Richie Ryan praises semi-final opponents Penydarren
Trefelin boss Richie Ryan says he’s been impressed with tonight’s semi-final opponents Penydarren Boys & Girls Club.
Welsh Football League Cup holders Trefelin will play fellow Division Three side Penydarren Boys & Girls Club at Taffs Well tonight in the semi-final of the competition.
Both clubs have knocked out higher league opposition and had memorable Cup runs last season. Trefelin beat Llanelli to win the League Cup, whilst then-fifth tier Penydarren reached the Quarter-Finals of the JD Welsh Cup.
The two are involved in a promotion battle in Division Three and will do battle in a few weeks time in the League.
The experienced Welsh League forward said: “I’ve been impressed with Penydarren whenever I’ve seen them this season and last.
“They play open and expansive football which is very pleasant on the eye and are very streetwise, which you need to be successful in the welsh league and cup competitions.
“They’ve been very consistent with their performances this season, they have a way of playing and are very brave in what they do.
“We always have a game plan whoever we are playing and I’m sure whatever team they put out against us it will be a massive test for both teams.”
Ryan has also praised the quality of Division Three football ahead of the all tier four clash with Penydarren this evening.
Three out of the four clubs in the semi-finals are from Division Three, with just Division One champions Penybont, the non fourth-tier side. They will play Ynysygerwn who sit in mid-table.
“The past two seasons have been a real eye opener for me. Anyone who has never been involved with Division Three could never know how tough it is.
“There are some very good teams in that league and three eams getting to the semi final of a cup that involves all three divisions speaks volumes.
“I’ve got massive respect for anyone who has ever got out of the Division the right end, it’s far from easy.”
Having won the competition for the first time in their history last season, Ryan is keen to defend the trophy against tough opposition.
They’ve done it the hard way in beating clubs all from a higher division than they play in. However with promotion still on the horizon, that could change next season.
“We always want to win any competition we enter, whether it be league or cup.
“I think it’s especially important to defend a trophy you’ve won in the previous season and the boys have been brilliant in every round so far, beating three Division 1 teams and a Division 2 team on the way to the semi final.
“We’ve experienced a rich vein of form of late and it certainly comes at a good time of the season. Hopefully, we can continue this into the last handful of games and get some silverware.”
