Predicting the winners of this season’s JD Welsh Cup semi-finals is anyone’s guess, writes Matthew Burgess.
Having beaten The New Saints in the Welsh Cup this season, you could be forgiven for presuming that Connah’s Quay had already won, or at least reached, this year’s Welsh Cup final – yet the Nomads still have some way to go and find themselves in a wide open Welsh Cup semi-final line-up this weekend.
Their reward for denying favourites The New Saints a place in the in the last four is a tie tomorrow with eight-time Welsh Cup winner’s Bangor City (7.45).
The pair meet on Saturday night with Bangor looking to reach their first final in five years.
“They are probably doing cartwheels in Bangor tonight that TNS are out, but we will have a massive say in where the Welsh Cup goes this season,” said Andy Morrison speaking after his side’s 2-1 quarter-final win against the Saints.
The Nomads have had a long wait to reach the Welsh Cup final with last final appearance 89 years ago but this year they will have as good a chance as any.
Bangor City and Connah’s Quay are virtually neck-and-neck in the JD Welsh Premier League tied on 54 points battling it out for an automatic European spot. Having also met in the League Cup this season, the two sides have each won two of their four meetings this season.
Morrison will do his utmost to fuel suggestions that his side are the battling underdogs but the reality is Kevin Nicholson’s Bangor City will be fully aware of just how difficult a tie this is for them.
“We will head into the game with full respect for Connah’s Quay, as I’m sure they will for us, and we’ve had plenty of experience against each other this year so there won’t be any surprises in that respect, but both clubs are winners, both teams find a way to win games, we’re both in good form, so we’ll head into it full of confidence,” said the Bangor City boss.
Sunday’s draw between Newtown and Aberystwyth Town at Bala Town FC promises to be as equally as unpredictable (12.00)
Although Aberystwyth have become embroiled in a relegation scrap, three-time winner manager Nev Powell has a rich history in the Welsh Cup.
The Aberystwyth manager is yet to lose a Welsh Cup semi-final and will view the tie as a welcome distraction from a frustrating league campaign.
Aberystwyth recorded a slender 1-0 win in their last meeting against Newtown last month and Robins defender Kieran Mills-Evans says his team are ready.
“We know what they are capable of, as they do us,” said the Newtown stalwart.
“We’ve both had slightly disappointing league campaigns compared to where we would have both liked to have been.
“But we’ve prepared well, have done our homework and will be ready come Sunday.
“I think their main threats come from their forward players, they are good going forward, but we have tried to highlight what we see as their weaknesses. So hopefully we can target those and come Sunday afternoon we can get the right result.”
Newtown have enjoyed a relatively stable season and have done well to secure a mid-table spot without being caught up looking over their shoulder at the teams below them. Ending the season with a Cup final visit would cap a successful season for Chris Hughes’ men.
But predicting just which two sides will make up this year’s Welsh Cup final is a task in itself.
JD WELSH CUP SEMI-FINALS
Connah’s Quay v Bangor City (Rhyl FC, Sat 7:35)
Newtown vs Aberystwyth Town (Bala Town FC, Sun 12:00)