ANDY MORRISON lavished praise on his Connah's Quay Nomads after they continued their Welsh Cup defence with a 2-1 success at Caernarfon Town.

Nomads shrugged off any potential fatigue - mental or physical - to book their place in the last four of the competition at The Oval.

The quarter-final tie was Nomads' third game in six days as the Flintshire outfit continue to fight on three fronts, but after goals from Rob Hughes and Michael Wilde handed his side a worthy win, Morrison saluted his players.

"I can't speak highly enough of them," said Morrison of his squad, who will find out their semi-final opponents on Monday night.

"I'm relentless in asking questions of them all the time, pushing them and demanding more from them because I won't accept tiredness as an excuse.

"Mentally it's a challenge, but physically the body can go longer than the mind."

On Nomads' continued defence of the trophy they won after beating Aberystwyth Town at Latham Park last May, Morrison said: "We should be very proud of that. As holders we are extremely proud of what we achieved last year and we carry that trophy with great pride."

Hughes opened the scoring with a fine long-range strike, but Nomads were pegged back as Gareth Edwards took advantage of some unusually ragged defending.

"The goal they've scored is such an ugly goal to concede," accepted Morrison.

"It's the only way they are going to score because they haven't had a shot on goal apart from that.

"We've hit the crossbar, we've had half-opportunities and we are still playing at 65-70 per cent, there is still so much more to come.

"I am so pleased."

Nomads hit Caernarfon for six the last time the two sides locked horns in league action, but Morrison was expecting an improved performance from Sean Eardley's men.

He continued: "We put six past Caernarfon last time we played them, and you saw with Manchester City putting six past Chelsea how a team can react.

"I knew they would react, I knew they would be up for it - they rested players on Monday, which is their decision.

"We had to come here and find a way to win."

While Hughes was the official man of the match and Wilde the match-winner after scoring just past the hour mark, it was Priestley Farquharson who caught Morrison's eye.

"He was an absolute man-mountain," declared Morrison.

"He will stand toe-to-toe with any player in this league and if you try and run him there is only one winner because it's impossible.

"The lad Brookwell's as quick as I've seen at this level and Priestley's just stood watching him because he's that fast.

"I've been so pleased with him and with a bit of coaching and understanding of how we do things he's going to be an excellent asset."

Nomads were joined in the last four of the competition by Cardiff Met, Barry Town United and The New Saints, who beat Bala Town, Cambrian and Clydach and Llandudno respectively.