NWCFA Junior Challenge Cup: new name will be on prestigious trophy this season

There will be a new name on the NWCFA Junior Challenge Cup this season after Blaenau Ffestiniog Amateurs and Caergybi qualified for the 2024-25 final on Saturday.

In the semi-finals of the Mabon Scaffolding sponsored competition, Blaenau beat Holyhead Town 5-1, while Caergybi edged a 2-1 verdict in an all-Anglesey clash against Gaerwen.

The final, due to be played on May 10, will be an all-North Wales Coast West Division One affair.

Blaenau are currently second in the division, while Caergybi are also in title contention in third spot.

SEMI-FINAL REPORTS – FEBRUARY 1, 2025

Blaenau Ffestiniog Amateurs 5 Holyhead Town 1

Although Blaenau ran out comfortable winners in the end, this semi-final tie was well balanced at the break with the Quarrymen leading just 2-1.
The hosts took a fourth-minute lead when Luke Jones applied the finish, Joe Dukes-Morgan with the assist.
Owain Jones-Owen made it 2-0 on nine minutes, Iolo Thomas helping set him up.
Holyhead were back in it on the half-hour, when Mike Jones provided the assist for Festus Osagie to halve the deficit.
Sub Sion Roberts made quite an impact in the second half, firstly making it 3-1 on 58 minutes from a Jack Diamond assist.
Deio Williams added a fourth on 62, this time Sion Roberts the provider.
And the win was well and truly sealed in the 78th minute when Sion Roberts notched his second and the Amateurs’ fifth, sub Sior Jones with the assist.

TEAMS

Blaenau: Bradley Roberts, Iolo Thomas, Elis Jones (Guto Roberts 69), Cai Price, Sion Hughes, Iwan Jones, Joe Dukes-Morgan, Owain Jones-Owen (Sion Evans 74), Gethin Roberts (Deio Williams 57), Luke Jones (Sion Roberts 57), Jack Diamond (C – Sior Jones 69).

Holyhead: Steffan Parry, Tony Meyer (Aneurin Saunderson 79), Mathew Griffin, Paul Williams (C), Chris Hughes (Jon Morton 68), Simon Davies (Ian Williams 68), Andy Will (Liam Young 79), Mike Jones (Jack Dodds 60), Festus Osagie, Adam Morris, Luke Jones

CPD Gaerwen 1 (Finter 16)
Caergybi 2 (L Chapman 76, J Rowlands 87)

Late goals from Louis Chapman and Jordan Rowlands set up Caergybi for probably their biggest match since forming in 2017-18.
The Holyhead side advanced to the NWCFA Junior Challenge Cup Final for the first time after a narrow victory at Gaerwen.
The Auctioneers dominated from the start and a lovely free kick from Brooklyn Jones landed to Jay Finter, who made it 1-0 in the 16th minute.
It stayed that way up to half time and the second period saw the hosts continue to perform well.
While not at their best, however, Caergybi are always formidable opponents till the end and they levelled on 76 through captain Chapman, who pocketed his 12th goal of the season.
With time running out, the visitors grabbed an 87th minute winner through Jordan Rowlands, who scored with a close-range header from a Jerome Sillence free-kick.

TEAMS

Gaerwen: Szymon Tyszko, Dylan Jones, Aaron Evans (Aaron Jones 83), Huw Evans (C) Ioan Sandison, Cian Williams, Callum Hughes, Brooklyn Jones (Benjamin Roberts 84), Jay Finter, Madog Williams, Calum Thomas.

Caergybi: Jake Chapman, Ash Beck, Floyd Chapman, Jordan Rowlands, Adam Taylor, Harry Collins-Jones (James Ryan 65), Owain Griffiths (Conor McMullan 65), Nik Kontodios, Louis Chapman (C), Jerome Sillence, Iolo Jones,

NWCFA JUNIOR CHALLENGE CUP LIST OF FINALS

2023-24: Final not played due to unresolved ineligible player dispute
2022-23 Abergele 4-0 Llandudno Amateurs
2021-22 Cemaes Bay 4-2 Talysarn Celts
2020-21 Cancelled altogether
2019-20 Cancelled semi-final stage
2018-19 Bro Goronwy 3-1 Bryngwran Bulls
2017-18 Nefyn United 4-2 Bontnewydd (aet)
2016-17 Bro Goronwy 2-0 Waunfawr
2015-16 Llanfairpwll Res 4-0 Llanfairfechan Town
2014-15 Llandudno Albion 4-2 Trearddur Bay Reserves
2013-14 Y Felinheli 6-1 Aberffraw
2012-13 Y Felinheli 4-3 Menai Bridge Tigers
2011-12 Morawelon 4-1 Talysarn Celts
2010-11 Point of Ayr 6-4 Trearddur Bay
2009-10 Mynydd Llandegai 2-2 Bangor City Reserves (Mynydd won 6-5 pens)
2008-09 Trearddur Bay United 2-1 St Asaph City
2007-08 Barmouth & Dyffryn United 2-0 Llanystumdwy
2006-07 Beaumaris Town 4-0 Rhuddlan Town
2005-06 Caernarfon Borough 4-1 Gwalchmai
2004-05 Llanystumdwy 2-2 Bontnewydd (Llanystumdwy won on pens) * 100TH FINAL
2003-04 Llangoed 2-2 Holyhead Gwelfor Athletic (won 5-4 on pens)
2002-03 Castle Rhuddlan 2-1 Bethel
2001-02 Bethel 3-1 Porthmadog Reserves
2000-01 Nantlle Vale 4-1 Llanystumdwy (after extra time)
1999-00 Nefyn United 2-1 Llanystumdwy
1998-99 Abergele 2-2 Prestatyn Town Reserves (Abergele won on pens)
1997-98 Glan Conwy 7-1 Llannerchymedd Bulls
1996-97 Amlwch Town 3-1 Llannerchymedd
1995-96 Gwalchmai 2-1 Llandudno Cricketers
1994-95 Machno United 3-1 Holyhead Hotspur
1993-94 Deiniolen 2-0 Llansannan
1992-93 Gwalchmai 1-0 Cemaes Bay Reserves
1991-92 Llangefni Reserves 2-1 Machno United
1990-91 Gwalchmai 2-1 Penrhos United
1989-90 Connah’s Quay Albion 4-0 Llandyrnog United
1988-89 Llanfairfechan 4-1 Glantraeth
1987-88 Holyhead Town 2-1 Llandegfan (after 1-1 draw)
1986-87 Bro Goronwy 2-0 Holyhead Town
1985-86 Sychdyn 3-0 Llannerchymedd (after 2-2 draw)
1984-85 Llannerchymedd 4-2 Mostyn
1983-84 Rhydymwyn 2-0 Llanfairpwll (after 1-1 draw)
1982-83 Llanfairpwll 1-0 Llanberis
1981-82 Hawarden Rangers 4-1 Felinheli
1980-81 Llanfairpwll 2-0 Rhydymwyn
1979-80 Bethesda 1-0 FlintTown United
1978-79 Llanrug 6-3 Menai Bridge
1977-78 Llanrug 2-1 Llandudno Amateurs
1976-77 Holywell Town 2-0 Machno United
1975-76 Llanfairpwll 1-0 Mountain Rangers
1974-75 Llandegfan 1-2 Beaumaris (awarded to Llandegfan, Beaumaris played ineligible players)
1973-74 Mostyn YMCA 2-0 Llanfairpwll
1972-73 Mostyn YMCA 2-0 Point of Ayr
1971-72 Mostyn YMCA 2-1 Beaumaris
1970-71 Llangoed & District 2-1 Holywell
1969-70 Rhyl Wanderers 2-1 Mountain Rangers (after 2-2 at Caernarfon)
1968-69 Llechid Celts 3-1 Mountain Rangers
1967-68 Machno United 3-2 Flint Town
1966-67 Llechid Celts 2-1 Holywell Town
1965-66 Llanberis 6-1 Mostyn YMCA
1964-65 Llanberis 5-1 Queensferry Wanderers
1963-64 Llanberis 1-0 Gwalchmai
1962-63 Brynsiencyn 1-0 Dolwyddelan
1961-62 Gwydyr Rovers 2-0 Brynsiencyn
1960-61 Gwalchmai 2-1 Newborough
1959-60 Mostyn YMCA 6-1 Newborough
1958-59 Gwalchmai 4-2 Penrhos United
1957-58 Newborough 4-1 Saltney Ferry
1956-57 Newborough 1-0 Gwalchmai
1955-56 Amlwch 2-1 Newborough
1954-55 Saltney Ferry 4-1 Llangefni
1953-54 Mostyn YMCA 5-3 Nantlle Vale
1952-53 Greenfield United 1-0 Bangor Normal College (after 3-3 draw)
1951-52 Connah’s Quay Albion 3-1 Criccieth
1950-51 Connah’s Quay Albion 6-1 Port Dinorwic
1949-50 Amlwch 3-1 Newmarket (after 2-2 draw and 1-1 draw)
1948-49 31st TRRA Kinmel 2-0 Aberffraw
1947-48 Menai Bridge 3-2 Mostyn YMCA
1946-47 Menai Bridge 3-1 Penyffordd
1945-46 Mostyn YMCA 3-1 Penmaenmawr
1939-40 Connah’s Quay Albion 3-2 Penmaenmawr
1938-39 Bangor Normal College 3-2 Connah’s Quay Athletic
1937-38 Shotton Athletic 3-1 Llanrwst
1936-37 Shotton Athletic 2-1 Llanrwst (after 0-0 draw)
1935-36 Llanberis 2-0 Holywell St James
1934-35 Llanberis 1-0 Llanrwst
1933-34 Colwyn Bay Comrades 3-1 Penrhyn United
1932-33 Menai Bridge 4-1 Llanrwst
1931-32 Menai Bridge 1-0 Llanrwst
1930-31 Mold Alexandra 5-0 Glasinfryn
1929-30 Menai Bridge 1-0 Llanddulas
1928-29 Prestatyn 5-1 Menai Bridge
1927-28 Bethesda Vics 5-1 Menai Bridge
1926-27 Menai Bridge 3-1 Bangor Normal College
1925-26 Llanrwst 2-0 Colwyn Bay Reserves
1924-25 Beaumaris 2-0 Blaenau Ffestiniog (after 1-1 draw)
1923-24 Abergele 6-0 Llechid
1922-23 Oakenholt 4-1 Llanrug
1921-22 Glasinfryn 2-1 St Asaph (after 1-1 draw)
1920-21 Bangor Reserves 2-1 Penmaenmawr (after 2-2 draw)
1919-20 Abergele 6-0 Holywell Textiles
1913-14 Menai Bridge 1-0 Abergele
1912-13 Glasinfryn Swifts 3-0 Caernarfon Reserves
1911-12 Menai Bridge 2-1 Llanfairfechan
1910-11 Holyhead Reserves 3-0 Llandudno Reserves
1909-10 Bagillt 2-0 Llanberis
1908-09 Llanrwst 4-2 Bangor Reserves
1907-08 Llanrwst 1-0 Holyhead Reserves (after 2-2 draw)
1906-07 Rhyl Vics 3-1 Llanrwst (after 2-2 draw)
1905-06 Greenfield 0-0 Holyhead (cup shared after two 2-2 draws)
1904-05 Bangor Reserves 1-0 Flint UAC
1903-04 Conway 2-1 Bangor (after 1-1 draw)
1902-03 Flint UAC 3-1 Bangor Reserves (after 1-1 draw)
1901-02 Llanrwst 3-2 Flint UAC (after 2-2 draw)
1900-01 Rhyl Reserves 6-0 Llanrwst
1899-1900 Flint Reserves 3-1 Caernarfon
1898-99 Colwyn Bay 2-1 Llanrwst
1897-98 Bangor Reserves 1-0 Buckley Town Reserves
1896-97 Buckley Vics 5-0 Llandudno Reserves
1895-96 Bangor 3-1 St Asaph

SUMMARY OF WINNERS

8 – Menai Bridge

6 – Mostyn YMCA

5 – Gwalchmai, Llanberis

4 – Abergele, Llanrwst, Connah’s Quay Albion

3 – Bro Goronwy, Llanfairpwll, Amlwch

2 – Nefyn United, Bangor, Glasinfryn, Beaumaris, Bethesda, Shotton Athletic, Newborough, Llechid Celts, Machno United, Llangoed and District, Llanrug, Y Felinheli

1 – Morawelon, Buckley Vics, Colwyn Bay, Flint Reserves, Rhyl Reserves, Flint UAC, Conway, Bangor Reserves, Greenfield, Holyhead, Rhyl Vics, Bagillt, Holyhead Reserves, Bangor Athletic Reserves, Oakenholt St David’s, Prestatyn, Hawarden Rangers, Holywell Town, Llandegfan, Rhyl Wanderers, Brynsiencyn, Gwydir Rovers, Saltney Ferry, Greenfield United, 31 TRA Kinmel Camp, Bangor Normal College, Colwyn Bay Comrades, Mold Alex, Sychdyn, Llannerchymedd, Rhydymwyn, Holyhead Town, Llanfairfechan, Llangefni Res, Deiniolen, Glan Conwy, Nantlle Vale, Bethel, Castle Rhuddlan, Llanystumdwy, Caernarfon Borough, Barmouth and Dyffryn, Trearddur Bay United, Mynydd Llandegai, Point of Ayr, Llandudno Albion, Llanfairpwll Res. Cemaes Bay