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The West Wales Cup reaches its quarter-final stage this Saturday (1st March), with Pembrokeshire sides featuring in all of the three ties.
While Hakin United's quarter-final is not until a later date due to eligibility issues with potential opponents, four local teams will be battling for semi-final spots this Saturday in what promises to be a fascinating weekend of cup action.
Perhaps the most intriguing tie sees Goodwick United travel to face St Josephs in what many consider a showdown between the two tournament favourites. St Josephs, currently sitting second in the West Wales Premier League behind Rockspur (who are no longer in the competition), enter the fixture on the back of consecutive defeats – losing 1-3 to Rockspur and 1-2 to Garden Village.
Goodwick will be looking to bounce back from their own disappointment after suffering their first defeat of the season last weekend, a 0-3 loss to fierce rivals Hakin United in the Senior Cup. Despite this setback, they'll take confidence from their otherwise impressive campaign and from the experience of seasoned performers like Sean Pemberton and Matty Delaney who they didn't have at this stage last season.
Also unlike their semi-final exit to Penlan last season, Goodwick approach this crucial tie with fewer injury concerns, potentially giving them the depth needed to overcome such formidable opposition. While this will undoubtedly be their toughest test yet, the quality throughout their squad gives them genuine cause for optimism.
Monkton Swifts face a challenging away trip to Ynystawe Athletic, who currently occupy 8th place in the West Wales Premier League. Despite the step up in opposition, Monkton arrive in exceptional form, having won seven consecutive matches across all competitions.
Their cup form has been particularly impressive, with comfortable progression through the previous two rounds, including a convincing 2-0 victory over CKSV in their last West Wales Cup outing. Forward Dylan Davies has been in prolific form in front of goal, providing the cutting edge that has fueled their impressive run.
While the challenge of facing higher-league opposition away from home shouldn't be underestimated, Monkton's momentum and growing confidence makes them dangerous in this intriguing quarter-final clash.
The third quarter-final features an all-Pembrokeshire clash between Merlins Bridge and Tenby, ensuring at least one local team will progress to the semi-finals. Based on league form, Tenby would enter as favourites, with Merlins Bridge enduring a challenging campaign to date.
However, Bridge will be buoyed by home advantage and their historical cup pedigree. Despite an underwhelming league campaign last season, they performed admirably in this very competition, suggesting they have the ability to rise to the occasion in knockout football.
Tenby's recent fixture list has seen a lot of minutes being played, coming off the back of an energy-sapping Senior Cup exit to Clarbeston Road last weekend. After a 3-3 draw following 120 minutes of football, they eventually succumbed 1-4 on penalties. This follows a previous West Wales Cup tie against Pennar, which also required extra time after another 3-3 draw, so it will be interesting to see how their squad reacts both physically and mentally. In another interesting sub-plot, Merlins Bridge club legend Joe Leahy returns to face his former club and his quality could make the difference for the visitors.
While the fourth quarter-final tie will be played at a later date due to issues regarding the alleged fielding of an ineligible player in an earlier round, Hakin United will be watching these matches with interest as they await confirmation of their own opponents. Fresh from their impressive victory over previously unbeaten Goodwick, they'll fancy their chances of joining their Pembrokeshire counterparts in the latter stages of this prestigious competition.
