The website dedicated to women's football across the country, at ALL levels of the game

@en

Thursday, March 12, 2026

Back to home page

Cardiff and Swansea reach Welsh Cup Final

Bute Energy Welsh Cup holders Cardiff City reached the final of the competition for the fifth consecutive year following a 2-1 win over Wrexham at Park Avenue.

This was the third consecutive weekend that the two sides went head-to-head – following wins for Wrexham in the Genero Adran Trophy Final and the Genero Adran Premier – but it was the Bluebirds who emerged triumphant this time.

The game was goalless at the break but the first half was not without its chances. Liz Craven and Ceryn Chamberlain both made key saves, Fiona Barry saw her free-kick well-blocked by Wrexham’s wall and Katie Barker met a menacing Faye Knox cross but her header was denied by the crossbar. Mikayla Wildgoose should perhaps have done better with a back post header from Barker’s cross.

The Red Dragons did have the ball in the net just before half time when Josie Smith played through Mariam Mahmood to finish coolly, but the offside flag was raised against the Pakistan international.

Cardiff improved after the break and found the breakthrough on 69 minutes when Mikayla Cook’s corner was cleared back out to the winger on the left flank and she sent a delightful, curling effort over Craven into the far corner. Cook sheepishly admitted post-match that it was in fact intended to be a cross.

The Bluebirds doubled their advantage nine minutes later when Fiona Barry delivered a free-kick into the box which Megan Bowen met, with the centre-back’s decisive touch sending the ball squirming under Craven and into the net.

That sparked Wrexham into life, but Knox, Phoebe Davies and substitute Liv Fuller – making her first senior appearance for over a year following an ACL injury – could not do better with their opportunities. Knox eventually got the Red Dragons on the scoresheet in the sixth minute of stoppage time when her effort from distance curled past the entire Cardiff defence and Chamberlain, but it came too late to save her side.

Swansea City secured their place in the Bute Energy Welsh Cup Final for the first time in eight years as they triumphed 6-0 over Cwmbran Celtic at Jenner Park.

The Swans took the lead after 20 minutes against their second tier opponents, when Chloe Chivers released Taite Trivett down the left and she squared for Stacey John to provide a clinical finish at the back post.

A brace from Aimee Deacon put Yzzy Taylor’s side in firm control at the break, as the teenager provided two almost identical finishes by stealing in front of Celtic goalkeeper Amie Preston-Roberts to finish from crosses from Chivers and Trivett. Cwmbran struck the crossbar in between those two goals though, as Macey Morris broke clear of the Swans defence but was agonisingly denied by the woodwork.

Swansea hit the woodwork twice themselves before the end of the first half, as Trivett struck the post from a tight angle before Chivers unleashed a superb strike from distance but was denied by the crossbar.

Trivett eventually got herself on the scoresheet six minutes into the second half when she finished well at the back post from John’s menacing cross, while John then grabbed her second of the afternoon on 71 minutes as fired home at the second time of asking after seeing her initial effort saved by Preston-Roberts. Substitute Emily Richards completed the scoring moments later, rolling the ball into the bottom corner after being set up by Chivers.

Despite the scoreline, it was an impressive afternoon for Preston-Roberts in-between the sticks for Celtic and she made two more strong saves late on – denying Richards on the volley before tipping Chivers’ effort onto the crossbar.

Cardiff City will meet Swansea City in the Bute Energy Welsh Cup Final at Rodney Parade on Sunday 19 April (KO 5pm), which will also prove to be boss Iain Darbyshire’s final game in charge of the Bluebirds.

 

(faw.cymru)