All hail the Malltraeth Maradona! Felinheli win cup in tribute to much-loved Euron and Lis

NORTH WALES COAST FA WOMEN’S CHALLENGE CUP FINAL 2023-24
MAY 12, 2024 at BASTION GARDENS, PRESTATYN

CPDM Y Felinheli 4 (C Evans pen 15, 23 & 83; Greenough 53)
CPD Llanystumdwy 0

Caernarfon Town have their Mini Messi and Ginger Pele, but CPDM Felinheli possess their own equivalent – the Malltraeth Maradona!

Hat-trick star Catrin Evans produced a player of the match performance as Felin retained their hold on the NWCFA Women’s Challenge Cup today.

Their opponents, underdogs Llanystumdwy, put up a great show, especially in defence with goalkeeper Sara Lacey producing a handful of superb stops.

‘Stumdwy had lost their semi-final 7-0 to Llandudno, but the Genero Adran North champions were expelled from the competition for fielding an ineligible player.

So while the villagers were somewhat fortunate to be in the final, the Tier 3 outsiders made the most of it, putting up a battling display.

Lacey came up with three good saves in the opening five minutes.

Jenna Tugwell-Allsup’s curling effort was brilliantly palmed away by the former Pwllheli No 1, who then used her legs to keep out close range shots from Evans and Fflur Williams.

Great build-up involving Tugwell-Allsup and Fflur Williams ended with Jordanne Greenough hitting the post.

The breakthrough came in the 15th minute. Tash Matthews brought down Tugwell-Allsup in the area, but the referee waved play on before consulting his assistant and changing his decision to a spot-kick.

Evans drilled left-footed into the bottom-right corner.

Eight minutes later it was 2-0, Evans scoring direct from a left-foot corner kick via the right.

Llanystumdwy’s first attack saw Nel Pritchard’s shot from a Heledd Savage corner blocked by the Felin defence.

On 35 minutes, Jody Cain picked out Evans, who controlled and burst forward but lashed just over the bar.

HALF-TIME: Felinheli 2-0 Llanystumdwy

Lacey began the second half as she did the first – with more heroics between the posts.

Jody Cain picked out Hana Wellings with a sublime pass, but the midfielder’s fierce shot was superbly pushed away for a corner by the Llan gloveswoman at her near stick.

In the 53rd minute, the all-reds went three-up with a brilliantly-worked goal.

Evans fed Shannon Jade Jones down the left and her low ball into the box was fired into the net by Greenough.

Shannon Jade Jones lifted a stupendous pass into the penalty area on 64 minutes, but Greenough missed by inches.

In the 79th minute, Evans took the ball on in the box and let fly with her deadly left foot, but Lacey got down magnificently to save.

Lacey worked wonders again to somehow keep out a Tugwell-Allsup volley from an Evans corner.

However, it was fitting that the final word went to the Malltraeth Maradona.

In a dazzling run befitting the legendary Argentinian at his peak, Evans left defenders in her wake before a stinging left foot strike proved too powerful for even Lacey to keep out and the ball found the net.

Both sides produced numerous late substitutions to give everyone game time and Llanystumdwy never stopped trying until the end. They were a credit to Tier 3.

Today was Felinheli’s day and the team dedicated their victory to men’s team manager Euron Davies, whose sudden passing was announced yesterday, and the club chairman’s Iorwerth’s wife Lis Williams, who also passed in the week gone by. RIP both. ❤❤

TEAMS

CPDM Y FELINHELI

Catrin Beech
Jody Cain
Shannon Jade Jones
Llio Henshaw
Kelly Jones (c)
Lois Williams
Jordanne Greenough
Catrin Evans
Jenna Tugwell-Allsup
Fflur Williams
Hana Wellings
SUBS
Nel Huws
Llio Emyr
Erin Gwilym
Kyla Cain
Sara Baines

LLANYSTUMDWY

Sara Lacey
Ffion Morris-Dunn
Leonie O’Hara
Sarah O’Hara
Heledd Savage
Natasha Matthews
Jo Cynan
Annest Roberts
Nel Pritchard
Anna Pugh
Sophie Evans
SUBS
Ellie Williams
Sian-Elin Morgan-Price
Siriol Clow
Ana Lois White