Report | Cardiff City Women 3 Swansea City Women 3 (Cardiff City Women win 5-4 on penalties)
Swansea City Women suffered Bute Energy Welsh Cup final heartbreak after losing on penalties to Cardiff City Women on a drama-filled evening at Rodney Parade.
The Swans had led by a Chloe Chivers goal at the break, and looked to have taken a decisive lead in their quest for a first trophy since 2022, when Aimee Deacon and Maisie Miller scored in the opening minutes of the second half.
But Cardiff hit back with a quickfire brace of their own, substitute Fiona Barry getting them on the scoresheet before Shannon Evans headed home their second from a corner.
And when Barry’s deflected shot wiped out their advantage with just over 10 minutes to go, it ensured the tie went to penalties.
Stacey John, on her 250th and final appearance for the Swans, saw her penalty saved and, with Cardiff faultless with their five spot-kicks, it proved decisive in the shootout.
But the Swans will know they had this contest firmly within their control given they led 3-0 with less than half an hour to play, and the pain of this defeat will linger through the long summer months for head coach Yzzy Taylor and her players as they were not able to emerge from a campaign of promise with a trophy to show for their efforts.
The Swans were unchanged from the victory over champions Wrexham that had concluded their league campaign as they sought a first trophy since 2022.
It was the holders who offered the early threat, Lily Billingham beating the offside trap and delivering a threatening ball that Ellie Lake and Jess Williams combined to clear.
On two more occasions Cardiff would work Billingham into room to deliver from wide areas, with Swansea happy to see those off.
They would lift the pressure via a breakout from Chivers, winning a flurry of corners which would lead to the opener.
When one delivery was cleared straight to Chivers, she elected to drop the ball on top of Cardiff keeper Ceryn Chamberlain, who was unable to deal with it and the Swans midfielder saw her effort find the net via the inside of the far post.
That goal settled the Swans and they looked far more confident and assured as they began to ask further questions of their opponents.
But they needed a good save and some good fortune to remain ahead when Mackenzie Olden got away a dipping strike from distance that Amerlia May Forkings got hands to but could only watch as the ball squirmed towards goal.
However, it struck the inside of the post and allowed the Swansea keeper to gather in.
She was soon called into action again, advancing quickly off her line to deny Olden after the forward had got the better of Swansea’s attempted offside trap.
The Swans managed to deal with that period of pressure, and could have doubled their lead before the interval when Lake produced an excellent ball from the right that John met, but could not make a meaningful connection with.
Nevertheless, Swansea led at the break and they took a decisive stride towards lifting the trophy when they struck twice in the opening five minutes of the second half, and Chivers was involved in both.
Firstly, she brought down a deep corner and set a shot across goal that Deacon was on hand to turn in to double their advantage.
And barely a couple of minutes later her reverse pass allowed Miller to dispatch a lovely first-time shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
That put the Swans firmly in control, and they had chances to further extend their advantage with Chamberlain holding Deacon’s chipped effort before gathering in a low strike from Chivers.
John thought she had a fairytale goal when her movement allowed her to lose her marker and meet Miller’s excellent cross, but she glanced her header agonisingly wide of the far post.
Instead, Cardiff pulled one back with substitute Barry showing good composure to advance and loft a fine finish over the keeper just after the hour mark.
And they nearly got another goal back just a few minutes later when Olden headed over from close range when a fine cross had found her run into the area.
But they did not have to wait long for their next goal as Evans met a corner to head home and narrow Swansea’s lead to one goal.
Swansea tried to stem the tide and had a better spell, but their advantage was wiped out with 11 minutes to go when Barry’s shot from a half-cleared corner struck Jess Williams and looped over the helpless Forkings to land in the net.
That led us to penalties and agony for the Swans.
Swansea City Women: Amelia May Forkings, Lucy Finch, Maddy Murray, Maisie Miller (Taite Trivett 71), Aimee Deacon (Steph Turner 90), Chloe Chivers, Stacey John, Ellie Lake, Eilish Mitchell, Caitlin Williams, Jess Williams (captain).
Unused Substitutes: Opal Rayner, Emily Richards, Sammy Wynne.
Cardiff City Women: Ceryn Chamberlain, Lisa Owen (Maddison Perrott 54), Hannah Power (captain), Megan Bowen, Laura Curnock (Fiona Barry 54), Mackenzie Olden (Maddison Lloyd 90), Kerry Walklett, Shannon Evans, Lily Billingham, Mikayla Cook, Helen Evans.
Unused Substitutes: Ffion Price, Madison Lloyd, Amy Long.
Referee: Charlotte Carpenter
Attendance: 1,234