FAW Amateur Trophy semi-final previews – northern double on the cards?

PREVIEWS – Saturday, March 22, 2025

FAW AMATEUR TROPHY SEMI-FINALS (12 noon)
Penygraig United v Llanrwst United (Latham Park, Newtown)
Port Talbot Town v Trearddur Bay (Park Avenue, Aberystwyth)

What chance an all-North Wales Trophy final this season?

Pretty decent surely with Trearddur Bay and Llanrwst United being good quality Tier 3 sides, while their semis opponents compete in tiers 4 and 6 respectively.

Anything can happen in cup football on the day, however, and Port Talbot of the South Wales Premier (T4) and Penygraig United from South Wales Premier Division One East (T6) have both punched above their weight already to get this far in a national knockout.

Neither northern team have been quite at their best in Ardal North West of late, but the prospect of a place in the Trophy final will surely inspire them to new heights.

Trearddur Bay are aiming to become only the second team ever from Ynys Môn to win the FAW Amateur Trophy following Llangefni Town’s success in 1991-92 when the competition was known as the Welsh Intermediate Cup.

A team representing Llanrwst has reached the final twice.

Llanrwst Town did it in 1899-1900, losing to Wellington St Georges 2-0 at Flint, and Llanrwst United were defeated 2-0 by Dinas Powys in 1997-98.

Trearddur currently lie sixth in the Ardal North West, while Llanrwst occupy ninth spot.

Bay have been awesome on their way to the last four, thrashing very capable sides like Caergybi and Penmaenmawr Phoenix (both 5-0), Gwalchmai (3-0) and in the quarters they whipped Brickfield Rangers, the Ardal North East title favourites, 7-2.

Their only close contest was in round four, when they edged past Ardal North East high flyers Llanuwchllyn 1-0.

No doubt being drawn at home in all of their six ties will have helped the Beach Boys, but they have been highly impressive nonetheless.

Llanrwst performed marvels to win at Holyhead Hotspur in round two, although it was on spot-kicks, while Bethesda Athletic proved tough opponents in round four.

Wins over Cemaes Bay (7-1) and Goytre (3-1) in the quarters were very impressive, while tier 5 Rhos United proved a tricky hurdle at the opening stage.

PATHS TO THE SEMIS

Llanrwst United

Aug 3 – qualifying round: Rhos United (a) 2-1 (Julian Williams pen, Matt Mullender)
Sep 7 – R1: Cemaes Bay (a) 7-1 (Conor Davies 3, Julian Williams 2, Chris Nicolson, Leon Doran)
Oct 5 – R2: Holyhead Hotspur (a) 0-0 (won on pens)
Nov 2 – R3: Nantlle Vale (h) 4-0 (Julian Williams 2, Conor Davies, Sam Thomas)
Jan 18 – R4: Bethesda Athletic (a) 2-1 (Chris Nicolson, Sam Thomas)
Mar 1 – QF: Goytre AFC (h) 3-1 (Julian Williams 2, Sam Thomas)

TOURNAMENT TOP SCORER: Julian Williams 7

Trearddur Bay

Aug 3 – qualifying round: Caergybi (h) 5-0 (Asa Thomas 3, Sean McCaffery, Matthew Jones)
Sep 7 – R1: Gwalchmai (h) 3-0 (Les Davies 2, Dion Donohue)
Oct 5 – R2: Penmaenmawr Phoenix (h) 5-0 (Joe Chaplin 2, Dion Donohue, Dewi Thomas, Sean McCaffery)
Nov 2 – R3: Ynyshir Albions (h) 3-1 (Stevie Jones, Shaun Cavanagh, Dan McGinness)
Jan 18 – R4: Llanuwchllyn (h) 1-0 (Joe Chaplin)
Feb 22 – QF: Brickfield Rangers (h) 7-2 (Toby Jones 2, Joe Chaplin 2, Josh Stanley-Williams 2, Sean McCaffery)

TOURNAMENT TOP SCORER: Joe Chaplin 5