In a season where the unexpected has so often happened, was it not typical that the last cup final of the 2024-25 campaign was decided by a winner from a goalkeeper seven minutes into added time?
Glovesman Dylan Roberts was the toast of Llanberis after his long clearance ended up in the net in Wednesday evening’s Cwpan Snowdonia final at Bontnewydd.
The Darans had trailed since the first minute and looked destined to lose their grip on the cup they lifted last season, but in Manchester United v Bayern Munich 1999 Champions League final style, when Sir Alex Ferguson’s men netted twice in stoppage time to win 2-1, the team from Ffordd Padarn did exactly the same at Cae Stanley as what occurred in the Nou Camp almost 26 years previously to the day.
Cemaes struck in the very first minute when 17-year-old Ben Hoyland converted from a Cameron Buckley assist.
That was the end of the scoring until the 95th minute when Ifan Mansoor’s brave looping header from a Kurt Hellfeld delivery made it 1-1.
Two minutes later, Llanberis’s winner came from the unlikeliest of sources with goalkeeper Roberts scoring from his own penalty area.
The referee’s assistant’s signal that the ball had crossed the line led to jubilation in the Darans’ dugout.
And that was that, victory in the most dramatic fashion ensured Llanberis won the cup for a second season on the bounce.
When he eventually hangs up his gloves, Roberts was destined to be remembered for his many great saves, but after tonight, he will always be the keeper whose injury time goal won the cup final.
Dylan Roberts, Aled Pritchard, Dion Owen, Nidian Huws (c), Kurt Hellfeld, Caio Thomas, Peter Mansoor, Tomos Saynor, Marvin Pritchard, Thomas Collins, Ifan Mansoor.
Subs used: Ben Rowlands, Ben Jones, Caio Jones, Dylan Parry. Unused: Deio Roberts.
Huw Shaw, Dafydd Rowlands, Osian Jones, Matt Reynolds, Sam Hall, Ryan Folksman, Cameron Buckley, Ben Hoyland, Luke McGivern, Mathew Roberts, Iolo Hughes.
Subs used: Codie Holland, Tom Wood. Not used: Dan Jones, Chris Hughes (red card), Cian Taylor-Gothard.
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