NWCFA Intermediate Cup semis: Gwalchmai and Penrhyndeudraeth qualify for final
NWCFA INTERMEDIATE CUP SEMI FINALS 2023-24
Gwalchmai and Penrhyndeudraeth will contest the 2024 NWCFA Intermediate Cup Final at Nantporth, Bangor, on May 18.
In Saturday’s semis, hosts Gwalch triumphed 4-3 in a thriller against Llandudno Junction, while Penrhyn unexpectedly grabbed a 2-1 victory at Trearddur Bay, whose nine-match winning run came to an end.
Gwalchmai will be extra determined to lift the cup as they have lost in three previous finals.
REPORTS
Trearddur Bay 1 (Thomas 35)
Penrhyndeudraeth 2 (G Davies 43 & 48)
Two Gwion Davies goals either side of half time sent Penrhyndeudraeth through to the NWCFA Intermediate Cup final where a clash with Gwalchmai awaits.
With Lon Isallt still out of action, Bay switched the tie to Aberffraw where they welcomed fellow Tier 4 North Wales Coast West Premier side Penrhyn.
The game started fairly slowly with both teams cancelling each other out across the field.
Trearddur started to create a few chances and were guilty of complacency in front of goal at times.
In the 35th minute that changed when Asa Thomas broke through and slotted the ball home to record his 38th goal of the season.
Five minutes later Gwion Davies equalised to ensure it was all-level going in at half time.
The second half started at a quicker pace and saw the away side pushing for a goal.
That goal came just three minutes after the restart with a good finish from Davies again.
Bay chased an equaliser but Penrhyndeudraeth by no means were sitting back to defend their lead and were dangerous on the break.
Visitors’ match-winner Davies received a red for a second bookable offence in the 67th minute and with that the game swung in the home team’s favour.
Chances came for the hosts, but again they were wasteful infront of goal. The 80th minute saw the Beach Boys also reduced to 10 men when Dylan Williams was shown a straight red for a high tackle.
Bay threw everything at it in the last 10 minutes with the away team now camped deep in their own half defending resiliently.
On another day the openings would have been converted and it would have been the islanders progressing, but it just wasn’t to be.
The final whistle was met with jubilation from the away team as they go through to the final against Gwalchmai.
The drama was not yet finished though as Bay’s Dan McGinness was shown a red by the referee for foul language.
Gwalchmai 4 (Bentley 33 & 67, Evans 58, Thomas 100)
Llandudno Junction 3 (Kirkham 53, Seager 79, Nettleton 88)
Gwion Thomas’ fantastic long range strike in extra time was worthy of winning any cup tie.
Thomas’ 100th minute goal clinched Gwalchmai a hard-fought victory which earns them a place in the Intermediate Cup Final against Penrhyndeudraeth in May.
It was tough luck on the Junction of the North Wales Coast East Premier, who had fought back from 3-1 down to force an added half-hour.
With key players missing and a heavy pitch to contend with, Gwalch had their hands full against an experienced Junction outfit.
Nonetheless, the hosts led at half time through a Kaine Bentley goal.
After the break, the semi really came to life, Harry Kirkham levelling for the Railwaymen on 53.
Marc Evans nudged the islanders 2-1 up on 58, then a 30th goal of the campaign for Bentley put Gwalch in the driving seat.
But Junction are a team of battlers. Dean Seager pulled one back before Jack Nettleton made it three-apiece in the 88th minute.
Would this knock the stuffing out of Gwalchmai in extra time? The answer was no.
Thomas’ wonder goal made it 4-3 and despite a magnificent effort from Junction, Gwalch showed tremendous heart and character, sticking together as a unit to hold on for a memorable win.
NWCFA INTERMEDIATE CUP HISTORY/LIST OF WINNERS
North Wales Coast Amateur Cup Finals (former name for NWCFA Intermediate Cup)
1894/95: Bangor 2 Llandudno Swifts 1
1895/96: Bangor 2 Llandudno Swifts 0
1896/97: Llandudno Swifts 5 Bangor 1
1897/98: Bangor 3 Holywell 0
1898/99: Bangor 4 Buckley Victoria 2
1899/1900: Llandudno 3 Buckley Victoria 0 (after 2-2 draw at Flint)
1900/01: Bangor 9 Buckley Victoria 1
1901/02: Rhyl 1 Caernarfon 0 (after 1-1 draw at Bangor)
1902/03: Bangor 3 Rhyl 1
1903/04: Llandudno 2 Bangor 1
1904/05: Bangor 1 Colwyn Bay 0
1905/06: Bangor Reserves 2 Flint 1
1906/07: Holyhead 3 Llandudno 0 (after two 1-1 draws at Bangor)
1907/08: Holyhead 3 Greenfield 0 (after 0-0 at Bangor, 2-2 and 1-1 at Llandudno)
1908/09: Caernarfon 1 Conway 0
1909/10: Flint 1 Pwllheli 0
1910/11: Caernarfon 1 Bangor Reserves 0 ( after 2-2 draw at Llandudno)
1911/12: Bangor 4 Holywell 0
1912/13: Rhyl 5 Holywell 0
1913/14: Holywell 1 Colwyn Bay 0
1919/20: Bagillt 2 Conway 1
1920/21: Holyhead Railway Institute 3 Holywell 1
1921/22: Holywell 1 Holyhead 0
1922/23: Caernarfon 2 Holyhead 1
1923/24: Denbigh 1 Barmouth 0
1924/25: Penmaenmawr 2 Denbigh 1
1925/26: Conway 5 Penmaenmawr 1
1926/27: Conway 2 Holyhead 1 (after 0-0 draw at Bangor)
1927/28: Llanfairfechan 4 Colwyn Bay Reserves 0
1928/29: Llandudno Reserves 4 Llanfairfechan 2
1929/30: Bettisfield (Bagillt) 3 Llanfairfechan 2
1930/31: Flint Town Amateurs 3 Llysfaen 0
1931/32: Flint Town Amateurs 2 Bethesda 1
1932/33: Flint Town Amateurs 5 Bethesda 0
1933/34: Flint Town Amateurs 4 Portmadoc 0
1934/35: Flint Town 2 Portmadoc 1
1935/36: Flint Town 1 Llanfairfechan 0
1936/37: Buckley Town 4 Blaenau Ffestiniog 1
1937/38: Portmadoc 2 Castle Fire Bricks 1
1938/39: Buckley Town 2 Blaenau Ffestiniog 1
1939/40: Flint Athletic 6 Penmaenmawr 1
1945/46: Conwy Borough 2 Portmadoc 1
1946/47: Caernarfon Town 4 Connah’s Quay Albion 3 (after 1-1 at Llandudno)
1947/48: Llandudno 3 Caernarfon Town 2 (after 1-1 at Bangor)
1948/49: Holywell 2 Barmouth 0
1949/50: Holyhead Town 2 Conway Borough 1
1950/51: Connah’s Quay Albion 3 Bethesda Athletic 1
1951/52: Connah’s Quay Juniors 2 Bethesda Athletic 0
1952/53: Connah’s Quay Nomads 4 Nantlle Vale 0
1953/54: Buckley Wanderers 2 UCNW Bangor 1
1954/55: Connah’s Quay Nomads 7 Buckley Wanderers 3
1955/56: Barmouth 1 Buckley Wanderers 0
1956/57: Portmadoc 2 Buckley Wanderers 1
1957/58: Holywell Town 6 Gwalchmai 0
1958/59: Portmadog 8 Holywell 3 (after 1-1 at Bangor)
1959/60: Bala Town 4 Peritus 0
1960/61: Newborough 2 Denbigh Town 1
1961/62: Llandudno 4 Rhuddlan 0
1962/63: Portmadoc 3 Holywell Town 0
1963/64: Peritus 4 Ruthin 1 (after 2-2 at Bangor)
1964/65: Llanberis 4 Buckley Rovers 1
1965/66: Buckley Wanderers 2 Newborough 1
1966/67: Ruthin 3 Flint Town United 1
1967/68: Llanberis Athletic 3 Denbigh Town 0
1968/69: Flint Town United 6 Llechid Celts 0
1969/70: Denbigh Town 3 Llanberis 1
1970/71: Llangoed & District 2 Mostyn YMCA 1
1971/72: Mostyn YMCA 1 Denbigh Town 0
1972/73: Ruthin 2 Llanberis 0
1973/74: Nantlle Vale 3 Aberffraw 0
1974/75: Nantlle Vale 2 Point of Ayr 1
NWCFA Intermediate Cup finals
1975/76: Nantlle Vale 2 Llanfairpwll 1
1976/77: Flint Town United 1 Courtaulds (Greenfield) 0
1977/78: Caernarfon Town 5 Beaumaris 0
1978/79: Courtaulds (Greenfield) 3 Connah’s Quay Nomads 1
1979/80: Llanberis 2 Connah’s Quay Nomads 1
1980/81: Connah’s Quay Nomads 2 Mold Alexandra 1
(competition suspended)
NWCFA Intermediate Cup finals
2008/09: Greenfield 2 Gwalchmai 1
2009/10: Prestatyn Town Reserves 2 Gwalchmai 1 (aet)
2010/11: Glantraeth 1 Beaumaris Town 1 (aet – Glantraeth won 4-1 on pens)
2011/12: Prestatyn Rovers 1 Rhyl Reserves 0
2012/13: Llansannan 1 St Asaph 0
2013/14: Caernarfon Town Res 2 Prestatyn Town Res 2 (Caernarfon won 4-2 pens)
2014/15: Prestatyn Sports 5 Waunfawr 1
2015/16: Llanystumdwy 3 Llandudno Albion 0
(competition suspended)
2022/23: St Asaph City 4 Menai Bridge Tigers 0
LIST OF WINNERS (86 finals – 50 winners)
8 – Bangor
5 – Caernarfon Town
4 – Llandudno, Flint Town Amateurs, Portmadoc
3 – Holywell, Connah’s Quay Nomads, Nantlle Vale
2 – Rhyl, Holyhead, Denbigh Town, Conway, Flint Town, Buckley Town, Buckley Wanderers, Llanberis, Ruthin Town, Flint Town United
1 – Llandudno Swifts, Bangor Reserves, Caernarfon Town Res, Flint, Bagillt, Holyhead Railway Institute, Penmaenmawr, Llanfairfechan, Llandudno Reserves, Bettisfield (Bagillt), Flint Athletic, Conwy Borough, Connah’s Quay Albion, Connah’s Quay Juniors, Barmouth, Holywell Town, Bala Town, Newborough, Peritus, Llanberis Athletic, Llangoed & District, Mostyn YMCA, Courtaulds (Greenfield), Greenfield, Prestatyn Town Reserves, Caernarfon Town Reserves, Glantraeth, Prestatyn Rovers, Prestatyn Sports, Llansannan, Llanystumdwy, St Asaph City