COSTCUTTER TEAMS ON GOOD FRIDAY TRAIL

Four Costcutter Division One teams will run out this afternoon with high hopes of reaching the latter stages of the prestigious J.Emrys Morgan Cup but only two of these have ever lifted the trophy.

Dewi Stars who won this competition back in season 1992-93 face Caersws Reserves and manager John Jones will travel with his team in a confident mood. Most of his young fit side were not even born when the Llanddewi outfit defeated Llansantffraid on that Good Friday afternoon and they can go out today and enjoy themselves today without any fear. One of their players Andrew Jones was in that Stars squad that took the honours and he had the pleasure of sharing the field with his sixteen year old son Ryan last weekend at Cilgerran and well done to the popular midfielder for keeping going all this time.

Cardigan Town won this competition a couple of years ago when they defeated Crannog at Newcastle Emlyn with one of the best teams to have played in these parts for many years and they also won the trophy back in 1998-99 but they face a tough task today away at Berriew Reserves. The Magpies were able to field a full strength team last week against Lampeter and they were outstanding as a team in their 5-1 success but they will be a shadow of themselves today as they have several players unavailable and they will do very well to get anything of this game.

Crannog have reached the final twice as they also lost out to Bow Street in 2006 and they probably have their best ever chance this season as they have a decent all round side with a very strong spine and they never know when they are beaten. They face Newcastle a small village side based at Newcastle on Clun just over the Welsh border in Shropshire and they are not going to fancy the freezing cold wind blowing in off the Irish sea this afternoon whereas Crannog are experts in these conditions just as Maesglas were at the RAF field back in the eighties. Great chance for Dylan Vaughan Evans and co to get through to the quarter finals.

Llandysul were finalists last season and it has been well documented in these pages that they were by far the best team in the final against Llanfair but they blew their chance. Today they face near neighbours Pencader from division two on what will be a very difficult playing surface as it took a hammering last weekend in the league match against Aberporth. Chris Coco Davies and co have all but sewn up the league championship and unless they capitulate it is difficult to see any team catching them apart from Newcastle Emlyn.

The Swallows and some of their ex-players and supporters are already looking at the possibility of a clean sweep of trophies this season but that achievement is a very long way off and they have to get over a very difficult hurdle this afternoon first. Pencader may be in the second division but if Kevin Evan and his team turn up with the intention of spoiling the party they have players in the shape of Liam and Craig Gordan and Dan Jones to hurt them. Llandysul will be expected to come through but they are going to have to do it the hard way in tricky conditions.

There are three other Ceredigion sides doing battle this afternoon with Tregaron entertaining Llanidloes, Llanilar at Llanfyllin and Cambrian Tyres leaders Bont at home to Hay St Marys.

Hopefully Ceredigion will have a healthy representation in the draw for the quarter final.