The treble-chasing Bluebirds face the current holders in a repeat of last year’s cup final
TWO of Cardiff’s best women’s teams play each other this weekend with silverware on the line.
Cardiff City, who are currently top of this season’s Adran Premier, are due to face local rivals Cardiff Met on Sunday in the Adran Trophy final.
The fixture brings a sense of déjà vu after the teams faced each other in last year’s final, when the Archers clinched the title with a dramatic 0-1 win in which City star Phoebie Poole missed a last-minute penalty.
“We got to this stage last year and unfortunately we couldn’t go that one step further so that’s our aim this time”, said Cardiff City Women’s head coach Iain Darbyshire.
“We still feel like we owe them one from last season.”
Besides the chance for redemption, the Bluebirds also have the opportunity to kickstart a potential treble.
They currently find themselves top of the Adran Premier League and booked their place in the FAW cup final on February 19.
“It’s the first chance to win some silverware so we’re very proud to be here and are raring to go on Sunday,” said Darbyshire.
“We’re progressing as a team, at the start of the season our aim was to win all three trophies available and we’re in a very good position to do that.”
Since the tournament began in 2014 Met have won an impressive four titles, the most out of any side. And for head coach Yzzy Taylor, who has won the cup both as a player and as manager, this year’s final gives them a perfect opportunity to extend that record.
“We always look forward to a cup final, it’s been something that we’ve been looking forward to for a few weeks now,” said Taylor.
“We’ve won the trophy a lot of times and we’ve worked really hard to get that record so adding another one to it would be fantastic.
“When (it was) first played I was playing in it so for me as a coach it means a lot.”
This year’s edition saw 16 teams from across Wales face off against each other in order to reach the final, which is taking place at the SDM Glass Stadium, the home of men’s Cymru Premier side Penybont.
The Bluebirds’ route to the final saw them cast aside the likes of Briton Ferry Llansawel Ladies, Llandudno Ladies and The New Saints.
Meanwhile, current title holders Met beat CPD Y Rhyl 1879, Connah’s Quay Nomads and Aberystwyth Town on their path to the final.
