two minutes after the restart to put the game right back into the melting pot.

The two fly-halves then swapped penalties as both sides continued to incur the wrath of Irish official Donal Courtney.

A fine break by Thomas should have created a second try for the Scarlets, but the youngster ignored wing Garan Evans on his outside and the chance was gone.

It what was proving an ill-tempered derby, Cockbain saw yellow after 63 minutes for an off-the-ball challenge, but Thomas missed a penalty from halfway.

Then step forward Quinnell.

He appeared to have first scored from a short-range scrum, only to be ruled just short. However, there was no stopping him moments later as he thundered over for a try his brother would have been proud of.

Thomas’s conversion made it 20-15 and it was left to full-back Barry Davies to seal the win with an injury-time penalty.