SHAUN’S GOT CUP SUCCESS IN SIGHT
SHAUN MacDonald knows what it’s like to play in the big time, but the former Wales international couldn’t be happier to be turning out for Penybont right now.
After signing an 18-month deal for the JD Cymru Premier League club earlier this season, he was the man whose penalty at the end of a semi-final shoot-out against Bala Town saw his new club through to their first JD Welsh Cup final.
Having sampled promotion to the Premier League as a Bournemouth player, he would love to add a Cup winners medal to his collection when Penybont take on the newly-crowned Cymru Premier champions The New Saints at Cardiff City Stadium today.
“When I found out the game was going to be at the Cardiff City Stadium I was pleased on a number of levels,” admitted MacDonald. “I didn’t really consider how I would feel because I’ve played at big grounds before, and it’s nothing to me really.
“But when I walked in there the other day it hit me how wonderful the place is. It’s going to be a great occasion for everyone.
“It was a great feeling scoring that penalty in the semi-final. I don’t think it really matters what level you play at, to score the winning penalty or the winning goal is always a massive achievement, especially in a cup semi-final.
“We’ve got a really good bunch of honest lads here who really work hard for each other, but we’ve got another big test ahead of us on Sunday.”
Although TNS haven’t been beaten by Penybont this season, they were held to two draws in the four matches and were twice forced to come from behind. The 3-3 draw at Park Hall on March 12 was a lucky escape for the champions and Penybont scored twice on their previous visit to north Wales in a 3-2 defeat in December.
“Some of our hardest games this season have been against Penybont. They can really hurt you,” admitted TNS boss Anthony Limbrick. “We don’t know who’s going to play because of their injury situation, but they’ve got some really good attacking players in there. They drive forward from midfield and have experience at the back.
“Rhys Griffiths is doing an excellent job there. They deserve to be in the final we’re expecting a very tight and tough game.”
Forget that Penybont have lost their last seven games, injuries and suspensions hit them hard and then sent an academy side to Bala and lost 11-0!
Griffiths has been targeting this game because he knows it opens up a path into Europe – the ultimate frontier for clubs at this level. He played in Europe many times during his glittering career and would love to get back there as a manager.
“We’ve always pushed TNS hard, we do a lot of homework on them. We play with certain principles and always seem to do something right against them,” said Griffiths, who won the cup in 2011 with Llanelli.
“Things have petered out over the last few weeks, but I still think we can reflect positively on the season regardless of what happens in the final. Our form doesn’t worry me at all, that’s the nature of the top six.
“One of our aims was to win the Welsh Cup, or certainly get to the final, so to see that all that hard work come to fruition is special, and not just for the club but for the town as a whole.”