TOUGH WELSH CUP SEMI ON THE CARDS
RHYL v LLANELLI
WELSH CUP SEMI-FINAL
SUNDAY, 1.10pm at PARK AVENUE, ABERYSTWYTH (live on S4C)
IF Rhyl are to reach their ninth Welsh Cup final this Sunday they will need to overcome a jinx which has haunted them for the past four seasons.
John Hulse's men have failed to beat Llanelli in their last eight attempts in all competitions, losing six and drawing two.
Peter Nicholas' full-timers are hot favourites for the Welsh Premier title and will be eyeing up a treble as they are also into the League Cup final where they again meet Rhyl on April 27.
When it comes to Welsh Cup pedigree there is no contest between the clubs. Rhyl have won the trophy four times (1952, 1953, 2004, 2006), been beaten finalists on four other occasions and been eliminated in 14 semi-finals.
Llanelli have reached the final just once in their history - and that was back in 1914! The Tinmen have only really come to prominence nationally in the last couple of years since turning professional.
This season the Lilywhites and the Reds have clashed three times. In the league, the full-timers won 2-1 twice and were 4-1 victors in the FAW Premier Cup. It is fair to say Rhyl did not deserve to lose all three.
Luck has not really been in the Lilies' side against Llanelli this term. If they get the rub of the green on Sunday it could make all the difference, but they will have to play very well and earn the luck.
Llanelli are packed with experience, their squad including players with Football League service, but their chief danger man is Rhys Griffiths, the red-hot fireman who has banged in 37 goals this term.
Interestingly the Reds have goalkeeping problems with Ryan Harrison having been dismissed against Porthmadog on Saturday and facing suspension, while first-choice Duncan Roberts was reportedly out for the rest of the campaign but appeared at Aberystwyth on Tuesday night despite not being fully fit.
This notice appeared on the Llanelli website this week:
"Reds keeper Ryan Harrison will serve the second match of his two match suspension against Rhyl on Sunday. This was after the club was informed that we would be in breach of disciplinary rules if we had included Wednesday's game against Garden Village as one of his two matches. This was due to the Village game being arranged after Ryan was sent off at Porthmadog on Saturday."
Rhyl and Llanelli have met twice in the Welsh Cup history. In 1989/90 Rhyl won 3-0 at Belle Vue, but in 1999/2000 the Reds triumphed by the same score at Stebonheath Park. Both ties were fourth round encounters.
Sunday's match is being screened live on S4C.
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Dave Jones - For all the latest news from Rhyl Football Club, including match reports, news, views and features log on to Lilywhites On-Line hosted by Visitor sports editor Dave Jones.
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As an ardent supporter, a canny observation made and shared by many fellow fans on a cold wintry afternoon watching the Lilywhites huff and puff their way past mediocre opposition is "Oh for a quality centre midfield playmaker" someone that can constantly find and feed, without doubt the two best wingers in Welsh football i.e. White and Jones, week upon week they are starved of the ball cutting lonely figures out wide on the flanks. Unfortunately our current heirs to the midfield throne Wilson (sorry Gareth your best days are behind you), Stones (a shadow of the figure that played at Belle View last time) and Garside (sorry mate, really not up to Welsh League standard)are not the answers, come on Hulsie find us that midfield maestro we crave for!
Read that too about their keepers, but Duncan Roberts played in goal in the 2-1 at Aber on Tuesday night.
Dave says:
That's very interesting I was led to believe he was out for the season.
JDH - at last a fan who tells it like it is.
I personally feel we have been served up some dull fayre at Belle Vue this season. Look at these results..
Porthmadog 1-0
Caersws 2-1
Cefn Druids 1-0
GAP Queens Park 3-2
Connah's Quay 1-0
Airbus 2-1
Neath 1-0
Newtown 2-1
All games against mediocre sides we should have whipped out of sight, yes we won them all but looked poor in doing so and we've seen bad showings like Aberystwyth 0-0, Bangor 1-2, Llanelli 1-2, Bangor 1-1 (cup), Welshpool 1-1, in fact has there been a really brilliant performance from Rhyl at BV this season? Yet away from home we've had Caersws 7-2, Cefn Druids 4-1, Bangor 2-0 (cup), Nomads 5-0, funny old game innit.
Jimmy Kelly would have provided the midfield craft we've been missing and he's never really been replaced.
I don't think any of the team is performing that well with the possible exception of White and Jones and the defence, I hope to God we can get it together against Llanelli, despite the poor showings we are still 3rd in the league, in one cup final and another semi-final. Not bad really....
Dave says:
Bit harsh there Mr O'Connor. I felt Rhyl's performance in the 1-0 against Cefn Druids was excellent, good, slick flowing football, all that was missing was the goals.
Admittedly, the goals have not flowed this season but still these games have been won. Overall home record in the league this season: played 15 won 11 drawn 2 lost 2 (identical to Llanelli); Cups: played 8 won 6 drawn 2. Pretty good in anyone's book.
yes rhyl have put up one great performance at Belle vue this season, against Haka in the UEFA CUP 3-1 which was in my opinon the best perpormance under Hulsie
you are all spoilt in my opinion not so long ago Rhyl were rubbish in this league and then Lee Williams turn things around and John Hulse added icing on the cake with a multitude of trophies and now you expect cream with the coffee every time. Every season Rhyl top three and making sure full-timers don't get it all their own way and that's still not enough, get the message through that part-time teams find it very hard to compete with full time ones, Rhyl still doing a good job but the crowds suffer because of too many glory hunters turning their backs.COUNT YOUR BLESSING YOU BA****DS
I agree entirely with Mr Mint, the performance against Haka got us all licking our lips for the forthcoming season, alas it was not too be, we have had a season were on paper a strong squad has not lived up to the fans high expectations. I am disappointed that some people appear to want to settle for the Intertoto Cup and a third or fourth leage placing, not good enough although Rhyl's home attendance is the best in the league it is noticeable that many who regularly sit around us have voted with their feet this season and stayed away!
I ralely needed to find this info, thank God!