Sport – Twelve-goal thriller Cup Final goes to penalties

Vale of Glamorgan Football League

Glamorgan Star news 07/05/2024

2 minutes read

ON Sunday, Penarth Town triumphed in one of the greatest Barry Cup finals of all time with a penalty shootout win over Barry Athletic, after the game finished in a 6-6 (six-six) draw.

In a pulsating encounter at Jenner Park, Penarth went 6-2 up before Athletic pulled it back. Athletic took the lead through Danny Hansen-Taylor before David Shallis levelled. Sam Douglas put through his own net to put Penarth in front and Paul Beedell extended their lead to 3-1 right on the break.

Having lost to Athletic the week before in the Supporters Cup, Penarth were on course for payback. In the second half, Alfie Tipples pulled one back straightaway but Penarth then scored three in six minutes – Shallis notching two more to complete a cup final hat-trick with Beedell scoring his second. Penarth were in dreamland.

Ollie Tipples grabbed one back for Athletic to trigger the fight back, with Tyler Bolton reducing the arrears further. Teejay Caton scored in the 84th minute and then Alfie Tipples levelled the game on the 86th. 6-6 and it headed for penalties. In a tense shootout it was Penarth who held their nerve to win 5-4 and lift the Barry Cup for the second time in three years, a fantastic achievement.

Twenty-four hours earlier, Island Marine left it late but edged Vale Athletic 1-0 thanks to Jack Blackmore’s goal four minutes from time. Marine finish fourth in the Vale Premier Division this campaign.

In the Championship A, champions Tynewydd’s quest for an invincible league campaign fell at the final hurdle as Cardiff Airport Vets inflicted their first and only league defeat of the season, winning 4-2 at the Buttrills. Theo Richards scored a hat-trick for the championship league runners up.

Cadoxton Imps moved up to third as they defeated Cogan Coronation 5-2 to leap frog them. Feran Kanda scored a brace as Imps now just need to avoid defeat in their final game to claim third place.

In the Championship B, Island Marine Reserves came back from 0-2 down against Rhoose Social to draw 2-2 thanks to Grahame Sumsion’s 97th minute equaliser.

AFC Rhoose Development picked up their fourth league win of the season and first league win since September as they thumped bottom team St Athan Thirds 6-1, Ryan Jacka scoring a hat trick.

This Saturday sees Premier Division Champions St Athan compete in the SWFA Promotion Play Off against Rhondda league champions Treorchy BGC at Penybont’s stadium in Bridgend. The winners gain promotion to the SWFA Alliance league division one, tier 6 of Welsh football.

Hywel Dark