Cup draw is cruel on North Wales champions for a second time this season

Llandudno have been handed another long away trip to take on one of Wales’ ‘giants’ in the last 16 of the Adran Trophy.

Hot on the heels of landing a Welsh Cup quarter-final journey to Cardiff Met two weeks before Christmas, tonight saw Tudno asked to travel to Swansea City in the Adran.

Luck of the draw people might say (mostly from South Wales). Well then it’s bad luck isn’t it and cruel on a club which finally had to resign from the Welsh Premier League two years ago after eight seasons of toil due to the heavy costs of competing and getting players to commit.

Two trips to South Wales, both likely to cost hundreds of pounds apiece. Most likely Llandudno will have to travel on the day on each occasion as they would find hotel bills for an overnight stay difficult to meet.

Surely the least the FAW can do is offer to help the club financially. This is the plan isn’t it? Helping grassroots football?

There’s a lot more to assisting grassroots clubs than encouraging the development of 3G pitches and improving infrastructure.

There are many other overheads too.

And why are the eight Adran Premier clubs seeded in the Adran Trophy?

Yet again, just like in the men’s Welsh Cup second round, where tier 1 and 2 teams were seeded, it’s simply easing the passage to the next stage for the bigger sides.

No-one from the north below tier 2 made the third round. There were a couple of giant-killings for the south, good for them, but overall it is the ‘big boys’ who very much benefited.

And the same looks on the cards with the Adran Trophy.

Wrexham, for whom the balls dropped kindly, got a home draw against Abergavenny, while they will also welcome Aberystwyth in the Welsh Cup quarters. Two ties Steve Dale’s side look more than capable of winning and no travel bill.

Connah’s Quay Nomads have a tricky trip to Barry Town United in the Adran, while Rhyl 1879 at least have home advantage against Cardiff Met. A very difficult test for the Belle Vue team, though.

It is Llandudno who suffer the most. And even if they can raise the funds for the Swansea trip on November 20, what sort of reward awaits?

All due respect to the Genero Adran North champions, but the Swans have to be massive favourites for the tie, which ends Tudno’s hope of making any money from the competition, which is probably not that formidable anyway.

Never mind the ‘I’m Alright Jack’s’…..this is tough on a club which does things the right way.

Yes FAW, we know the national teams and the Cymru branding awareness takes massive priority now, but as we head towards the season of goodwill, in these difficult times there are still others in need of help.

And they pay their fees to you every season like the rest. Let’s hope it remains ‘Yma o Hyd’ for Llandudno ladies and their ilk.

Genero Adran Trophy last 16
(ties to be played November 20)

Barry Town United v CONNAH’S QUAY NOMADS
Briton Ferry Llansawel v Cardiff City
Cascade v The New Saints
Pontypridd United v Swansea University
CPD Y RHYL 1879 v Cardiff Met
Swansea City v LLANDUDNO
WREXHAM v Abergavenny Town
South Group 2 runner-up v Aberystwyth Town