The 137th JD Welsh Cup Final takes place between Caernarfon Town and Flint Town United at Rodney Parade in Newport on Sunday 12 April (KO 15:15).
Here is all the pre-match insight to get you ready for the final.
JD Welsh Cup Final Tickets
The season so far
With The Oval undergoing redevelopment, Caernarfon Town have played their ‘home’ matches in Llandudno but nonetheless enjoyed another strong campaign. The Cofis have secured a top six finish in the JD Cymru Premier for the third consecutive season, offering them a potential route into Europe if Sunday’s final does not go their way.
Richard Davies’ side have not been in the best of form since the split, winning only two of their nine matches in Phase Two so far. However, they head to Newport following a 2-0 victory away at Colwyn Bay last weekend which will boost confidence and give them a platform to build on.
It has been an inconsistent campaign for Flint, who have only recorded back-to-back league wins on two separate occasions. The Silkmen have scored the most goals out of any side in the bottom half of the JD Cymru Premier but only rock bottom Llanelli Town have conceded more.
Flint would have hoped to have already secured survival after picking up 11 points from a possible 15 at the start of Phase Two, but they have since earned just two points from four games. The relegation battle will go down to the final day of the season where the Silkmen must match or better Bala Town’s result in order to survive.
Road to the Final
Josh Lock starred in the early stages of Caernarfon’s cup run, bagging a goal and an assist in a 3-0 away win over Newtown in Round Two before he grabbed a hat-trick in a 4-0 home victory over Penrhyncoch.
The Cofis were drawn away at Cardiff Met in Round Four and trailed 2-1 in the capital before fighting back to win 4-2 thanks to late goals from Paulo Mendes and Connor Evans. A mouth-watering clash against Colwyn Bay awaited in the Quarter-Finals, but Iwan Lewis, Sion Bradley, Danny Gosset and Zack Clarke all found the net in a 4-1 victory.
The Semi-Final against Rhyl 1879 was goalless at half-time, but Brad Young’s goal five minutes into the second period broke the deadlock, before Zack Clarke came off the bench to add a second. The Cofis held on to reach the Final despite Ben Lightfoot netting for Rhyl deep into stoppage time.
Flint kicked off their cup campaign with a 3-0 win away at third tier Bow Street as Elliott Reeves scored twice, before Ben Wynne was the hero with the only goal in a 1-0 victory over JD Cymru North high-flyers Airbus UK Broughton at the Essity Stadium.
The most impressive win of the Silkmen’s campaign came in Round Four, as they triumphed away at Penybont on penalties following a goalless draw in 90 minutes. A 3-0 home win over third tier Trearddur Bay, courtesy of goals from Darren Stephenson, Wynne and Ben Hughes, then secured a Semi-Final spot.
Coming up against third tier Bangor City 1876 who had already knocked out four teams from higher divisions was no easy test, but Flint were three goals ahead after 33 minutes and eventually won 5-1. Remarkably, the consolation goal that Bangor scored in the 80th minute was the first that the Silkmen had conceded in the JD Welsh Cup this season.
JD Welsh Cup record
This is Caernarfon Town’s first ever appearance in the JD Welsh Cup Final, having lost in the semi-finals on six previous occasions before finally breaking that curse by defeating Rhyl 1879 in this season’s last four.
If the Cofis win on Sunday, they will become the 36th different club to lift the historic trophy and the first ‘new’ winner since Connah’s Quay Nomads won the competition for the first time in 2018.
Flint Town United’s only previous JD Welsh Cup triumph came in 1954, when they triumphed 2-0 over Chester at The Racecourse to lift the trophy. They have never reached the Final again in the 72 years since.
Head-to-head
Caernarfon are unbeaten in the last six meetings between the two sides, winning four matchups in a row before a 1-1 draw in their most recent encounter at the Go Goodwins Stadium in December. The Cofis triumphed 5-2 at the Essity Stadium in the other game between the sides this season.
Perhaps their previous most high-profile clash came in the 2021/22 JD Cymru Premier Play-Off Final, when Caernarfon triumphed 2-1 – Laurie Bell scoring a 120th-minute winner in extra-time – to qualify for the Scottish Challenge Cup.
Players to watch
Zack Clarke – Caernarfon Town
Clarke’s first introduction to Welsh football was a loan spell at Flint in 2023, before he moved on to Caernarfon later that year. His performances in a Cofis shirt earned a move to The New Saints – he was an unused substitute in last season’s JD Welsh Cup Final – before he was loaned back to Caernarfon this term.
The 23-year-old scored three goals in four games at the start of the season before suffering an injury, but he is now finding form again at just the right time after making his return. Clarke netted in the Semi-Final win over Rhyl 1879 after coming on as a substitute, while he also bagged against Colwyn Bay in the league last weekend.
Ben Wynne – Flint Town United
Formerly of Cefn Druids and Aberystwyth Town, Wynne spent 18 months at Caernarfon before joining Flint in January 2024. He quickly became one of the Silkmen’s most important players, dictating play from midfield, and it is noticeable how they have struggled without him in their last two league games following his red card against Bala Town in mid-March.
The 24-year-old has played a key role in this season’s cup run, finding the net in the wins over Bow Street, Airbus UK Broughton and Trearddur Bay – only Elliott Reeves has scored more in the competition for the Silkmen this term.
Match officials
Referee: Iwan Griffith
Assistant Referee 1: Martin Roberts
Assistant Referee 2: Connor Thomas
Fourth Official: Ryan Kenny
The Venue
This is the third consecutive season that Rodney Parade has hosted the JD Welsh Cup final following wins for Connah’s Quay Nomads and The New Saints, each against the other, in 2024 and 2025 respectively.
The stadium is home to EFL League Two side Newport County AFC and United Rugby Championship team Dragons RFC.
Ticket information
Supporters of Caernarfon Town can purchase tickets in Block G of the Bisley Stand or in the South Stand.
Supporters of Flint Town United can initially purchase tickets in Block B of the Bisley Stand. Block A will open dependent on demand.
Blocks D and E of the Bisley Stand will be used as a neutral section.
Tickets can be bought online for the following prices (plus booking fee):
Adults – £8.00
Juniors (16 & Under) – £5.00
All tickets bought online will be digitally issued through the Cymru Tickets app, no later than 24 hours before kick-off. Tickets purchased fewer than 48 hours before the match will be delivered no later than five hours before kick-off.
Tickets will then be available to buy on the gate on matchday for increased prices:
Adults – £15.00
Juniors (16 & Under) – £10.00
Television coverage
The JD Welsh Cup Final will be live on S4C, alongside BBC iPlayer, S4C Clic and Sgorio’s YouTube channel. Coverage will be begin at 15:00, with Welsh language commentary and English language commentary both available.
