FAI Intermediate Cup
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox football tournament
| logo =
| organiser = Football Association of Ireland
| founded = 1926
| region = Republic of Ireland
| domestic cup = Tom Hand Memorial Cup
| current champions = Rockmount
| most successful club = Avondale United: (8)
| broadcasters =
| website = [http://www.fai.ie/domestic/competitions/fai-umbro-intermediate-cup FAI Intermediate Cup @ www.fai.ie]
| current =
}}
The FAI Intermediate Cup ({{langx|ga|Corn Comortais Peile na hÉireann}}),{{Cite web |title=The Football Association of Ireland Intermediate Cup |url=https://lsl.ie/?get-file=23 |access-date=23 November 2016 |publisher=lsl.ie}} also known as the FAI Umbro Intermediate Cup and the Pat O'Brien Intermediate Challenge Cup, is a cup competition organized by the Football Association of Ireland for intermediate association football clubs from the Republic of Ireland. These include clubs competing in the Leinster Senior League and the Munster Senior League. It was originally known as the FAI Qualifying Cup and from the beginning it has been used as a qualifying competition for the senior FAI Cup. It is currently sponsored by Umbro and has previously been sponsored by Carlsberg.
History
=FAI Qualifying Cup=
The competition was originally known as the FAI Qualifying Cup before it was renamed the FAI Intermediate Cup at the start of the 1931–32 season. The cup's first winners were Drumcondra who beat Cobh Ramblers in the inaugural 1926–27 final. Drumcondra, who at the time were playing in the Leinster Senior League, subsequently went onto complete a cup double when they defeated Brideville 1–0 in the 1926–27 FAI Cup final.{{Cite book |last=Byrne |first=Peter |title=Football Association of Ireland: 75 years |publisher=Sportsworld |year=1996 |isbn=1-900110-06-7 |location=Dublin}}{{Cite web |title=Ireland - FA Intermediate Cup Winners and Runners-Up |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/ierintermediatecuphist.html |access-date=25 October 2016 |publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation}}{{Cite book |last=Mark Herbert |first=Donie Butler |title=FAI Yearbook & Diary 1995 |publisher=Sportsworld Ltd |year=1994–95 |location=Dublin}} The competition continues to act a qualifying competition for the FAI Cup with clubs who reach the Round of Sixteen being invited to compete in the senior cup.
=League of Ireland=
In addition to being the inaugural winners, Drumcondra were also the first of several future League of Ireland clubs to win the FAI Intermediate Cup. Cork Bohemians, Sligo Rovers, Longford Town, UCD, Cobh Ramblers, St Patricks Athletic, Albert Rovers, Bray Wanderers, Home Farm and Cork Hibernians, playing as AOH, all subsequently won the cup before joining the national league. Athlone Town were also finalists on one occasion. Jacobs, St. James's Gate and Transport all won the cup after leaving the League of Ireland. With five wins, Longford Town were the competitions most successful club until Bluebell United equalled their record in 1999–2000 and Avondale United surpassed it in 2013–14. The reserve teams of League of Ireland clubs have also won the cup on several occasions. These include Bohemians, Shelbourne, Drumcondra and St Patrick's Athletic. Limerick B and UCD Reserves were also runners up.
=2000s and 2010s=
During the 2000s and 2010s Avondale United and Crumlin United have been the cup's most successful clubs. In 2013–14 Avondale United became only the second club after Distillery to win the cup four times in a row.{{Cite web |date=11 May 2014 |title=Avondale achieve 4-in-a-row FAI Intermediate Cup success |url=http://www.fai.ie/domestic/news/avondale-achieve-4-in-a-row-fai-intermediate-cup-success |access-date=25 November 2016 |publisher=fai.ie}}{{Cite web |date=14 May 2016 |title=Crumlin thrash Letterkenny to retain FAI Intermediate Cup title |url=http://www.the42.ie/crumlin-thrash-letterkenny-to-reclaim-fai-intermediate-cup-title-2770247-May2016/ |access-date=22 November 2016 |publisher=the42.ie}} In 2012 the FAI introduced a new cup, the Tom Hand Memorial Cup, which saw the winners of the FAI Intermediate Cup play off against the winners of the FAI Junior Cup. Avondale United won the inaugural match, defeating Sheriff Y.C. 2–1 at the AUL Complex.{{Cite web |date=19 August 2012 |title=Avondale United lift inaugural Tom Hand Memorial Cup |url=http://www.fai.ie/domestic/news/avondale-united-lift-inaugural-tom-hand-memorial-cup |access-date=25 November 2016 |publisher=fai.ie}}{{Cite web |date=17 August 2012 |title=Tom Hand Memorial Cup Final at AUL this Sunday |url=http://www.fai.ie/domestic/news/tom-hand-memorial-cup-final-at-aul-this-sunday |access-date=25 November 2016 |publisher=fai.ie}}
In 2014 it was announced that future finals would be hosted at the Aviva Stadium.{{Cite web |date=25 July 2014 |title=LSL delight as Intermediate Cup final to be held at Aviva |url=http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/lsl-delight-as-intermediate-cup-final-to-be-held-at-aviva-30459378.html |access-date=24 November 2016 |publisher=herald.ie}} The 2014–15 and 2015–16 finals were both played as double headers along with the FAI Junior Cup finals.{{Cite news |date=17 May 2015 |title=Liffey Wanderers overcome Sheriff YC to claim first FAI Junior Cup |work=The Irish Times |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/liffey-wanderers-overcome-sheriff-yc-to-claim-first-fai-junior-cup-1.2215835 |access-date=8 April 2016}}{{Cite web |date=13 May 2016 |title=Information: FAI Junior and Intermediate Cup Finals |url=http://www.fai.ie/domestic/news/information-fai-junior-and-intermediate-cup-finals |access-date=15 May 2016 |publisher=fai.ie}}
Finals
List of winners by club
| class="wikitable collapsible"
! Club ! Titles ! Seasons |
| Avondale United
| 8 | 1977–78, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2018–19 |
| Rockmount
| 5 | 1998–99, 2003–04, 2007–08, 2021-22, 2022-2023 |
| Bluebell United
| 5 | 1981–82, 1989–90, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1999–2000 |
| Longford Town
| 5 | 1936–37, 1954–55, 1959–60, 1961–62, 1968–69 |
| Crumlin United
| 4 | 2008–09, 2009–10, 2014–15, 2015–16 |
| Distillery (Dublin)
| 4 | 1938–39, 1939–40, 1940–41, 1941–42 |
| Home Farm
| 3 | 1962–63, 1966–67, 1967–68 |
| St Patrick's Athletic
| 3 | 1947–48, 1948–49, 1952–53 |
| Tramore Athletic
| 3 | 1978–79, 1980–81, 1986–87 |
| Transport
| 3 | 1963–64, 1965–66, 1973–74 |
| Wayside Celtic
| 3 | 1995–96, 2000–01, 2004–05 |
| Albert Rovers
| 2 | 1953–54, 1958–59 |
| Bray Wanderers
| 2 | 1955–56, 1957–58 |
| Cobh Ramblers
| 2 | 1979–80, 1982–83 |
| Cork Bohemians
| 2 | 1927–28, 1930–31 |
| CYM Terenure (Terenure)
| 2 | 1971–72, 1974–75 |
| Drumcondra
| 2 | 1926–27, 1946–47 |
| Fanad United
| 2 | 1987–88, 1994–95 |
| Pegasus (Dublin)
| 2 | 1976–77, 1991–92 |
| T.E.K. United
| 2 | 1964–65, 1988–89 |
| Workmen's Club
| 2 | 1956–57, 1960–61 |
| AOH
| 1 | 1951–52 |
| Ashtown Villa
| 1 | 2001–02 |
| Ballyfermot United (Ballyfermot)
| 1 | 1983–84 |
| Bank Rovers (Dundalk)
| 1 | 1984–85 |
| Belgrove (Dublin)
| 1 | 2002–03 |
| Bohemians Reserves
| 1 | 1931–32 |
| B and ISP
| 1 | 1935–36 |
| Cahir Park (Cahir)
| 1 | 1929–30 |
| Cherry Orchard
| 1 | 1997–98 |
| College Corinthians
| 2024–25 |
| Crofton Celtic (Cork)
| 1 | 1997–98 |
| Dalkey United (Dalkey)
| 1 | 1972–73 |
| Edenmore
| 1 | 1990–91 |
| Glenmore Celtic (Dublin)
| 1 | 1996–97 |
| Jacobs
| 1 | 1949–50 |
| Maynooth University Town
| 1 | 2017–18 |
| Rialto (Dublin)
| 1 | 1969–70 |
| Richmond United
| 1 | 1928–29 |
| St. Brendans CIE
| 1 | 1975–76 |
| St James's Gate
| 1 | 1950–51 |
| Shelbourne B
| 1 | 1932–33 |
| Sligo Rovers
| 1 | 1933–34 |
| Terenure Athletic
| 1 | 1937–38 |
| Tramore Rookies
| 1 | 1934–35 |
| Tullamore Town
| 1 | 1970–71 |
| UCD
| 1 | 1945–46 |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Intermediate and Provincial association football in the Republic of Ireland}}
{{Association football cup competitions in Ireland}}
{{Football in Ireland}}