Will the 2023-24 NWCFA Junior Cup final take place? It’s looking very doubtful…..

Eleven days left in May, the final month of action for North Wales football.

One has to ask the question….will the 2023-24 NWCFA Junior Challenge Cup Final go ahead?

It’s not looking good. Today is the 20th and still no decision available on the semi-final controversy surrounding Bow FC and CPD Y Glannau.

It has been three months since Y Glannau defeated Bow 8-1 to reach their first-ever Junior Cup Final – or so they thought.

Bow protested to the North Wales Coast Football Association that Y Glannau had fielded an ineligible player as a sub in the final 10 minutes when they were 8-1 up.

The NWCFA expelled Y Glannau from the competition, but the St Asaph club appealed and a special committee of the association reinstated them.

Bow appealed to the FAW, were successful, so Y Glannau counter-appealed and it is that outcome we are all waiting for.

No-one can have been more frustrated at this delay than CPD Llanfairpwll, who await to play in a final whose very staging must now be in doubt.

Grassroots North Wales is aware Y Glannau’s appeal against their explusion was heard by the FAW last week.

No decision was given on the night and the clubs are in the process of being written to with the verdict.

We were given this statement by the FAW today: “The decisions are yet to be communicated by the panel to the clubs involved. The hearing was apparently a lengthy one and with the complexities more time is needed to provide the decision and the grounds.”

Even after the decision is eventually announced, the loser has the option of going to arbitration.

This whole scenario is very similar to the 2021-22 NWCFA Intermediate Cup Final between CPD Y Rhyl 1879 and Bangor 1876, which never took place as a suitable ground could not be found.

It was re-scheduled for early 2022-23, but never happened.

The 2023-24 NWCFA Intermediate Cup Final between Gwalchmai and Penrhyndeudraeth took place on Saturday at Nantporth Stadium, Bangor. Gwalchmai won 3-1.

The NWCFA hosted an excellent event which was superbly publicised by themselves in the lead-up week, proving that when everyone sings off the same hymn sheet, the path of success can be smooth.