FAI Cup Final
The FAI Cup Final, known recently as the SportsDirect FAI Cup Final for sponsorship reasons, is an annual soccer match which is the last game in the Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup. It is the culmination of a knock-out competition among clubs belonging to the Football Association of Ireland, generally competed for by clubs from the Republic of Ireland, although representatives from Northern Ireland (most notably Derry City) have competed and even won the Cup. Shelbourne, Bohemians and Derry City are the only clubs to win both the (Northern) Irish Cup and the FAI Cup, although Shelbourne and Bohemians only won it before partition, whilst Derry City remained in the Northern Irish league system until 1973, entering the League of Ireland in 1985.
The FAI Cup final was played at Dalymount Park until 1990, since when it has been played at several venues. The 2006 final was the last soccer game to be played at the old Lansdowne Road before it was redeveloped and rebranded the Aviva Stadium. It was 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 this game with a brand new version of the trophy used in the following seasons. The cup final has been held at the Aviva Stadium since 2010.
List of results
{{main|FAI Cup#FAI Cup Finals}}
=Performance by club=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| width=12%|Club
!width=7%|Winners !width=7%|Runners-up !width=46%|Winning Years |
|---|
| Shamrock Rovers
| {{center|25}} | {{center|10}} | 1925, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1936, 1940, 1944, 1945, 1948, 1955, 1956, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1978, 1985, 1986, 1987, 2019. |
| Dundalk
| {{center|12}} | {{center|8}} | 1942, 1949, 1952, 1958, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1988, 2002, 2015, 2018, 2020 |
| Shelbourne
| {{center|7}} | {{center|12}} | 1939, 1960, 1963, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000 |
| Bohemians
| {{center|7}} | {{center|9}} |
| Derry City{{ref|1}}
| {{center|6}} | {{center|6}} |
| St. Patrick's Athletic
| {{center|5}} | {{center|8}} |
| Sligo Rovers
| {{center|5}} | {{center|6}} |
| Drumcondra
| {{center|5}} | {{center|4}} | 1927, 1943, 1946, 1954, 1957 |
| Cork City
| {{center|4}} | {{center|5}} |
| Waterford United{{ref|2}}
| {{center|2}} | {{center|7}} | 1937, 1980 |
| Cork Athletic
| {{center|2}} | {{center|3}} | 1951, 1953 |
| Drogheda United{{ref|3}}
| {{center|2}} | {{center|3}} |
| Limerick{{ref|4}}
| {{center|2}} | {{center|3}} | 1971, 1982 |
| Cork/Fordsons
| {{center|2}} | {{center|2}} | 1926, 1934 |
| Cork Hibernians
| {{center|2}} | {{center|2}} | 1972, 1973 |
| Cork United
| {{center|2}} | {{center|2}} | 1941, 1947 |
| Longford Town
| {{center|2}} | {{center|2}} | 2003, 2004 |
| St. James's Gate
| {{center|2}} | {{center|2}} | 1922, 1938 |
| Bray Wanderers
| {{center|2}} | {{center |
| }}
| 1990, 1999 |
| Finn Harps
| {{center|1}} | {{center|1}} | 1974 |
| Galway United
| {{center|1}} | {{center|1}} | 1991 |
| Alton United
| {{center|1}} | {{center |
| }}
| 1923 |
| Athlone Town
| {{center|1}} | {{center |
| }}
| 1924 |
| Transport
| {{center|1}} | {{center |
| }}
| 1950 |
| Home Farm
| {{center|1}} | {{center |
| }}
| 1975 |
| UCD AFC
| {{center|1}} | {{center |
| }}
| 1984 |
| Sporting Fingal
| {{center|1}} | {{center |
| }}
| 2009 |
| Cork Celtic
| {{center |
| }}
| {{center|2}} | - |
| Brideville
| {{center |
| }}
| {{center|2}} | - |
| Dolphin
| {{center |
| }}
| {{center|2}} | - |
| St. Francis
| {{center |
| }}
| {{center|1}} | - |
Notes:
- 1 {{note|1}}Since 1985 when Derry City joined to the league.
- 2 {{note|2}}Includes Waterford.
- 3 {{note|3}}Includes Drogheda.
- 4 {{note|4}}Includes Limerick United.
List of Match Officials
| class="wikitable sortable"
! width="50" rowspan="1"| Year ! width="170" rowspan="1"| Referee ! width="270" rowspan="1"| Assistant Referees ! width="170" rowspan="1"| Fourth Official |
| align="center"| 2025
|align="center"| - |align="center"| - |align="center"| - |
| align="center"| 2024
|align="center"| Rob Harvey{{cite web |url=https://www.extratime.com/articles/34916/rob-harvey-returns-to-referee-fai-cup-final-after-officiating-2020-final/ |title=Rob Harvey returns to referee FAI Cup Final after officiating 2020 final }} |align="center"| Allen Lynch, Emmett Dynan |align="center"| Paul Norton |
| align="center"| 2023
|align="center"| Paul McLaughlin{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/FAIreland/status/1721594123956719641}} |align="center"| Eoin Harte, Darren Carey |align="center"| Rob Harvey |
| align="center"| 2022
|align="center"| Damien MacGraith {{cite web |url=https://www.fai.ie/domestic/news/match-officials-confirmed-for-the-fai-mens-and-womens-cup-finals |title=MATCH OFFICIALS CONFIRMED FOR THE FAI MENS AND WOMENS CUP FINALS | Football Association of Ireland }} |align="center"| Christopher Campbell, Brian Fenlon |align="center"| Ben Connolly |
| align="center"| 2021
|align="center"| Robert Hennessy{{cite web |url=https://www.sseairtricityleague.ie/news/match-officials-suspension-list--pr-playoff-final--fai-cup-final/id-4039|title=SSE Airtricity League }} |align="center"| Dermot Broughton, Michelle O'Neill |align="center"| Damien MacGraith |
| align="center"| 2020
|align="center"| Rob Harvey{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/faireland/status/1335630081214083072?lang=en}} |align="center"| Alan Sherlock, Darren Corcoran |align="center"| Sean Grant |
| align="center"| 2019
|align="center"| Derek Tomney{{cite web |url=https://www.sseairtricityleague.ie/news/match-officials-for-2019-fai-cup-finals-day-have-been-confirmed/id-3091|title=SSE Airtricity League }} |align="center"| Robert Clarke, Darragh Keegan |align="center"| Robert Hennessy |
| align="center"| 2018
|align="center"| Neil Doyle{{cite web |url=https://www.extratime.com/articles/21836/neil-doyle-to-referee-the-fai-cup-final/|title=Neil Doyle to referee the FAI Cup final }} |align="center"| Mark Gavin, Declan Toland (AAR{{cite web |url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0211-0f8a3439cdec-7f31dcc578d8-1000--additional-assistant-referees/ |title=Additional Assistant Referees | Inside UEFA |date=2 January 2014 }} Rob Harvey & Damien MacGraith) |align="center"| Rob Rogers |
| align="center"| 2017
|align="center"| Paul McLaughlin{{cite web |url=https://www.donegalsporthub.com/donegal-man-appointed-referee-fai-senior-cup-final/|title=Donegal man appointed to referee FAI Senior Cup final |date=16 October 2017 }} |align="center"| Robert Clarke, Wayne McDonnell (AAR Rob Hennessy & Ray Matthews) |align="center"| Derek Tomney |
| align="center"| 2016
|align="center"| Rob Rogers |align="center"| Allen Lynch, Emmett Dynan (AAR{{cite web |url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0211-0f8a3439cdec-7f31dcc578d8-1000--additional-assistant-referees/ |title=Additional Assistant Referees | Inside UEFA |date=2 January 2014 }} Tomás Connolly & Derek Tomney) |align="center"| Tomás Connolly |
| align="center"| 2015
|align="center"| David McKeon{{cite web |url=https://www.fai.ie/domestic/news/officials-appointed-for-fai-cup-finals|title=Officials appointed for FAI Cup Finals | Football Association of Ireland }} |align="center"| Dermot Broughton, Mark Gavin |align="center"| Rob Rogers |
| align="center"| 2014
|align="center"| Padraigh Sutton{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/padraigh-sutton-set-to-referee-fai-ford-cup-final-30701282.html|title=Padraigh Sutton set to referee FAI Ford Cup final |date=29 October 2014 }} |align="center"| Ciaran Delaney, Wayne McDonnell |align="center"| Paul McLaughlin |
| align="center"| 2013
|align="center"| Paul Tuite{{cite web |url=https://www.fai.ie/domestic/news/tuite-to-referee-fai-ford-cup-final|title=Tuite to referee FAI Ford Cup Final | Football Association of Ireland }} |align="center"| Damien MacGraith, Michelle O'Neill |align="center"| Derek Tomney |
| align="center"| 2012
|align="center"| Neil Doyle{{cite web |url=https://www.fai.ie/domestic/news/neil-doyle-to-referee-fai-ford-cup-final|title=Neil Doyle to referee FAI Ford Cup Final | Football Association of Ireland }} |align="center"| Emmett Dynan, Robert Clarke |align="center"| Damien Hancock |
| align="center"| 2011
|align="center"| Richie Winter |align="center"| Mark Gavin, Dermot Broughton |align="center"| Graham Kelly |
| align="center"| 2010
|align="center"| Tomás Connolly |align="center"| Damien MacGraith, Wayne McDonnell |align="center"| Padraigh Sutton |
| align="center"| 2009
|align="center"| Alan Kelly |align="center"| Allen Lynch, Terence Moyne |align="center"| Neil Doyle |
| align="center"| 2008
|align="center"| Anthony Buttimer |align="center"| Eddie Foley, Ken Hennessy |align="center"| Richie Winter |
| align="center"| 2007
|align="center"| David McKeon |align="center"| Damien MacGraith, Fran Cunningham |align="center"| Pat Whelan |
| align="center"| 2006
|align="center"| Damien Hancock (Dublin) |align="center"| Ciaran Delaney (Dublin), Marc Douglas (Louth) |align="center"| David McKeon (Dublin) |
| align="center"| 2005
|align="center"| Ian Stokes |align="center"| Dave Wogan, JP Kelly |align="center"| Declan Hanney |
| align="center"| 2004
|align="center"| John Feighery (Dublin) |align="center"| Martin Moloney (Edenderry, Co Meath), Rhona Daly (Athlone, Co Roscommon) |align="center"| Ian Stokes (Dublin) |
| align="center"| 2003
|align="center"| Alan Kelly (Cork) |align="center"| Eddie Foley, Barry McDonnell |align="center"| Paul Tuite |
| align="center"| 2001-02
|align="center"| Paul McKeon (Dublin) |align="center"| |align="center"| |
| align="center"| 1994-95
|align="center"| Michael Tomney |align="center"| |align="center"| |
| align="center"| 1987-88
|align="center"| John Spillane |align="center"| |align="center"| |
| align="center"| 1983
|align="center"| Robert Finn |align="center"| Liam Gavin, Sean Ware |align="center"| Wilfred Wallace |
| align="center"| 1980-81
|align="center"| Paddy Mulhall |align="center"| |align="center"| |
| align="center"| 1978-79
|align="center"| Paddy Daly (Dublin) |align="center"| |align="center"| |
| align="center"| 1976-77
|align="center"| Noel Breen |align="center"| |align="center"| |
| align="center"| 1957-58
|align="center"| Denis Howell (Birmingham) |align="center"| |align="center"| |
| align="center"| 1951-52
|align="center"| C. Fletcher (Cheshire) |align="center"| |align="center"| |
| align="center"| 1948-49
|align="center"| E. Roland |align="center"| |align="center"| |
| align="center"| 1941-42
|align="center"| T. Dwyer |align="center"| |align="center"| |
| align="center"| 1934-35
|align="center"| Mr Booth (Preston) |align="center"| |align="center"| |
| align="center"| 1930-31 (Replay)
|align="center"| Mr H.N. Mee (Nottingham) |align="center"| |align="center"| |
| align="center"| 1928-29
|align="center"| Mr Hull (Burnley) |align="center"| |align="center"| |
| align="center"| 1927-28
|align="center"| Jean Langenus (Belgium) |align="center"| |align="center"| |
| align="center"| 1926-27
|align="center"| Mr J.T. Howcroft (Bolton) |align="center"| |align="center"| |
| align="center"| 1924-25
|align="center"| Mr Howcroft (Bradford) |align="center"| |align="center"| |
| align="center"| 1921-22
|align="center"| M. Broderick (Athlone) |align="center"| |align="center"| |
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2020/0512/1137993-you-cant-lose-youll-make-the-league-look-bad/ "'You can't lose, you'll make the league look bad'"], RTÉ Sport, 13 May 2020.
{{FAI Cup seasons}}
{{National football Cups (UEFA region)}}
{{Football in Ireland}}