North Wales sport’s greatest stories of 2024 – May: CPD Y Felinheli’s great escape

ARDAL NORTH WEST – MAY 22, 2024

CPD Y Felinheli 2 (R Cain, I Owen)
Flint Mountain 0

One of the finest achievements in CPD Y Felinheli’s history occurred in May.

The late Euron Davies would have been so proud as his Felin team completed The Great Escape by beating the champions in their final game of the season.

Needing a point to ensure their Tier 3 survival, Felin picked up all three against title-winners Flint Mountain at an emotional Cae Seilo on May 22.

The whole occasion took on extra special significance with former reds manager Euron Davies having recently passed away.

In recent weeks, Felin had been putting up a brilliant fight to save their skins. From looking doomed not so long ago, the Gwynedd club had given themselves genuine hope of beating the drop with six wins in nine matches going into the Mountain test.

All six of those victories had come at Cae Seilo and they were home again in the match their Tier 3 future depended on.

Since Euron’s passing they had won two on the bounce against top six teams Nantlle Vale and St Asaph City.

And nothing was going to deny them the result they needed to stay up.

After a tough first half, the score stood at 0-0, Mountain producing plenty of good build up play, but Felin riding the storm.

In the second half Mountain’s cause was not helped by the dismissal of Dom McHugh for two yellow cards.

Then came the two goals which will go down in Felinheli history.

Ryan Cain cut in from the right and drilled a lovely strike into the corner of the net beyond keeper Harry Shannon after good build-up play involving Jack Cain and Iwan Owen.

Iwan Owen’s goal saw him get on the end of a Cal MacDonald free kick from the left and guide the ball into the net.

In pouring rain, the home team celebrated wildly with their supporters at the final whistle.

Club photographer Patrick Cain, whose sons Ryan and Jack play for the team, said after the game: “The lads gave everything tonight, brought me to tears. The Great Escape music was played after the game in the changing rooms.

“Band of Brothers working together achieved the near impossible, be proud lads, I know someone looking down will be!”

Seven wins in their last 10 matches after previously going 10 without a victory – what an achievement!

An amazing run-in to be proud of. This was for the village, the club, the supporters, but most of all, this was for Euron.