Can Genod Henllan become the latest Welsh Girls Cup winners from the North?
Over the years some fantastic girls football teams have represented North Wales in the final stages of our premier national competition for under-16’s.
Caernarfon Town (2014), Prestatyn Girls (2015) and Penrhyn Bay (2019) have all won the FAW Under-16 Welsh Girls Cup within the past nine seasons. Penrhyn have also been runners-up in the past two finals.
Now a new potential Gogledd Cymru champion has emerged – CPD Genod Henllan.
The Denbigh-area village side has reached the semi-finals of the 2022-23 Welsh Cup, where they will meet Barry Town United, competition winners in 2017-18 and 2020-21, next month.
In the other semi, Cardiff Cosmopolitan lock horns with Abergavenny.
Both matches will be played at neutral grounds on February 26.
For Henllan it is the latest achievement for a flourishing team in a very short space of time.
The girls first got together in 2017 and played in friendlies and tournaments for the first few years.
They started training with the boys and then on their own, being coached by Gerwyn Jones, who is still their coach today.
Last year they joined the North Wales Girls Football League at under-14 level and finished runners-up without losing a game. Buckley Girls U-15’s won the title by two points.
Henllan lifted the North Wales Girls League Cup, defeating Kinmel Bay 3-0 in the final, and were beaten finalists by a goal to nil against Airbus UK Broughton in the NWGFL Girls Cup.
This season, Henllan play in the Under-16 League, currently topping the table with a record of: played 9 won 9 with 70 goals scored and just 2 conceded.
Alishia Whitehead-Hughes is top scorer with 37 goals in all competitions.
Captain of the side is Magi Pierce, daughter of the one and only Cled Pierce, goalscoring star of many seasons with Henllan in the Llandyrnog and District Summer League, as well as a Saturday football striker of some repute for the likes of Trefnant Village.
This year Genod Henllan entered the 2022-23 FAW Under-16 Girls Cup and after beating Northop Hall, Caernarfon Town and Talycopa now find themselves in the semi final and a meeting with the mighty Barry.
From what started from seven little girls in the village wanting to play football has now increased to more than 80 girls with seven teams from under-8 up to under-16.
FAW UNDER-16 WELSH CUP 2022-23 QUARTER-FINAL REPORT
CPD Genod Henllan U-16 3 Talycopa AFC Rangers 0
Taking on the prestigious Swansea side Talycopa at St Asaph Leisure Centre, Henllan emerged worthy winners.
Top-scorer Alisha Whitehead-Hughes headed against the post before the player who netted eight against Northop Hall in a previous round broke the deadlock.
In the 37th minute, Alisha scored with a brilliant header from a Lleucu Williams corner.
A minute into the second half it was 2-0 when Beth Roberts nodded into the top-corner from a Mabli Fitzgerald flag-kick.
Talycopa rallied and tested the Henllan defence, but the pride of North Wales stayed firm.
And then with only five minutes left, Catrin Vaughan’s free kick was finished off by Lleucu to book Henllan their place in the last four – a magnificent achievement in just their second competitive season.
FAW UNDER-16 GIRLS CUP LIST OF WINNERS
2021/22: Cardiff City Ladies
2020/21: Barry Town United Ladies
2019/20: Final not played
2018/19: Penrhyn Bay Girls & Women
2017/18: Barry Town United Ladies
2016/17: Rhydyfelin
2015/16: Cardiff City Ladies
2014/15: Prestatyn Girls
2013/14: Caernarfon Town
2012/13: Cardiff City Ladies
2011/12: Cardiff City Ladies
2010/11: Information unavailable
2009/10: Information unavailable
2008/09: Cardiff City Ladies
2007/08: Cardiff City Ladies