BUCKLEY UNDER-13s starred on a memorable day for Flintshire by ending the north’s 20-year wait for Welsh Cup victory.

Heading to Builth Wells with the goal of becoming the first north Wales team to lift the Under-13s trophy for two decades, the young guns defeated Carmarthen Wanderers and Newport to bring the silverware back to Flintshire.

Buckley, coached by first team trio Rhys Jones, Joel Sampson and Louis Parry, wasted little time in beating Carmarthen in the semi-finals.

With a point to prove after missing out on last year’s final to the Wanderers, Buckley restricted their opponents to 67, before knocking off the total inside eight overs to win by 10 wickets, the impressive Romano Franco and Oliver Fellows in the runs.

Buckley opted to bowl first in the final after winning the toss, restrict Newport, who had three Welsh internationals in their ranks, to a testing 119.

With Jack Whitley hitting an unbeaten 30 and captain William Norman, himself a Welsh international, adding 25 before departing late on, the platform was set for Joe Hogg to see Buckley over the line to record a three-wicket win in the final over.

It was win to cherish for the team, 11 of whom attend Elfed High School, with nine-year-old Harry Sprowell still at Mountain Lane Primary School.

Coach Jones was delighted with the win, saying: “There are no words to express how proud I am of this team.

“They have worked incredibly hard to achieve this and should enjoy the next 12 months where they can say they are champions of Wales.”

Northop and Hawarden Park followed Buckley’s lead by lifting a hat-trick of trophies on North Wales Finals Day at Mochdre’s Black Marsh Fields

There were two titles for Northop as their U-13s beat Mochdre by 60 runs and the U-15s defeated Pwllheli by nine wickets, while Hawarden Park, led by Chris Burke and Neil Shaw, overcame Llandudno by 36 runs to win the U-11s title, scoring 276 before restricting their opponents to 240.