FAI Futsal Cup explained
The FAI Futsal Cup is a cup competition organized by the Football Association of Ireland for futsal teams based in the Republic of Ireland. The winners qualify to represent the Republic of Ireland in the UEFA Futsal Cup.[1] [2] [3] The competition was introduced in 2007 and the inaugural winners were Shamrock Rovers. The 2007 tournament was referred to as the Eircom U21 Futsal League and the 2008 and 2009 tournaments were referred to as the Futsal League of Ireland or the FAI National Futsal League. Since 2010 it has generally been referred to as the Ireland Futsal Union Cup.
History
Early tournaments
The FAI Futsal Cup was originally awarded to the winners of the Eircom U21 Futsal League, a tournament featuring futsal teams attached to clubs playing in the League of Ireland U21 Division. The competition was officially launched at Dublin City University on 13 February 2007 with a reception attended by, among others, Packie Bonner. Eights clubs from the U21 Division, including Bohemians, Bray Wanderers, Drogheda United, Dundalk, Monaghan United, Shamrock Rovers, St Patrick's Athletic and UCD entered the inaugural tournament.[4] [5] These eight clubs first played in a league stage featuring a single round of games.[6] The top four from this stage – UCD, Shamrock Rovers, Bohemians and Bray Wanderers – then qualified for a final four tournament played at the National Basketball Arena. In the final, with a team coached by Dave Campbell and featuring Ciarán Kilduff and Dane Massey, Shamrock Rovers defeated UCD 4–2.[7] [8] [9] [10] St Patrick's Athletic won the second tournament in 2008 [11] [12] and Cork City, with a team featuring Kevin Long, were winners in 2009.[13] [14] [15] Long was one of several future Republic of Ireland internationals who featured in the early tournaments. Others included David Meyler (Cork City),[16] Séamus Coleman (Sligo Rovers) and James McClean (Derry City). Former Republic of Ireland international, Gary Kelly, played for Drogheda United in the 2008 tournament. Other players to feature included Gary McCabe and Jay O'Shea, both of whom played for Bray Wanderers.[17] [18]
Format
As the number of entrants increased the format of the tournament changed. Fourteen clubs entered the 2009 competition and clubs initially played in three divisions – a Leinster Division, a Munster Division and a North-West Division.[19] In 2010 the tournament was expanded to include clubs from the Emerald Futsal League in addition to futsal teams associated with League of Ireland clubs. Junior clubs and representative teams of junior leagues were also invited to participate, resulting in a record entry of 32 teams. The 2010 format saw four preliminary qualifying tournaments – one per province – been staged throughout the country.[20] [21] The 2015 tournament featured eleven clubs.[22]
Eden era
Playing under various names including, Sporting Fingal EID,[23] EID Futsal [24] and Eden College,[25] [26] Eden Futsal Club won the FAI Futsal Cup five times in a row between 2010 and 2014.[27]
Blue Magic
After finishing as runners up in 2010, 2011 and 2012,[28] [29] [30] Blue Magic won the FAI Futsal Cup for the first time in 2015 [31] and then retained the cup in 2016.[32]
Finals
- Notes
Notes and References
- News: FAI Futsal Cup Fixtures announced today. www.fai.ie. 21 December 2016. 19 January 2010.
- News: Irish futsal champions make trip to Vienna. www.fai.ie. 20 December 2016. 5 July 2012.
- News: Entries sought for FAI Futsal Cup 2015. www.fai.ie. 21 December 2016. 20 February 2015.
- Web site: FAI Launch Under 21 Futsal League Photos. www.sportsfile.com. 21 December 2016. 13 February 2007.
- Web site: Irish Futsal Under 21 league. www.futsalplanet.com. 21 December 2016. 14 February 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20161230090012/http://www.futsalplanet.com/news/news-01.asp?id=7052. 30 December 2016. dead.
- Web site: IRL Eircom U21 Futsal League 2007. www.futsalplanet.com. 22 December 2016. 28 April 2007.
- Web site: Rovers' Futsal team celebrate in Tallaght. www.shamrockrovers.ie. 21 December 2016. 29 October 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20161018010238/http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/news/latest-news/59-futsal-news/1092-rovers-futsal-team-show-trophy-to-fans. 18 October 2016.
- Web site: Eircom FAI Under-21 Futsal League final report. www.futsalplanet.com. 13 January 2017. 1 May 2007.
- Web site: IRL Eircom U21 Futsal League 2007 - Play-off. www.futsalplanet.com. 22 December 2016. 29 April 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20161230160114/http://www.futsalplanet.com/champs/champs-01.asp?paeseclub=96&stagioni=78&compnazionale=2110. 30 December 2016. dead.
- Web site: FAI under-21 Futsal League of Ireland. www.futsalplanet.com. 22 December 2016. 28 April 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20161230090012/http://www.futsalplanet.com/news/news-01.asp?id=7052. 30 December 2016. dead.
- Web site: eircom League of Ireland Futsal League Final Photos. www.sportsfile.com. 22 December 2016. 16 March 2008.
- Web site: Ireland Eircom Futsal League 2008 - Play-off. www.futsalplanet.com. 22 December 2016. 16 March 2008.
- News: Cork City claim Futsal trophy. www.fai.ie. 21 December 2016. 5 June 2009.
- Web site: St. Patrick's Athletic v Cork City - Futsal League of Ireland Final Photos. www.sportsfile.com. 21 December 2016. 8 March 2009.
- Web site: Pats Narrowly Defeated In Futsal Final. www.stpatsfc.com. 21 December 2016. 9 March 2009.
- News: David Meyler – Football Association of Ireland. www.fai.ie. 21 December 2016.
- News: English Premier League Irish players who have experienced Futsal in Ireland. www.facebook.com. 21 December 2016. 16 November 2012.
- News: Irish Futsal ready for a new season. www.futsalplanet.com. 21 December 2016. 17 January 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20161230155916/http://www.futsalplanet.com/news/news-01.asp?id=12185. 30 December 2016. dead.
- News: Futsal to kick-off this weekend . www.sseairtricityleague.ie. 29 December 2016. 9 February 2009.
- News: FAI Futsal Cup Fixtures announced today. www.fai.ie. 21 December 2016. 19 January 2010.
- News: Irish Futsal ready for a new season. www.futsalplanet.com. 21 December 2016. 17 January 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20161230155916/http://www.futsalplanet.com/news/news-01.asp?id=12185. 30 December 2016. dead.
- News: FAI Futsal Cup 2015. www.fai.ie. 21 December 2016. 2 July 2015.
- News: Sporting Fingal claim 2010 Futsal Cup. www.fai.ie. 16 December 2016. 8 March 2010.
- News: Blue Magic 2 EID Futsal 3. www.sseairtricityleague.ie. 20 December 2016. 8 April 2011.
- News: Irish futsal champions make trip to Vienna. www.fai.ie. 20 December 2016. 5 July 2012.
- News: Eden College continue to dominate FAI Futsal Cup. www.fai.ie. 22 December 2016. 10 June 2013.
- News: Eden claim FAI Futsal Cup for third year running. www.fai.ie. 21 December 2016. 24 May 2014.
- News: Sporting Fingal claim 2010 Futsal Cup. www.fai.ie. 16 December 2016. 8 March 2010.
- News: Blue Magic 2 EID Futsal 3. www.sseairtricityleague.ie. 20 December 2016. 8 April 2011.
- News: Irish futsal champions make trip to Vienna. www.fai.ie. 20 December 2016. 5 July 2012.
- News: Irish club Blue Magic learns UEFA Futsal Cup draw. www.fai.ie. 21 December 2016. 2 July 2015.
- News: Blue Magic (Futsal). www.uefa.com. 21 December 2016. 5 June 2016.
- Web site: Eircom FAI Under-21 Futsal League final report. www.futsalplanet.com. 13 January 2017. 1 May 2007.
- Web site: IRL Eircom U21 Futsal League 2007 - Play-off. www.futsalplanet.com. 22 December 2016. 29 April 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20161230160114/http://www.futsalplanet.com/champs/champs-01.asp?paeseclub=96&stagioni=78&compnazionale=2110. 30 December 2016. dead.
- News: About Futsal – St. Itas Futsal. stitasfutsal.weebly.com. 20 December 2016.
- Web site: eircom League of Ireland Futsal League Final Photos. www.sportsfile.com. 22 December 2016. 16 March 2008.
- Web site: Ireland Eircom Futsal League 2008 - Play-off. www.futsalplanet.com. 22 December 2016. 16 March 2008.
- News: Cork City claim Futsal trophy. www.fai.ie. 21 December 2016. 5 June 2009.
- Web site: St. Patrick's Athletic v Cork City - Futsal League of Ireland Final Photos. www.sportsfile.com. 21 December 2016. 8 March 2009.
- Web site: Pats Narrowly Defeated In Futsal Final. www.stpatsfc.com. 21 December 2016. 9 March 2009.
- News: Sporting Fingal claim 2010 Futsal Cup. www.fai.ie. 16 December 2016. 8 March 2010.
- News: Blue Magic 2 EID Futsal 3. www.sseairtricityleague.ie. 20 December 2016. 8 April 2011.
- Web site: EID Futsal v Blue Magic - FAI Futsal Cup Final Photos. www.sportsfile.com. 20 December 2016. 9 April 2011.
- News: Irish futsal champions make trip to Vienna. www.fai.ie. 20 December 2016. 5 July 2012.
- News: Eden College continue to dominate FAI Futsal Cup. www.fai.ie. 22 December 2016. 10 June 2013.
- Web site: Shamrock Rovers v Eden College - FAI Futsal Cup Final Photos. www.sportsfile.com. 21 December 2016. 27 May 2013.
- News: Eden claim FAI Futsal Cup for third year running. www.fai.ie. 21 December 2016. 24 May 2014.
- Web site: Eden Futsal v FCG Dublin Futsal - FAI Futsal Cup Final Photos. www.sportsfile.com. 21 December 2016. 24 May 2014.
- News: Irish club Blue Magic learns UEFA Futsal Cup draw. www.fai.ie. 21 December 2016. 2 July 2015.
- News: Blue Magic (Futsal). www.uefa.com. 21 December 2016. 5 June 2016.