FAI Cup explained

Current:2024 FAI Cup
Organiser:Football Association of Ireland
Founded:1921–22
Number Of Teams:40
Region:
Domestic Cup:President of Ireland's Cup
Qualifier For:UEFA Europa Conference League
Current Champions:St Patrick’s Athletic (5th title)
Most Successful Club:Shamrock Rovers (25 titles)
Sports Direct FAI Cup

The Football Association of Ireland Senior Challenge Cup[1] (FAI Cup), known as the Sports Direct FAI Cup[2] for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland (as well as Derry City from Northern Ireland). Organised by the FAI (Football Association of Ireland), the competition is currently sponsored by Sports Direct. It was known as the Free State Cup from 1923 to 1936. Shamrock Rovers hold the record of most wins with 25.

The current holders are St Patrick's Athletic, who won their 5th title in November 2023.

Venues

Since the early 1920s until the 1980s, all but a handful of FAI Cup finals were held at Dalymount Park, Dublin. Two replays in the 1920s were held at Shelbourne Park, the 1973 replay was held in Flower Lodge in Cork and the 1984 replay was in Tolka Park. However, since 1990, due to the lack of development of Dalymount, the final has been played at a number of different venues. From 1990 until 1997 it was played at Lansdowne Road stadium, from 1997 to 1999 back at Dalymount, from 1999 to 2002 at Tolka Park and from 2003 to 2006 back at Lansdowne Road. Due to the redevelopment of Lansdowne, the 2007 and 2008 finals were played at the RDS Arena. The 2009 final took place in Tallaght Stadium. Finals from 2010 onwards take place at the Aviva Stadium.

History

Shelbourne, Bohemians and Derry City are the only clubs to have won both the (Northern) Irish Cup and the FAI Cup, although Shelbourne and Bohemians only won it before partition, while Derry City remained in the Northern Irish league system until 1973, entering the League of Ireland in 1985. Alton United based in Belfast and Derry City are the only sides from outside the Republic of Ireland to win the competition.

Athlone Town in 1924, Dundalk in 1958, Shamrock Rovers in 1968 and Sligo Rovers in 2010 are the only sides ever to win the Cup without conceding a goal.

Since 2003, Irish domestic football has moved from the traditional European August–May season to a summer set-up, as favoured in Scandinavia. As an "interim" season was played in the second half of 2002, two FAI Cup Finals took place that year – Dundalk winning in April, and Derry City lifting the trophy in November.

Following the 1985 expansion of the League of Ireland to two Divisions, Bray Wanderers were the first First Division team to win the Cup, defeating non-League St. Francis in 1990. Bray were also the first team to win the Cup in a season that saw them relegated, in 1999. Dundalk were relegated in 2002 while winning the first of that year's trophies.

After two defeats in Cup Finals in the 1970s, Drogheda United finally reached the summit in 2005. Goals from Gavin Whelan (whose father, Paul, captained Bohemians to the 1992 cup and whose grandfather, Ronnie, won two cups with St. Patrick's Athletic) and captain Declan O'Brien helped "the Drogs" to a 2–0 win over Cork City.

The last soccer game to be played at the old Lansdowne Road was the 2006 final, contested between St. Patrick's Athletic and Derry City, who ran out eventual 4–3 winners after extra-time. The original FAI Cup was also retired after the game with a brand new version of the trophy to be used in the following seasons.

The largest ever win in the competition occurred on 29 November 2020 when Dundalk beat Athlone Town 11–0 at the semi-final stage.[3]

The largest ever attendance at an FAI Cup game was 43,881 people, as St Patrick's Athletic defeated Bohemians 3–1 in the 2023 FAI Cup Final at the Aviva Stadium.[4]

Eligibility

40 clubs compete in the FAI Cup. All clubs in the League of Ireland are automatically eligible. Clubs from Level 3–7 (non-league football) are also eligible provided they qualify from either the FAI Intermediate Cup or FAI Junior Cup competitions in the current season. All participating clubs must also have a stadium suitable for the competition.

The total number of entries in the FAI Cup has changed as Non-League football has gradually been expanded and reorganised over time. In the 2022 season, 39 clubs entered the competition. It is very rare for top clubs to miss the competition, although it can happen in exceptional circumstances.

Northern Irish sides that play in Republic of Ireland leagues are eligible. There is only one club currently competing: Derry City.

Eligibility for the FAI Cup

LvlCompetitionEntering cup atNo. of clubs
1League of Ireland Premier DivisionFirst RoundAll 10 teams qualify automatically
2League of Ireland First DivisionFirst RoundAll 10 teams qualify automatically
3–7FAI Intermediate CupPreliminary Round, First Round16 fourth round teams
7–12FAI Junior CupPreliminary Round4 semi-finalists

Qualification for subsequent competitions

European football

The FAI Cup winners qualify for the following season's UEFA Europa Conference League. This European place applies even if the team is relegated or is not in the Republic of Ireland top flight. In the past, if the FAI Cup winning team also qualified for the following season's Champions League or Conference League through their league or European performance, then the losing FAI Cup finalists were given the European berth of the FAI Cup winners. Now the FAI Cup berth is then given to the highest-place team in the league who has not yet qualified. FAI Cup winners enter the UEFA Conference League at the Second qualifying round.Each club that qualifies for the UEFA Conference League gets prize money worth up to 10 million pounds

Presidents Cup

The FAI Cup winners also qualify for the following season's single-match President of Ireland's Cup, the traditional season opener played against the previous season's Premier Division champions (or the Premier Divisions runners-up if the FAI Cup winners also won the league – the double).

FAI Cup Finals

width=6%Seasonwidth=10%Winnerwidth=12%Scorewidth=10%Runner-upwidth=22%Venuewidth=10%Attendance
St James's Gate1 – 1 / 1 – 0 (R)Shamrock RoversDalymount Park / Dalymount Park15,000 / 10,000
1922–23Alton United1–0 ShelbourneDalymount Park14,000
Athlone Town1–0 FordsonsDalymount Park18,000
1924–25Shamrock Rovers2–1 ShelbourneDalymount Park23,000
1925–26Fordsons3–2 Shamrock RoversDalymount Park25,000
1926–27Drumcondra1 – 1 / 1 – 0 (R)BridevilleDalymount Park / Shelbourne Park25,000 / 10,000
1927–28Bohemians2–1 DrumcondraDalymount Park25,000
1928–29Shamrock Rovers0 – 0 / 3 – 0 (R)BohemiansDalymount Park / Shelbourne Park22,000 / 15,000
1929–30Shamrock Rovers1–0 BridevilleDalymount Park17,000
1930–31Shamrock Rovers1 – 1 / 1 – 0 (R)DundalkDalymount Park / Dalymount Park20,000 / 10,000
1931–32Shamrock Rovers1–0 DolphinDalymount Park32,000
1932–33Shamrock Rovers3 – 3 / 3 – 0 (R)DolphinDalymount Park / Dalymount Park22,000 / 18,000
1933–34Cork2–1St James's GateDalymount Park21,000
1934–35Bohemians4–3DundalkDalymount Park22,000
1935–36Shamrock Rovers2–1CorkDalymount Park30,946
1936–37Waterford2–1St James's GateDalymount Park24,000
1937–38St James's Gate2–1DundalkDalymount Park30,000
1938–39Shelbourne1 – 1 / 1 – 0 (R)Sligo RoversDalymount Park / Dalymount Park30,000 / 25,000
1939–40Shamrock Rovers3–0Dalymount Park38,509
1940–41Cork United2 – 2 / 3 – 1 (R)Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park30,132 / 13,057
1941–42Dundalk3–1Cork UnitedDalymount Park34,298[5]
1942–43Drumcondra2–1Cork UnitedDalymount Park30,549
1943–44Shamrock Rovers3–2ShelbourneDalymount Park34,000
1944–45Shamrock Rovers1–0BohemiansDalymount Park41,238
1945–46Drumcondra2–1Shamrock RoversDalymount Park34,248
1946–47Cork United2 – 2 / 2 – 1 (R)BohemiansDalymount Park / Dalymount Park20,198 / 5,519
1947–48Shamrock Rovers2–1DrumcondraDalymount Park33,812
1948–49Dundalk3–0ShelbourneDalymount Park28,539
1949–50Transport2 – 2 / 2 – 2 (R) / 3 – 1 (R)Cork AthleticDalymount Park / Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park28,807 / 21,123 / –
1950–51Cork Athletic1 – 1 / 1 – 0 (R)ShelbourneDalymount Park / Dalymount Park38,912 / 22,000
1951–52Dundalk1 – 1 / 3 – 0 (R)Cork AthleticDalymount Park / Dalymount Park26,479 / 20,753
1952–53Cork Athletic2 – 2 / 2 – 1 (R)Evergreen UnitedDalymount Park / Dalymount Park17,396 / 6,000
1953–54Drumcondra1–0St Patrick's AthleticDalymount Park20,000
1954–55Shamrock Rovers1–0Dalymount Park33,041
1955–56Shamrock Rovers3–2Cork AthleticDalymount Park35,017
1956–57Drumcondra2–0Shamrock RoversDalymount Park30,000
1957–58Dundalk1–0Shamrock RoversDalymount Park27,000
1958–59St Patrick's Athletic2 – 2 / 2 – 1 (R)WaterfordDalymount Park / Dalymount Park22,000 / 22,800
1959–60Shelbourne2–0Cork HiberniansDalymount Park32,308
1960–61St Patrick's Athletic2–1DrumcondraDalymount Park22,000
1961–62Shamrock Rovers4–1ShelbourneDalymount Park32,000
1962–63Shelbourne2–0Cork HiberniansDalymount Park15,000
1963–64Shamrock Rovers1 – 1 / 2 – 1 (R)Cork CelticDalymount Park / Dalymount Park35,500 / 23,600
1964–65Shamrock Rovers1 – 1 / 1 – 0 (R)Limerick22,000 / 19,436
1965–66Shamrock Rovers2–0LimerickDalymount Park26,898
1966–67Shamrock Rovers3–2St Patrick's AthleticDalymount Park12,000
1967–68Shamrock Rovers3–0WaterfordDalymount Park39,128
1968–69Shamrock Rovers1 – 1 / 4 – 1 (R)Cork Celtic28,000 / 18,000
1969–70Bohemians0 – 0 / 0 – 0 (R) / 2 – 1 (R)Sligo RoversDalymount Park / Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park16,000 / 11,000 / 22,000
1970–71Limerick0 – 0 / 3 – 0 (R)DroghedaDalymount Park / Dalymount Park16,000 / 15,000
1971–72Cork Hibernians3–0WaterfordDalymount Park22,500
1972–73Cork Hibernians0 – 0 / 1 – 0 (R)ShelbourneDalymount Park / Flower Lodge12,500 / 11,000
1973–74Finn Harps3–1Dalymount Park14,000
1974–75Home Farm1–0ShelbourneDalymount Park10,000
1975–76Bohemians1–0Drogheda UnitedDalymount Park10,400
1976–77Dundalk2–0LimerickDalymount Park17,000
1977–78Shamrock Rovers1–0Dalymount Park12,500
1978–79Dundalk2–0WaterfordDalymount Park14,000
1979–80Waterford1–0Dalymount Park18,000
1980–81Dundalk2–0Dalymount Park12,000
1981–82Limerick United1–0BohemiansDalymount Park12,000
1982–83Sligo Rovers2–1BohemiansDalymount Park8,500
1983–84UCD0 – 0 / 2 – 1 (R)Shamrock RoversDalymount Park / Tolka Park8,000 / 6,500
1984–85Shamrock Rovers1–0Dalymount Park7,000
1985–86Shamrock Rovers2–0Dalymount Park11,500
1986–87Shamrock Rovers3–0Dalymount Park8,569
1987–88Dundalk1–0Derry CityDalymount Park21,000
1988–89Derry City0 – 0 / 1 – 0 (R)Cork CityDalymount Park / Dalymount Park20,000 / 12,000
1989–903–0Lansdowne Road29,000
1990–91Galway United1–0Lansdowne Road15,257
1991–92Bohemians1–0Lansdowne Road17,000
1992–93Shelbourne1–0Lansdowne Road11,000
1993–94Sligo Rovers1–0Derry CityLansdowne Road13,800
1994–95Derry City2–1ShelbourneLansdowne Road15,000
1995–96Shelbourne1 – 1 / 2 – 1 (R)St Patrick's AthleticLansdowne Road / Dalymount Park15,000 / 10,000
1996–97Shelbourne2–0Derry CityDalymount Park10,000
1997–98Cork City0 – 0 / 1 – 0 (R)ShelbourneDalymount Park / Dalymount Park– / –
1998–99Bray Wanderers0 – 0 / 2 – 2 (R) / 2 – 1 (R)Finn HarpsTolka Park / Tolka Park / Tolka Park8,000 / – / 5,000
1999–2000Shelbourne0 – 0 / 1 – 0 (R)BohemiansTolka Park / Dalymount Park9,000 / 9,000
2000–01Bohemians1–0Longford TownTolka Park10,100
2001–02Dundalk2–1BohemiansTolka Park10,100
2002 (Interim)Derry City1–0Shamrock RoversTolka Park10,100
2003Longford Town2–0St Patrick's AthleticLansdowne Road12,000
2004Longford Town2–1Waterford UnitedLansdowne Road9,676
2005Drogheda United2–0Cork CityLansdowne Road24,521
2006Derry City4 – 3 (a.e.t.)St Patrick's AthleticLansdowne Road16,022
2007Cork City1–0Longford TownRDS10,000
2008Bohemians2 – 2 (a.e.t.) 4 – 2 (pen.)Derry CityRDS10,281
2009Sporting Fingal2–1Sligo RoversTallaght Stadium8,105[6]
2010Sligo Rovers0 – 0 (a.e.t.) 2 – 0 (pen.)Shamrock RoversAviva Stadium36,101[7]
2011Sligo Rovers1 – 1 (a.e.t.) 4 – 1 (pen.)Aviva Stadium21,662[8]
2012Derry City3 – 2 (a.e.t.)St Patrick's AthleticAviva Stadium16,117[9]
2013Sligo Rovers3–2 Drogheda UnitedAviva Stadium17,573[10]
2014St Patrick's Athletic2–0 Derry CityAviva Stadium17,038[11]
2015Dundalk1 – 0 (a.e.t.)Cork CityAviva Stadium25,103[12]
2016Cork City1 – 0 (a.e.t.)DundalkAviva Stadium26,400[13]
2017Cork City1 – 1 (a.e.t.) 5 – 3 (pen.)DundalkAviva Stadium24,210[14]
2018Dundalk2–1Cork CityAviva Stadium30,412[15]
2019Shamrock Rovers1 – 1 (a.e.t.) 4 – 2 (pen.)Aviva Stadium33,111[16]
2020Dundalk4 – 2 (a.e.t.)Aviva Stadium0*[17]
2021St Patrick's Athletic1 – 1 (a.e.t.) 4 – 3 (pen.)BohemiansAviva Stadium37,126[18]
2022Derry City4–0ShelbourneAviva Stadium32,412[19]
2023St Patrick's Athletic3–1BohemiansAviva Stadium43,881[20]
 *Denotes match in which Covid-19 restrictions limited attendance

Performances

Performance by club

width=10xpRankwidth=120xpClubwidth=30xpWinnerswidth=30xpRunners-upwidth=700xpWinning Years
1Shamrock Rovers1924–25, 1928–29, 1929–30, 1930–31, 1931–32, 1932–33, 1935–36, 1939–40, 1943–44, 1944–45, 1947–48, 1954–55, 1955–56, 1961–62, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1977–78, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 2019
2Dundalk1941–42, 1948–49, 1951–52, 1957–58, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1980–81, 1987–88, 2001–02, 2015, 2018, 2020
3Shelbourne1938–39, 1959–60, 1962–63, 1992–93, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1999–00
Bohemians1927–28, 1934–35, 1969–70, 1975–76, 1991–92, 2000–01, 2008
5Derry City1988–1989, 1994–1995, 2002, 2006, 2012, 2022
6St Patrick's Athletic1958–59, 1960–61, 2014, 2021, 2023
Sligo Rovers1982–83, 1993–94, 2010, 2011, 2013
Drumcondra1926–27, 1942–43, 1945–46, 1953–54, 1956–57
9Cork City1997–98, 2007, 2016, 2017
10Waterford1936–37, 1979–80
Cork Athletic1950–52, 1952–53
Limerick1970–71, 1981–82
Cork/Fordsons1925–26, 1933–34
Cork Hibernians1971–72, 1972–73
Cork United1940–41, 1946–47
Longford Town2003, 2004
St. James's Gate1921–22, 1937–38
Bray Wanderers1989–90, 1998–99
19Drogheda United2005
Finn Harps1973–74
Galway United1990–91
Alton United1922–23
Athlone Town1923–24
Transport1949–50
Home Farm1974–75
UCD AFC1983–84
Sporting Fingal2009
28Cork Celtic–
Brideville–
Dolphin–
St. Francis–
Notes:

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: jpg . Football Association of Ireland Senior Challenge Cup . 19 August 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120227012532/http://dynimg.rte.ie/0000ff2b10dr.jpg . 27 February 2012 . dead .
  2. Web site: FAI and Sports Direct announce three-year partnership | Football Association of Ireland . 30 May 2023 . 30 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230530121103/https://www.fai.ie/domestic/news/fai-and-sports-direct-announce-three-year-partnership . live .
  3. Web site: Newberry . Niall . Dundalk put 11 past Athlone in record-breaking FAI Cup hammering . The42 . 29 November 2020 . 30 June 2021 . en . 17 March 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210317174126/https://www.the42.ie/dundalk-athlone-2-5283159-Nov2020/#:~:text=Dundalk%2011&text=HISTORY%20WAS%20MADE%20on%20Sunday,the%20FAI%20Cup%20semi%2Dfinals . live .
  4. Web site: FAI Cup final recap: Bohemians 1-3 St Pat's. James. Fenton. 12 November 2023. www.rte.ie.
  5. Web site: DUNDALK'S FIRST CUP Dublin issue – British Pathé. britishpathe.com. 17 March 2018.
  6. Web site: Sligo Rovers 1-2 Sporting Fingal . RTE . https://web.archive.org/web/20100330184009/http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2009/1122/sporting_sligo.html . 31 October 2021. 30 March 2010 .
  7. Web site: Redemption day for heroic Kelly . Irish Independent . 28 October 2021.
  8. Web site: Sligo Rovers win FAI Cup after penalty shoot-out . RTE . 6 November 2011 . 11 January 2022.
  9. Web site: Derry City win the 2012 FAI Cup . extra time . 11 January 2022.
  10. Web site: North the hero as Sligo edge epic FAI Cup final . Independent . 12 January 2022.
  11. Web site: As it happened: Derry City v St Patrick's Athletic, FAI Cup final. 2 November 2014. The42.ie. 3 February 2015.
  12. Web site: Cork City 0-1 Dundalk. 8 November 2015. RTÉ Sport. 10 November 2015.
  13. Web site: Watch: Drama as Sean Maguire pounces at the death to win FAI Cup for Cork City. 7 November 2016. Irish Independent. 8 November 2016.
  14. Web site: LIVE UPDATES FOR CORK CITY -V- DUNDALK . extra time . 19 January 2022.
  15. Web site: McEleney the FAI Cup hero as Dundalk bag second double in four years before 30,412 spectators . the42 . 20 January 2022.
  16. Web site: Shamrock Rovers beat Dundalk on penalties to end 32-year wait for FAI Cup glory . the42 . 22 January 2022.
  17. Web site: FAI Cup Final Report: Shamrock Rovers 2 - 4 Dundalk (Dundalk win after extra-time) . extra time . 18 March 2021.
  18. Web site: Benson keeps his nerve to win dramatic FAI Cup final for Saint Patrick's Athletic . the42 . 28 November 2021.
  19. Web site: Derry outclass Shelbourne to deny Duff fairytale FAI Cup ending . Irish Times . 13 November 2022 . 13 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221113172555/https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/2022/11/13/derry-outclass-shelbourne-to-deny-duff-fairytale-fai-cup-ending/ . live .
  20. Web site: St Pat's come from behind to beat Bohemians in a record-breaking FAI Cup final . the42 . 13 November 2023.

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