2024 Senior Cup Final Preview

 
In Goodwick, you have the favourites, the defending champions, the team just 90 minutes away from a second consecutive double that would cement their recent dominance of Pembrokeshire football. Only that West Wales Cup semi-final defeat has tainted their season so far, but under Chris O’Sullivan and his coaching staff they have a professional attitude and have become well vested in getting the job done when it matters.
 
Their semi-final win over Pennar was signified by a controlled display, if not a spectacular one. The return of Rhys Jones from injury has been timely and a lot will rest on whether Clarbie can stop him influencing matters from midfield. The underdogs will also need to get at Scott Delaney and James Bryan and take the centre-back pairing out of their comfort zone, because otherwise, both players have the aerial prowess and composure on the ball to comfortably deal with what comes their way.
 
But make no mistake, Clarbie are a team that is capable. Their epic semi-final win over Carew proved they have the basic ingredients to test Goodwick - desire, fitness, tenacity - but also with no shortage of quality to boot.
 
In Ben John they have forward who is awkward to deal with, and critically, regularly rises to the occasion with goals in big games. The likes of Matthew Davies and Rob Morgans have long been accomplished at this level and as for teenager Jake Westley, judging by last weekend the term ‘impact sub’ is a ludicrous understatement.
 
Also, Clarbie have unfinished business with this occasion, having lost out in finals in both 2017 and 2018. They too are very well coached and Matthew Fox and Matt Ellis have harboured a close-knit squad - and it was refreshing to hear Fox and Chairman Steve Brown talk this week about how they would build-up to the game by attending junior football matches as normal in the morning. After the emotions of last Saturday night, coming back down from a high and refocusing isn’t always easy, but both sides have given the impression they remain grounded as opposed to getting over excited about the day. That’s positive.
 
I think it will be settled by the odd goal, and extra time would not surprise me. But what swings it for me is the Rhys Dalling factor. He scored the winner for Goodwick on this occasion in both 2015 and 2016, and did so again last Friday to get them through against Pennar. Throughout his career, Dalling has risen has produced when it matters with the decisive goal in crunch games and to state the obvious, Clarbie will need to marshal him.
 
And I have to mention the fascinating side-note of two brothers who will also be key figures. Laurie Haworth for Clarbie, and Will for Goodwick, will face each other having both been there and done it on this stage before. It’s an occurrence I’ve never known happen on Senior Cup final day.
 
My final word though, goes to the Pembrokeshire Football League. Whether it was by luck or judgement, staging the semi-finals on a Friday and Saturday evening, followed by the final a week later, has struck solid gold. Big crowds were at the Bridge Meadow for both the last-four games and the build-up has rolled straight from those close affairs into this weekend.
 
Now, we hope that the final lives up to the expectation.