ST AUSTELL’S Matt Shepherd scored a hat-trick of tries as Cornwall comfortably retained the Tamar Cup on Wednesday night with a 45-0 win over Devon at a wet and windy Treggorrick Park.

Shepherd was captaining the side on his home ground and he finished the night with 25 points as he also kicked five conversions in front of a bumper crowd.

Cornwall, who had only selected players at level five and below for the development fixture, played up the slope and into the strong wind first half and were only 12-0 up at the break.

They took to lead in the 11th minute when Shepherd went over under the posts after pressure on the left. He also added the conversion.

He then added another in the 24th minute on the right.

Devon did not offer much but they did have pressure just before half-time and Cornwall were reduced to 14 men for 10 minutes when Mark Vian was yellow carded.

Devon did think they had scored on the left just before the interval, but it was ruled out for a foot in touch.

With the wind and slope in their favour second half, Cornwall dominated. Devon struggled to match them in the set-piece and the visitors found it hard to get out of their half.

After coming close straight after the break, Cornwall’s third try eventually came in the 52nd minute when Camborne fly-half Aaron Simmonds went over on the left after intense pressure.

A fourth try followed just four minutes later when Liam Jolly touch-down.

Cornwall did finish strongly with Danny Tyrrell, Jordan Nicholls and Shepherd adding further tries in the closing stages.

Cornwall: 15 Matt Shepherd (St Austell, capt), 14 Jack Kessell (Camborne), 13 Sam Parsons(St Austell), 12 Josh Semmens (Pirate Ams), 11 Charlie Levick (Penryn), 10 Aaron Simmonds (Camborne), 9 CJ Boyce (St Austell), 1 Dan Job (St Austell), 2 Miles Davey (St Austell), 3 Declan Prowse (Camborne), 4 Mark Vian (St Austell), 5 Rupert Edwards (Wadebridge), 6 Andy Inch (St Austell), 7 Jordan Nicholls (Camborne), 8 Tom Duncan (Truro). Replacements: 16 Rikki Bentham (Devonport Services), 17 Tommy Lee Southworth (Camborne), 18 Jack Heazelton (Camborne), 19 Cam Taylor (St Austell), 20 Liam Jolly (Camborne), 21 Rhys Brownfield (Pirate Ams), 22 Jordan Sidwell (Camborne), 23 Dan Tyrell (St Austell).