Ardal Northern Cup semis: Holyhead Hotspur and Flint Mountain reach final

Thursday, May 30, Maes Tegid, Bala, kick-off 7.45 pm is the date, venue and time for what promises to be one of the games of the 2023-24 season.

Flint Mountain and Holyhead Hotspur will cross swords in the final of the Ardal Northern League Cup.

What a match is in prospect – two of the very best form teams on the North Wales scene.

Treble-chasing Mountain have already clinched the Ardal North West title and NEWFA Challenge Cup, as well as earning promotion to the Cymru North next season.

Flint beat Hotspur 4-1 in the league back in November, but the Holyhead side gained revenge with a 1-0 victory over Aden Shannon’s men in April.

Mountain have won 15 of their last 17 matches in all competitions, while Darren Garmey’s Holy Islanders have lost just once in 18 games.

Saturday’s Ardal Northern Cup semi-finals brought contrasting victories for both finalists.

Hotspur needed penalties to get past Bow Street after a 1-1 draw, while Mountain cruised to a 5-0 success at Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant.

HOLYHEAD HOTSPUR 1 BOW STREET 1
(Hotspur won 5-3 on pens)

A close contest was forecast and it certainly turned out that way.

Hotspur had the better of the early chances, forcing Magpies keeper Lewis James to two full stretch saves.

In the 26th minute, Holyhead won a penalty, but top-scorer Dylan Summers-Jones hammered it against the crossbar.

No score at half time, and it stayed that way until the 83rd minute.

Rhys Hughes burst down the middle of the park, before winning a penalty as he attempted to round keeper Guto Hughes.

Rhydian Davies dispatched it and Bow Street looked to be headed for the final. Hughes got his body behind the ball, but it cruelly spun up and over him into the net.

Holyhead bombarded the Bow goal and after a succession of corners, one was not dealt with by the defence and 18-year-old sub Shay Murphy nodded home in the 91st minute.

Penalties were needed and Holyhead were 4-3 ahead before Hughes produced a great save from Rhydian Davies,

Summers-Jones stepped up to score past Lewis and send the home crowd wild.

LLANRHAEADR-YM-MOCHNANT 0 FLINT MOUNTAIN 5

Three very late goals ensured Mountain advanced to another final and stayed on course for a terrific treble.

Mike Hayes’ 32nd goal of the season put Flint on their way in the 11th minute.

A free kick into the Llanrhaeadr box was nodded on by Tom Ruffer into the path of Hayes, who struck a half-volley into the roof of the net.

Just 1-0 at the break, but 10 minutes into the second half the visitors grabbed a crucial second.

Rob Hughes delivered a free kick towards the penalty spot which Ruffer met with his head/shoulder and the ball looped over the goalkeeper to double the lead.

Corey Smart made it 3-0 in the 89th minute from a rebound after Aaron Simpson’s shot was kept out.

Sam Henry side-volleyed in the fourth before Jack Sconce put the icing on the cake with the goal of the game deep into added time.

From 35 yards out, Sconce caught everyone unawares as the ball bounced and he turned and volleyed a stunner into the net.