Only twice in Welsh Cup history has there been four North Wales semi-finalists – how does South Wales compare?
Only twice in Welsh Cup history has a semi-final round been an all-North Wales affair.
1892-93: Wrexham, Llandudno Swifts, Chirk, Druids
2025-26: Caernarfon Town, Flint Town United, CPD Dinas Bangor City 1876, CPD Y Rhyl 1879
So, this begs the question how many times has the last four been made up entirely of South Wales clubs?
ANSWER: Never
Since the Welsh Cup was born in 1877-88, South Wales has produced three semi-finalists on 13 occasions, but never managed a full house.
The early years of the cup were largely northern-dominated. Aberaman were the first South Wales semi-finalists in 1902-03, followed by Aberdare in 1903-04.
1911-12 was a breakthrough year for South Wales as it supplied three teams in the last four for the first time.
Cardiff City became first of the future ‘big three’ (Football League) south clubs to make the semis that season. Pontypridd and Ton Pentre joined the Bluebirds.
Swansea Town (now City) qualified for their first semi in 1913-14. The penultimate round also included Cardiff City and Pontypridd in that campaign.
The south had a golden spell in the Welsh Cup late stages in the 1920s, but became less successful in the 1930s onwards, when English clubs such as Chester, Crewe Alexandra, Tranmere Rovers, Hereford United and Oswestry Town began to enter the competition and make their mark.
Wrexham were often a barrier the south could not overcome as well as, to a lesser degree, North Wales giants Bangor City and Rhyl.
In 1933-34, there were three English semi-finalists – Tranmere, Port Vale and Bristol City, with Bangor City preventing a complete England set.
After the Second World War, the south were not overly subscribed in the latter rounds for decades, but things took an upsurge in the mid-1990s, when Football League clubs Wrexham, Cardiff and Swansea were expelled by the FAW for refusing to join the national league, as well as non-league ‘exiles’ Colwyn Bay, Newport and Merthyr.
In 1995-96, the first competition without the ‘big clubs’, Barry Town, Cwmbran Town and Inter-Cardiff made the semis. There was no north representation, with eventual winners Llansantffraid from Powys making up the last four.
The 2002-03 season saw Barry, Ton Pentre and Cwmbran compete in the semis – and that was the last time South Wales featured three times in the penultimate stage.