Rownd Derfynol Cwpan Academi Cymru Dan-16 / U-16 Welsh Academy Cup Final
Parc Latham, Y Drenewydd / Latham Park, Newtown 24/5/09

Porthmadog ... 1		Castell-nedd ... 1

(Porthmadog yn ennill 5-4 ar giciau o’r smotyn/Porthmadog win 5-4 on pens)

Scroll down for English.

Ar ddiwrnod poetha’r flwyddyn cychwynnodd y daith  i’r canolbarth yn gynnar i hogiau hynaf 
academi Port gan fod rhaid mynd ar y bws gyda’r tîm dan 12 a oedd yn chwarae yn y gem 
derfynol gyntaf am 11.30. Yn edrych yn smart yn eu crysau gwyn a’i teis coch a du bu rhaid 
iddynt aros allan yn yr haul yn hirach na’r disgwyl hefyd oherwydd i’r gêm derfynol o dan 
14 rhwng NEWI Derwyddon Cefn a Pontardawe orfod mynd i amser ychwanegol. 
Felly am 3.30 yn lle 2.30 cychwynnodd y gêm yn erbyn y gwrthwynebwyr o’r de gyda’r hogiau yn 
benderfynol o wneud yn well na’r ddau dîm arall o’r gogledd a fuodd yn aflwyddiannus yn y 
ddwy gêm flaenorol ar ddiwrnod y gemau terfynol. O’r cychwyn cyntaf edrychai fel bod posib 
cael buddugoliaeth gyda David Copsey, yn arbennig, ynghyd a’i gyd flaenwr Jac Jones yn achosi 
trafferthion mawr i amddiffyn Castell Nedd. Roedd Copsey yn troi ei farciwr ar bob cyfle ac 
yn dal y bêl i fyny’n dda gan fwynhau’r cae mawr a’r tywydd braf. Wedi hanner awr o’r hanner 
cyntaf derbyniodd Cai Jones y bêl tua 30 llath o’r gôl a chwarae pêl ddeallus i mewn i’r 
blwch i ganfod ei bartner yng nghanol cae, Ezra Warren, a oedd wedi gwneud rhediad gwych a 
llwyddodd ynta i orffen y symudiad yn ddestlus gydag ergyd troed chwith i gefn y rhwyd. Y 
gobaith wedyn oedd cadw y sgôr felly hyd yr hanner neu hyd yn oed ychwanegu iddo ac yn wir bu 
Cai Jones yn agos iawn gydag ergyd ardderchog a drawodd yn erbyn y trawst. Ond yn anffodus 
ildiwyd gôl flêr 2 funud cyn yr egwyl pan sgoriodd Castell Nedd yn syth o gic gornel o’r dde 
ac roedd yr hogiau yn falch o’r toriad i ail ffurfio cyn cychwyn y gwaith eto yn yr ail 
hanner. 
Bu’r gem yn gyfartal wedyn rhwng dau dim trefnus a chryf gyda’r un tîm yn cael cyfleon clir 
ond bu rhaid i Meilir Ellis yn y gôl i Port fod yn effro unwaith neu ddwy gan wneud gwaith da 
o ddal neu phwnio croesiadau a chiciau rhydd i mewn i’r blwch cosbi gan y gwrthwynebwyr. 
Gyda’r haul yn parhau i drywanu a’r gwres llethol yn blino’r hogiau bu rhaid mynd i amser 
ychwanegol ac yma daeth coesau ffres yr eilyddion i chwarae eu rhan gyda’r garfan i gyd yn 
cyfrannu i gadw’r sgôr yn gyfartal ar ddiwedd y 90 munud ac yna’r 20 munud ychwanegol. 
Felly roedd rhaid cael ciciau o’r smotyn i benderfynu ar enillydd Cwpan Academi Cymru. Bu’r 
bedair gic gyntaf gan Castell Nedd a Cai Jones, Ezra Warren, Iwan Lane a Mark Jones i Port yn 
ergydion arbennig o dda ond yna dewisodd Meilir Ellis yr ochor gywir ar bumed gic Castell Nedd 
a gwneud arbediad ardderchog gyda’i law chwith. Golygai hyn mai dim ond sgorio oedd rhaid i 
Port ei wneud a daeth Dion Inch yn ei flaen gan rhoi’r bêl i orwedd yn daclus yng nghornel 
rhwyd y tîm o’r de a dyma’r ciw i’r hogiau blinedig ganfod nerth i ddathlu, canu a neidio ar 
bennau ei gilydd! Derbyniodd Iwan Lane y gwpan gan Andrew Howard o’r Gymdeithas Bêl-droed a da 
oedd gweld crysau coch a du Port yn dathlu llwyddiant unwaith eto.

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On the hottest day of the year the trip to mid-Wales began early for Porthmadog Academy’s eldest 
boys since they had to share the bus with the under 12’s who were playing in the first final of 
the day at 11.30. Looking smart in their white shirts and red and black ties they then had to 
stay out in the sun longer than expected since the under 14’s final between NEWI Cefn Druids and 
Pontardawe went into extra time.
So at 3.30 and not 2.30 as expected their match kicked off against their South Walian opponents 
with the boys determined to ensure that the North won the third final of the day instead of 
letting the South take home the cups from all three age groups. From the first whistle, however, 
it looked as if a victory was possible with David Copsey, in particular, along with his strike 
partner Jac Jones causing their opposing defenders from Neath a lot of trouble. Copsey was 
turning his defender at every opportunity and holding the ball up well for his team mates and 
he, more than anyone, seemed to revel in the warm weather and large pitch. After 30 minutes of 
the first half Cai Jones received the ball thirty yards from goal before playing a delightful 
ball through to his partner in the midfield, Ezra Warren, who had made an intelligent run into 
the box. He then finished the move off with a crisp finish with his left foot. The aim was to 
keep, or even extend, this lead before half time and Cai Jones came close when his excellent shot 
was well parried onto the bar by the Neath goal-keeper. Unfortunately, a sloppy goal was conceded 
2 minutes before the interval when Neath managed to score directly from a corner on their right 
and the boys were glad to come in and re-group at half time before starting the job again in the 
second 
half. 
The second half was quite evenly matched with neither of the strong, well-organised teams 
creating any clear cut chances although Meilir Ellis, in goal for Port, had to be on his toes to 
deal with corners and free kicks played into the danger area and he commanded his area well. As 
the sun continued to shine and the heat sapped the players’ strength the substitutes played their 
part and their fresh legs proved vital in the closing stages as the whole squad played their part 
in keeping the scores level at the end of the 90 minutes and then in the 20 minutes of extra time.
So it all came down to penalty kicks to decide the winner of the Academy cup of Wales. Neath’s 
first four penalties and those taken by Cai Jones, Ezra Warren, Iwan Lane and Mark Jones for Port 
were expertly put away without any fuss but then Meilir Ellis chose the right way and saved 
Neath’s fifth penalty expertly with his left hand. This meant that Port only had to score their 
last penalty to win and Dion Inch stepped up confidently and put the ball neatly into the corner 
of the goal and this was the cue for the tired lads to find the energy from somewhere to celebrate, 
sing and jump all over each other! Iwan Lane gratefully accepted the cup from Andrew Howard of the 
FAW and what a pleasant sight it was to see the red and black of Porthmadog FC celebrating again.

1.Meilir Ellis, 2.Rhys Jones, 3.  Carwyn Jones, 4. Ryan Jones, 5. Iwan Lane (c), 6. Gethin Jones, 
7. Ezra Warren, 8. Gareth Stewart, 9. David Copsey, 10 cai Jones, 11. Jac Jones, 12. Siôn Jones, 
13 Dion Inch, 14. Mark Jones, 15. Carwyn Ephraim.  Injured –Dylan Williams.

Gwyn Ellis