Selby RUFC triumph after Barn-storming Yorkshire Shield semi (From York Press)

Selby RUFC beat Barnsley to reach Yorkshire Shield final

9:46am Monday 30th April 2012 in Rugby Union

SUPERB Selby RUFC booked a Yorkshire Shield final date with Bridlington after a thrilling 24-18 victory over Barnsley in the semi-finals at Sandhill Lane.

The Swans trailed 15-3 at half-time in Saturday’s last-four tie, but got their noses in front on the hour mark and then survived a late scare to sneak through.

Having put out Scarborough, Pocklington, Yarnbury and Barnsley, they will now face Yorkshire One side Bridlington at Hull on Sunday, May 6, kick off 2pm.

Selby played into a considerable wind in the first half of the semi-final, but started strongly to dominate territory and possession.

They took the lead with a Josh Cruise penalty after eight minutes, but Barnsley began to dictate play after the first 15 minutes.

The visitors went in front with a Marlon Wragg try on 19 minutes and increased their lead four minutes later with a score by Aaron Gaunt, converted by Patrick Jensen.

A Jensen penalty after 37 minutes gave them their 15-3 interval lead.

Despite bossing the game, Selby rarely threatened the Barnsley line until the 59th minute, when a determined surge to the line by prop Andrew Pocklington resulted in a try with fly-half Cruise converting.

Substitute number eight Martin Protheroe was proving a real handful for the Barnsley defence and the game turned after the sin-binning of fly-half Jensen.

Protheroe surged out of his own half and deep into Barnsley territory before offloading to substitute flanker Jacob Robinson who touched down for Cruise to convert for a 17-15 lead.

Andrew Appleyard kicked a penalty for Barnsley but, after two missed penalty attempts, Selby responded when Protheroe charged through the defence from 35 metres and centre Dan Porter converted for a 24-18 lead with only two minutes plus added-on time to go.

Selby supporters had their hearts in their mouths on 82 minutes when Barnsley looked certain to score but their final pass was adjudged to be forward.

From the ensuing scrum, the ball was kicked dead and Selby were through to their second Yorkshire Shield final in three years. The game will be a repeat of the 2010 final, which Bridlington won at Driffield.

Protheroe, who was only thrown into the action on 43 minutes, was Selby’s man of the match.

Meanwhile, Selby will finish seventh in Yorkshire Two after eighth-placed Yarnbury lost their final game 19-7 at home to Wath upon Dearne on Saturday.