MERTHYR SAINTS (ICI Rifle Fields)

FAW WELSH CUP 1st QUALIFYING ROUND, MERTHYR SAINTS 0-2 ABERFAN FC, ATTENDANCE: 124 (h/c)

There are always plenty of options when it comes to the very early rounds of the Welsh Cup and today was no exception. Anyhow after much deliberation I headed to South Wales and the Borough of Merthyr Tydfil.

Merthyr Saints were hosting Aberfan in an all South Wales Alliance League clash at the ICI Rifle Field.

The history of Merthyr Saints effectively began in 1995 when, after winning the South Wales Amateur League, Hoover Sports entered the Welsh League, groundsharing at Penydarren Park, before merging with St. Illtyds FC in 2000 and relocating to the ICI Rifle Fields ground in Pant, just off the A465 'Heads of the Valley' road. The club raised £500,000 to upgrade the facilities and they changed their name to Merthyr Saints FC.

The club remained in the Welsh League until 2007 before being relegated back to the South Wales Amateur League. The Hoover factory closed it's doors in 2009.

The club moved pitches in 2020 and installed a seated stand and floodlights. The old pitch is still used by the reserves, and there was a game taking place on there this afternoon - can I count that as a double?

 The old first team pitch at the ICI 

This Welsh Cup tie was a lot more closer and competitive than the one I attended at St Asaph City on Friday night! A close encounter with both teams giving no quarter. In a game of few chances, the difference was a couple of clinical strikes in the second half from Luke Tarr (55) and Josh Powell (70) that saw Aberfan safely through to the next round.

ST ASAPH CITY (Roe Plas Meadows)

FAW WELSH CUP 1st QUALIFYING ROUND, ST ASAPH CITY 18-0 RHYL DRAGONS, ATTENDANCE: 85 (h/c)

I made a last minute decision to head off down the A55, never a wise decision on a Friday evening, to watch this Welsh Cup tie and it was an unbelievable spectacle.

I witnessed the biggest scoreline in all my years of watching football as St Asaph scored a staggering EIGHTEEN goals without reply.

Shrewsbury Town's record Welsh Cup victory of 21-0 (against Mold Alyn Stars, in the 1st round on 27th October 1894) definitely looked threatened at one stage.

The opening goal came from penalty kick in the first minute and, as far as Rhyl Dragons were concerned, it was downhill from that point onwards. It was 5-0 at half-time but within minutes of the restart it was 6-0 and an own goal made it 7-0. It's safe to say Rhyl gave up the ghost at that point.

The funniest thing of the whole evening (to me anyway) was the Rhyl custodian took to the pitch wearing a full Everton goalkeeper kit. He never stood a chance! Once Everton has touched you...

The tie was actually due to be a Rhyl Dragons ho.e game but was switched to St Asaph. Since my last visit to Roe Plas Meadow, way back in 2014, the ground has improved immensely. The pitch is now fully railed off, there is hard standing down the side of the pitch and behind one of the goals and best of all a seated stand is now in place on the touchline. A very smart setup indeed.

St Asaph goalscorers - and there were a few!!

Damian Ketley ⚽️

Jackson Brewerton ⚽️

James Williams ⚽️⚽️⚽️

Alex Hall ⚽️

Jack Davies ⚽️

Ryan Roberts ⚽️⚽️

OWN GOAL ⚽️

Ray Knight ⚽️⚽️⚽️

Ellis Blench ⚽️

Josh Brown ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️

DUNDALK FC (Oriel Park)

FAI CUP 1st ROUND, DUNDALK 1-0 SHAMROCK ROVERS, ATTENDANCE: 2,686

For my second Irish cup tie of the weekend, after watching Galway United vs Bangor Celtic, I headed north to Dundalk, the county town of County Louth, just a few miles from the border with Northern Ireland.

Stepping out of the train station I couldn't fail to notice the traditional pylon floodlights of Dundalk FC's Oriel Park, which was today's destination.

Shamrock Rovers were the visitors in, arguably, the tie of the round as the two most successful teams in League of Ireland history went head to head. The Hoops lead the way with 20 titles, including lifting the championship in 2022, but second on the list is Dundalk with 14. Shamrock Rovers also hold the record for FAI cup wins, 25, whilst Dundalk have 12 wins of their own and in recent times played in 6 sucessive finals from 2015-2020.

This game was moved to Sunday as Dundalk played in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday, where they beat Gibraltar side Bruno's Magpies 3-1 on aggregate. They will also be joined by Shamrock Rovers in the next round as they were eliminated from the Champions League by Breidablik and drop into the UECL as a consequence.

The Lilywhites were founded in 1903 as Dundalk G.N.R, the works team of the Great Northern Railway and, after initially playing in the Leinster Senior League, they joined the League of Ireland in 1926. In 1933 they became the first club outside of Dublin to be crowned champions, and their most recent title came in 2019.

Oriel Park has been home to Dundalk since 1936. The ground is owned by the club but is built on land leased from the Casey family and prior to 1936 was known as Casey's Field. In 2022, when Honorary President Des Casey passed away, the ground reverted to this name until the end of the season.

Oriel Park was packed today for this cup tie that definitely lived up to it's top billing, but not for the reasons expected.

After an even opening period, the first big chance of the game was Johnny Kenny's 18th minute effort that he lobbed over Nathan Sheppard but which came back off the crossbar but, with an open goal at his mercy, Kenny could not direct the rebound into the net and his header flew over and into the crowd behind the goal.

The first goal did arrive shortly after when Hayden Muller fired home from inside the area, after two Rovers defenders each missed a chance to clear the ball that was delivered into the box from a corner kick. 

However, on 31 minutes the game changed completely when Dundalk's Doyle picked up his second yellow card for pulling back a Rovers player. 

It was a backs-to-the-wall job from The Lilywhites from that point on as the game was one way traffic. Rovers though could not find a way through a dogged defence and, when they did Nathan Sheppard was in top form between the sticks.

The Hoops created enough chances to win the tie, or at least warrant extra time, but Dundalk managed to hold on for a superb win.

There was naturally much delight in the bumper crowd inside the ground who, I must say, made some great noise, creating a terrific atmosphere, especially those in the 'shed end'.

On a personal note, there was the added bonus of completing visits to all the grounds of the top division of the League of Ireland for the first time. Its only taken 18 years mind!

Match highlights can be viewed by clicking here

GALWAY UNITED (Eamonn Deacy Park)

FAI CUP 1st ROUND, GALWAY UNITED 4-1 BANGOR CELTIC, ATTENDANCE: c500

This weekend I crossed the Irish Sea for two games in the first round of the FAI Cup and, also, my first competitive action of season 2023/24.

First port of call was Galway and, after catching a morning train from Dublin, I arrived early afternoon for a brisk walk around the city. The city centre was rammed as the Galway International Arts Festival was on and, amongst the events, the streets were lined with people trying to catch a glimpse of a 30ft mechanical dragon.

The soccer club was founded in 1937 as Galway Rovers but did not join the League of Ireland until 1977. The club changed name to Galway United in 1981. In 2011 the club suffered financial difficulties and dropped out of the League before returning as Galway FC in 2014.

When Galway United joined the League of Ireland in 1977 they made Terryland Park, as it was then known, their home. The ground was, and still is, the home of the Galway Football Association. The ground was renamed Eamonn Deacy Park in 2012 after the tragic passing of the former Galway, Aston Villa and Republic of Ireland player. It was Deacy who scored Galway's first ever goal in the League of Ireland against Thurles Town on 2nd October 1977.

Galway United are currently in the second tier of Irish football, after suffering relegation when the League of Ireland was restructured in 2017, but look on course for a return to the top flight this season as they are well ahead in top spot.

For this first round Irish cup tie The Tribesmen's opponents were Bangor Celtic, a club from Crumlin in the Southside of Dublin, who play in the Leinster Senior League.

The glaringly obvious difference between the sides is that Galway are currently mid-season whilst Bangor Celtic are in pre-season and it showed, Galway comfortably going through to the last 16 with this 4-1 victory. It could/should have been more. 

Having said that they were given an almighty scare when Celtic took the lead within the first 2 minutes after Adam Maher's cross (let's be honest) drifted over the 'keeper and into the net.

From that point though Galway dominated and goals from Wassim Aouachria (14) and a Stephen Walsh brace (39, 45) ensured a half-time lead. Killian Brouder (52) headed home a fourth but, surprisingly, that's where the scoring ended.

I must mention the pitch at Deacy Park, it was immaculate today, especially after taking an absolute hammering the previous 24 hours. All credit to the groundstaff. I must admit my heart sank a little seeing the flooded fields as the train rolled into Galway but game was never in doubt!

Luckily there will be no worries for tomorrow's action as Dundalk's Oriel Park has a 3G pitch!