CROSS Keys are beginning to believe their name may just be on the Konica Minolta Welsh Cup this season.

They had already seen off two of the competition favourites in Carmarthen Quins and Premier Division leaders Newport before 12-times cup-winners Llanelli bit the dust at Pandy Park on Saturday.

In fact, Llanelli were blasted out of the competition by a devastating first-half display by Keys, who ran in five tries for a 31-0 half-time lead.

It was the perfect reward for the club's sterling efforts to beat the snow and make the pitch playable.

After two inspections and a complaint by Llanelli, the pitch was rightly deemed fit by Cardiff referee Phil Fear, and Keys celebrated.

Before they knew what hit them, a young Llanelli side unhappy in the heavy, sticky conditions, were out of the game, destroyed by a rampaging opposition.

Playing perfectly controlled heavy-weather rugby, Keys powered on through their pack with countless rolling mauls and driving scrums, kicked superbly to keep Llanelli pinned inside their 22, and only released the ball to their backs from the correct field positions.

Keys' ball retention was exemplary, with never a knock-on or a turnover for their rivals to exploit.

It was simply all one-way traffic as the key home players, impressive half-backs James Ireland and Scott Mitchell and No 8 Will Thomas dictated play.

Mitchell was immaculate. Ireland, recommended to the Dragons regional side by coach David Rees, was again strong, while Thomas had one of his best games of the season.

It was doubly sad that he broke his left ankle 15 minutes from time when falling after a punch from a Llanelli player, though Keys have decided not to cite anyone.

He is the fourth Keys player to suffer such an injury this season, following Kevin Lewis, Glen Stroud and Rhodri Jones.

It was fitting that Mitchell gave Keys a 16th-minute lead when he dummied following a lineout to create a break and send Gareth Chapman racing through.

The centre was stopped on the line, but ruck ball sent it out to Mitchell and another dummy put him across. Six minutes later Chapman got over after a succession of quick rucks, and when Keys pressed again a yellow card against Llanelli scrum-half Ryan Williams for killing the ball proved disastrous for them.

While he was off the field both flanker Ben Watkins and Ireland sneaked over from close range and two chargedowns produced ball for Chapman to put right-wing Mark McKee across.

Llanelli improved in the second half and in fact shaded it 14-7, McKee getting his second and Keys' sixth and final try.

Teams: Cross Keys: D Miles, M McKee, D Dark, G Chapman, D Price (S Rees 65min), S Mitchell (O Biddiscombe 65min), J Ireland (T Walsh 65min), I Evans (G Stroud 65min), A Brown, D Evans (D Crimmins 57min), M Curtis, D Hallmen (P Watkins 67min), B Watkins, D Tovey (M Popham 61min), W Thomas. Scorers: Tries: McKee (2), Mitchell, Ireland, Watkins, Chapman; conversions: Miles (4).

Llanelli: T Marks, D Rogers (A Thomas 57min), G Evans, J Lewis (R Davies 61min), V Jenkins, Ceiron Thomas, R Williams (G Wright 61min), R Perrott, J Hughes, N Williams (A Yelland 55min), B Griffiths, T Bowen, Celt Thomas (M Jefferies 67min), I Cunningham, G Quinnell (C Rowe 55min). Scorers: Tries: penalty try, Yelland; conversions: Ceiron Thomas (2).