by Martin Townley, Impetus‘ Cymru correspondent
The Adran Leagues have come to end for 2022/23 – a season that has seen the contued growth of women’s football in Cymru.
Cardiff City won the Adran Premier and the FAW Women’s Welsh Cup while Cardiff Met secured the Adran Trophy.
Wrexham will go into the Adran Premier next season after their Adran North win and play-off success over Adran South Champions Briton Ferry Llansawel. Pontypridd United once again won the Adran Plate conference and The New Saints made the top four of the Adran Premier.
Along with teams’ successes, the leagues saw attendance records broken and high-profile games well supported.
Below is the Adran Leagues team of the year made up of players from across the Premier, North, and South.
Goalkeeper
Sarah Parkes – The New Saints
Parkes kept seven clean sheets across the season for the Saints. Impressive across the season she helped towards some famous victories notably the Saints win over Swansea City where she made several key saves.
Defenders
Beth Lewis – The New Saints
A virtual ever-present for The New Saints making 24 appearances as the club had their best season to date. Lewis managed eight goals and five assists.
Ffion Price – Cardiff City
A vital part of the way Cardiff play, Price enjoyed another fantastic season with the Bluebirds. Solid in defence and dangerous in attack, the City left-back pitched in 22 assists.
Siobhan Walsh – Cardiff City
The Bluebirds captain helped City to a double and was part of 15 clean sheets, helping to guide the club to the Adran Premier title and Cup success.
Lowri Ridings – Briton Ferry Llansawel
The Briton Ferry skipper led her side to the Adran South title and a Welsh Women’s Cup Final. Leading by example, the defender helped her side gain 11 clean sheets and scored seven goals. Ridings was also named as Adran South Player of the Season.
Midfield
Laura-May Walkley – Briton Ferry Llansawel
The former Reading player dropped down from Adran Premier side Cardiff Met to play for the Reds. Adding a wealth of experience both on and off the pitch, Walkley helped led Ferry’s attack and scored 10 goals. However, it was her incredible 19 assists that provided a big boost to the Adran South side, making her direct involvement in goals up to 29.
Kristie Kural – Connah’s Quay Nomads
Helped lead the Nomads to second place in the Adran North and pushed Wrexham until the final three games. An impressive 24 goals and 11 assists for the Nomads captain.
Katy Hosford – Swansea City
Hosford helped Swansea to second place in the Adran Premier scoring 15 goals during the season. A mainstay of the Swans’ starting line-up, Hosford contributed 13 assists as well.
Forwards
Rosie Hughes – Wrexham
Hughes run riot across the Adran North over the season with 24 goals as Wrexham went unbeaten in the league. Scoring an unprecedented 41 goals overall with 16 assists, including the vital ball for the goal to win the playoff and take Wrexham to the Adran Premier.
Phoebie Poole – Cardiff City
Another great season for Poole as she hit 20 goals and five assists for the Bluebirds. Her late goal away at Swansea helped Cardiff maintain their unbeaten record in the Adran Premier and was one of the most dramatic moments of the season.
Emily Ridge – The New Saints
A solid season for Ridge as The New Saints managed a fourth-place finish in the Adran Premier. The forward hit an impressive 14 goals over the course of the season helping TNS to some memorable moments across the season including scoring the winner against Swansea.
Substitutes
Delyth Morgan – Wrexham
An impressive ten clean sheets for the Wrexham stopper over the season. The most important coming in the final game as she pulled off some outstanding saves in the play-off final.
Rhianne Oakley – Cardiff City
Crossing the South Wales divide former the former Swansea player left the champions to be crowned champions with Cardiff. Oakley hit 17 goals as the Bluebirds won both the Adran Premier and Welsh Women’s Cup.
Emily Allen – Cardiff Met
With 15 goals and 5 assists, Allen helped Met to third spot in the Adran Premier and helped them lift the Adran Trophy.
Manon Pearce – Barry Town United/Cardiff City
Having started the season at Barry Town United, Pearce’s impressive form saw her move to Cardiff City where she helped the Bluebirds to the Adran Premier title.
Eliza Collie – Cardiff City
A good year for the young Bluebird seven goals in five games in phase two of the Adran Premier as Cardiff went unbeaten and became champions. Also scored the opening goal in Cardiff’s Welsh Cup final victory.
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