IT was a case of so near yet so far for Cross Keys after going agonisingly close to toppling their nemesis Pontypridd in a sublime cup thriller at Cardiff Arms Park.

Keys had shocked the men from Sardis Road in the 2012 Swalec Cup final during a 32-19 victory.

Last year had been a different story when Ponty gained their revenge by winning the cup and league finals over Keys in convincing fashions.

But this time they just about managed to repulse a magnificent performance of no mean guts and skill by a highly determined Keys side with Ponty, deservedly it has to be said, having enough class to shade this Swalec Cup semi-final enthralling encounter.

Keys had the better of the opening exchanges and went into a 7-0 lead after ten minutes when openside flanker Scott Matthews crashed over for a try after the Pandy Park side had shown great patience to go through the phases from a driving lineout, No 10 Ethan Davies converting.

But their superb start was almost immediately cancelled out when Ponty skipper and centre Dafydd Lockyer hit back with an unconverted try from the restart as he was allowed to cross all to easily after a huge gap had opened in the Keys defence.

A wonderful catch by wing Lloyd Lewis from their restart saw Keys put the holders under serious pressure and this was converted into points when Davies put over a well struck penalty to give his side a 10-5 lead after 17 minutes.

With the gathering of restarts a grave worry for both sides, Ponty gathered from theirs as they so nearly got their second try before Jarrod Evans put over a straightforward penalty as a frantic opening quarter came ended with Keys two points ahead.

Davies put them further into the lead with a 23rd minute penalty from in front of the posts after Ponty infringed at the breakdown.

Some defensive confusion at a driving lineout saw second row Craig Locke cross for a 28th minute try after Keys had gambled on not engaging in the set piece but the score was allowed.

Evans put his side into the lead for the first time with his conversion.

With Ponty raising the tempo and trying to give them the runaround, it was all hands to the pump for the Gwent side who were working overtime in the tackle area to keep their opponents at bay which they did manfully.

A magnificent run by Keys wing Nathan Trowbridge nearly saw him put in full back James Cordy-Redden for a spectacular try but Ponty just held them out.

They secured a major coup just before the interval when the wonderful Matthews bagged his second try from another hugely effective driving lineout and Davies nailed the tricky conversion, the ball striking the upright before going over, to give his team a 20-15 advantage.

But they shot themselves in the foot when hooker Darren Hughes was yellow carded in the 40th minute for a high tackle and an Evans penalty saw Ponty reduce the deficit to just two points at half-time.

The 14-men of Keys struggled to hold out until they were back to their full compliment, Evans putting Ponty 21-20 up with his 44th minute penalty.

A spectacular individual try by Lewis out of nothing (he scored a similar one for Keys in their league victory against Cardiff at the same venue in September) stunned the favourites, Davies' conversion making it 27-21 with just over 25 minutes to go.

Ponty nearly hit back immediately from a driving lineout but they knocked on going over the tryline.

Keys crucially failed to clear their lines and the league and cup double holders laid siege to Keys with a number of scrum fives before full back Aled Summerhill crossed in the corner.

Evans did supremely well to kick the conversion to nose his side into a 28-27 as the lead changed hands once again in the 63rd minute.

With Ponty dominating, replacement scrum half Lloyd Williams crossed for an unconverted try with just five minutes left as they tightened their grip on the game.

Keys kept the Ponty fans chewing their nails as they threatened to break from deep but it is the champions who will meet Bridgend for the final at the Millennium Stadium next month.

Defeat brought an end to Keys’ magnificent nine-match winning streak and they face Ponty at Pandy Park on Saturday with another crack at trying to break their league dominance.

Keys head coach Greg Woods was proud of his side after such a gutsy effort: “It was a heroic performance in what was a classic Swalec Cup semi-final.

“I think we rattled them in an epic battle in which we played a full part.”

Cross Keys: James Cordy-Redden, Lloyd Lewis, Leon Andrews (capt), Phil Williams, Nathan Trowbridge, Ethan Davies, Ryan James (James Leadbeater 65), Richard Cornock (Leon Brown 41), Darren Hughes, Anthony Lott (Craig Gould 70), Danny Hodge, Simon Williams (Tom Lampard 54), Adam Powell, Scott Matthews, Jack Condy (Henry Palmer 43-49, Josh Skinner 75).

Replacements: Luke Garrett, Nathan Williams, Polu Uhi.

Tries: Matthews (10), (38), Lewis (52), Conversions: Davies (10), (38), (52), Penalties: Davies (17) (23).

Pontypridd: Aled Summerhill, Lewis I Williams, Gavin Dacey, Dafydd Lockyer (capt), Owen Jenkins, Jarrod Evans, Joel Raikes (Lloyd Willi65), James Howe (Chris Phillips 64), Liam Belcher, Pat Palmer (Dillon Lewis 64), Craig Locke, Chris Dicomidis (Luke Crocker 69), Jake Thomas (Wayne O'Connor 69), Rhys Shellard, Dan Godfrey.

Replacements: Lewis K Williams, Dale Stuckey, Huw Dowden.

Tries: Lockyer (11), Locke (28), Summerhill (62), Williams (75), Conversions: Evans (28) (62), Penalties: Evans (20) (40) (44).

Referee: Sean Brickell (Abertillery).

Argus star man: Scott Matthews