JD WELSH CUP SEMI-FINAL: Caernarfon reach first-ever Welsh Cup final but Rhyl do Tier 2 proud

JD WELSH CUP SEMI-FINAL – MARCH 7, 2026

Caernarfon Town 2 (Young 51, Clarke 73)
CPD Y Rhyl 1879 1 (Lightfoot 90+7)
ATTENDANCE: 2,061

It’s Caernarfon Town v Flint Town United in the 2025-26 JD Welsh Cup Final!

For the Cofis, it will be a first-ever appearance in the final of the national knockout, while the Silkmen will aim to repeat their success of 1954.

While Flint breezed past Bangor City 1876 5-1 in Saturday;s semi at Llandudno, it was a different story for the Canaries against the Lilywhites at Colwyn Bay.

After a goalless, pretty even first half, the Cymru Premier side made the all-important breakthrough early in the second period and from there on dominated.

The second Town goal on 73 minutes suggested it was all over, yet the Cymru North underdogs never stopped trying and deep into added time, Ben Lightfoot drove home a well-deserved consolation for 1879.

Had that Rhyl goal arrived five minutes earlier, who knows? However, overall Caernarfon deserved their hard-fought victory.

The thought of a Tier 2 or Tier 3 finalist was a pleasant one, but at the end of the day, an all-Tier 1 showpiece is still a thrilling prospect, especially as it involves two North Wales side with great front-lines.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

6 min: First clear chance falls to Caernarfon. Danny Gosset cross, Adrian Cieslewicz header wide
17 min: Rhyl’s Morgan Murray breaks down the right, passes inside to Jack Parry whose left-foot strike from 18 yards rolls narrowly wide. Keeper Connor Roberts had the shot covered
22 min: Town’s Brad Young heads off target from a good position via a Cieslewicz cross
30 min: Caernarfon’s Phil Mooney hits a good effort wide from 20 yards
31 min – CLOSE!: Almost a shock lead for Rhyl. Town keeper Roberts races out of his goal and misjudges a long ball forward from Billy Holmes, Ben Lightfoot gets there first and his header narrowly misses the open goal
35 min – more Rhyl danger. Great ball in from Murray, Archie Jones cannot quite connect at full stretch
40 min: Murray hits a fierce shot which Roberts saved well. Hardest task for either keeper up to now. Free kick and corner follows, more good Lilywhites pressure.

HALF-TIME: Caernarfon Town 0 Rhyl 1879 0

Totally different first half to yesterday’s Flint v Bangor semi. Underdogs Rhyl defending superbly, limiting the Cofis to very few chances. The Lilywhites went closest to breaking the deadlock.

48 min: Sion Bradley crosses from left, Darren Thomas lashes over at the back post. Early promise for Caernarfon.
51 min – GOAL: Caernarfon go one-up. Bradley corner from left is flicked on by Rio Owen and BRAD YOUNG slots in from close range. Caernarfon 1 Rhyl 0
53 min – sn nearly a great response from Rhyl. Parry drills ball across face of goal and Archie Jones is inches away from equalising
56 min: Fine fingertip save from Roberts after Jones heads goalwards from a Dan Atkins left-wing cross. Great rally from Lilywhites since going behind.
60 min: Cieslewicz rolls ball in from right, Young back-heel, Rio Owen blasts over the bar.
63 min: Alex Swindell saves with right foot from Cieslewicz rocket, Sub Zack Clarke wallops rebound over bar.
67 min: Bradley free kick is blocked, he curls the rebound goalwards, Swindell pushes behind for corner, Young flicks on Bradley flag-kick, Clarke cannot adjust his body sufficiently to nod home
73 min – GOAL: Caernarfon sub Josh Lock bursts forward, finds Young in space and the striker squares to sub ZACK CLARKE who sidefoots home, Caernarfon 2 Rhyl 0
90+6: Ben Lawrence shot is pushed behind for a corner by Roberts.
90+7 – GOAL: Late, late hope for Rhyl. From the right-wing corner, the ball is worked to BEN LIGHTFOOT just outside the box and the Welsh Cup goal specialist hammers home a beauty. Caernarfon 2 Rhyl 1
Rhyl launch one last attack, ball lofted into the box but nothing comes of it.

FULL-TIME: Caernarfon Town 2 CPD Y Rhyl 1879 1

RHYL 1879

Alex Swindell, Ben Lawrence, Billy Holmes, Tom Kemp (c – Oliwier Fiedor 82)), Mo Ali, Rocco Hewitt (Jason Foulkes 90+2), Morgan Murray, Ben Lightfoot, Jack Parry (Samuel Duffy 68), Dan Atkins (Damase Kiwanda 68), Archie Jones (James Farr 82)

CAERNARFON TOWN

Connor Roberts, Morgan Owen, Phil Mooney (Iwan Lewis 88), Paulo Mendes, Daniel Gosset, Darren Thomas (c – Zack Clarke 60), Bradley Young (Adam Davies 88), Sion Bradley (Matty Jones 82), Adrian Cieslewicz, Kyle Harrison, Rio Owen (Josh Lock 60)

MAN OF THE MATCH

Rhyl 1879: Morgan Murray – lively, attacking threat all through the game and gave it absolutely everything
Caernarfon Town: Daniel Gosset – Midfield general at his very best, passing, tackling, 100% effort, goal threat – he has it all