Football tournament
The Football Association of Ireland Senior Challenge Cup [ 1] (FAI Cup ), known as the Irish Daily Mail 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 the Irish Daily Mail . It was known as the Free State Cup from 1923 to 1936. Shamrock Rovers hold the record of most wins with 24.
As of November 2017, the current holders are Cork City FC .
Venues
Since the early 1920s, 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 1997–1999 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 , Bohemian 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 A.F.C. in 1924, Dundalk F.C. in 1958, Shamrock Rovers F.C. 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 ever 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.
FAI Cup Finals
Season
Winner
Score
Runner-up
Venue
Attendance
1921–22
St. James's Gate
1 – 1 / 1 – 0 (R )
Shamrock Rovers
Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park
15,000 / 10,000
1922–23
Alton United
1 – 0
Shelbourne
Dalymount Park
14,000
1923–24
Athlone Town
1 – 0
Fordsons
Dalymount Park
18,000
1924–25
Shamrock Rovers
2 – 1
Shelbourne
Dalymount Park
23,000
1925–26
Fordsons
3 – 2
Shamrock Rovers
Dalymount Park
25,000
1926–27
Drumcondra
1 – 1 / 1 – 0 (R )
Brideville
Dalymount Park / Shelbourne Park
25,000 / 10,000
1927–28
Bohemians
2 – 1
Drumcondra
Dalymount Park
25,000
1928–29
Shamrock Rovers
0 – 0 / 3 – 0 (R )
Bohemians
Dalymount Park / Shelbourne Park
22,000 / 15,000
1929–30
Shamrock Rovers
1 – 0
Brideville
Dalymount Park
17,000
1930–31
Shamrock Rovers
1 – 1 / 1 – 0 (R )
Dundalk
Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park
20,000 / 10,000
1931–32
Shamrock Rovers
1 – 0
Dolphin
Dalymount Park
32,000
1932–33
Shamrock Rovers
3 – 3 / 3 – 0 (R )
Dolphin
Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park
22,000 / 18,000
1933–34
Cork
2 – 1
St. James's Gate
Dalymount Park
21,000
1934–35
Bohemians
4 – 3
Dundalk
Dalymount Park
22,000
1935–36
Shamrock Rovers
2 – 1
Cork
Dalymount Park
30,946
1936–37
Waterford
2 – 1
St. James's Gate
Dalymount Park
24,000
1937–38
St. James's Gate
2 – 1
Dundalk
Dalymount Park
30,000
1938–39
Shelbourne
1 – 1 / 1 – 0 (R )
Sligo Rovers
Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park
30,000 / 25,000
1939–40
Shamrock Rovers
3 – 0
Sligo Rovers
Dalymount Park
38,509
1940–41
Cork United
2 – 2 / 3 – 1 (R )
Waterford
Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park
30,132 / 13,057
1941–42
Dundalk
3 – 1
Cork United
Dalymount Park
34,298[ 3]
1942–43
Drumcondra
2 – 1
Cork United
Dalymount Park
30,549
1943–44
Shamrock Rovers
3 – 2
Shelbourne
Dalymount Park
34,000
1944–45
Shamrock Rovers
1 – 0
Bohemians
Dalymount Park
44,238
1945–46
Drumcondra
2 – 1
Shamrock Rovers
Dalymount Park
34,248
1946–47
Cork United
2 – 2 / 2 – 1 (R )
Bohemians
Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park
20,198 / 5,519
1947–48
Shamrock Rovers
2 – 1
Drumcondra
Dalymount Park
33,812
1948–49
Dundalk
3 – 0
Shelbourne
Dalymount Park
28,539
1949–50
Transport
2 – 2 / 2 – 2 (R ) / 3 – 1 (R )
Cork Athletic
Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park
28,807 / 21,123 / -
1950–51
Cork Athletic
1 – 1 / 1 – 0 (R )
Shelbourne
Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park
38,912 / 22,000
1951–52
Dundalk
1 – 1 / 3 – 0 (R )
Cork Athletic
Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park
26,479 / 20,753
1952–53
Cork Athletic
2 – 2 / 2 – 1 (R )
Evergreen United
Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park
17,396 / 6,000
1953–54
Drumcondra
1 – 0
St. Patrick's Athletic
Dalymount Park
20,000
1954–55
Shamrock Rovers
1 – 0
Drumcondra
Dalymount Park
33,041
1955–56
Shamrock Rovers
3 – 2
Cork Athletic
Dalymount Park
35,017
1956–57
Drumcondra
2 – 0
Shamrock Rovers
Dalymount Park
30,000
1957–58
Dundalk
1 – 0
Shamrock Rovers
Dalymount Park
27,000
1958–59
St. Patrick's Athletic
2 – 2 / 2 – 1 (R )
Waterford
Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park
22,000 / 22,800
1959–60
Shelbourne
2 – 0
Cork Hibernians
Dalymount Park
32,308
1960–61
St. Patrick's Athletic
2 – 1
Drumcondra
Dalymount Park
22,000
1961–62
Shamrock Rovers
4 – 1
Shelbourne
Dalymount Park
32,000
1962–63
Shelbourne
2 – 0
Cork Hibernians
Dalymount Park
15,000
1963–64
Shamrock Rovers
1 – 1 / 2 – 1 (R )
Cork Celtic
Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park
35,500 / 23,600
1964–65
Shamrock Rovers
1 – 1 / 1 – 0 (R )
Limerick
Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park
22,000 / 19,436
1965–66
Shamrock Rovers
2 – 0
Limerick
Dalymount Park
26,898
1966–67
Shamrock Rovers
3 – 2
St. Patrick's Athletic
Dalymount Park
12,000
1967–68
Shamrock Rovers
3 – 0
Waterford
Dalymount Park
39,128
1968–69
Shamrock Rovers
1 – 1 / 4 – 1 (R )
Cork Celtic
Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park
28,000 / 18,000
1969–70
Bohemians
0 – 0 / 0 – 0 (R ) / 2 –1 (R )
Sligo Rovers
Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park
16,000 / 11,000 / 22,000
1970–71
Limerick
0 – 0 / 3 – 0 (R )
Drogheda
Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park
16,000 / 15,000
1971–72
Cork Hibernians
3 – 0
Waterford
Dalymount Park
22,500
1972–73
Cork Hibernians
0 – 0 / 1 – 0 (R )
Shelbourne
Dalymount Park / Flower Lodge
12,500 / 11,000
1973–74
Finn Harps
3 – 1
St. Patrick's Athletic
Dalymount Park
14,000
1974–75
Home Farm
1 – 0
Shelbourne
Dalymount Park
10,000
1975–76
Bohemians
1 – 0
Drogheda United
Dalymount Park
10,400
1976–77
Dundalk
2 – 0
Limerick
Dalymount Park
17,000
1977–78
Shamrock Rovers
1 – 0
Sligo Rovers
Dalymount Park
12,500
1978–79
Dundalk
2 – 0
Waterford
Dalymount Park
14,000
1979–80
Waterford
1 – 0
St. Patrick's Athletic
Dalymount Park
18,000
1980–81
Dundalk
2 – 0
Sligo Rovers
Dalymount Park
12,000
1981–82
Limerick United
1 – 0
Bohemians
Dalymount Park
12,000
1982–83
Sligo Rovers
2 – 1
Bohemians
Dalymount Park
8,500
1983–84
UCD
0 – 0 / 2 – 1 (R )
Shamrock Rovers
Dalymount Park / Tolka Park
8,000 / 6,500
1984–85
Shamrock Rovers
1 – 0
Galway United
Dalymount Park
7,000
1985–86
Shamrock Rovers
2 – 0
Waterford United
Dalymount Park
11,500
1986–87
Shamrock Rovers
3 – 0
Dundalk
Dalymount Park
8,569
1987–88
Dundalk
1 – 0
Derry City
Dalymount Park
22,000
1988–89
Derry City
0 – 0 / 1 – 0 (R )
Cork City
Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park
20,000 / 12,000
1989–90
Bray Wanderers
3 – 0
St. Francis
Lansdowne Road
29,000
1990–91
Galway United
1 – 0
Shamrock Rovers
Lansdowne Road
15,257
1991–92
Bohemians
1 – 0
Cork City
Lansdowne Road
17,000
1992–93
Shelbourne
1 – 0
Dundalk
Lansdowne Road
11,000
1993–94
Sligo Rovers
1 – 0
Derry City
Lansdowne Road
13,800
1994–95
Derry City
2 – 1
Shelbourne
Lansdowne Road
15,000
1995–96
Shelbourne
1 – 1 / 2 – 1 (R )
St. Patrick's Athletic
Lansdowne Road / Dalymount Park
15,000 / 10,000
1996–97
Shelbourne
2 – 0
Derry City
Dalymount Park
10,000
1997–98
Cork City
0 – 0 / 1 – 0 (R )
Shelbourne
Dalymount Park / Dalymount Park
- / -
1998–99
Bray Wanderers
0 – 0 / 2 – 2 (R ) / 2 – 1 (R )
Finn Harps
Tolka Park / Tolka Park / Tolka Park
8,000 / - / 5,000
1999–2000
Shelbourne
0 – 0 / 1 – 0 (R )
Bohemians
Tolka Park / Dalymount Park
9,000 / 9,000
2000–01
Bohemians
1 – 0
Longford Town
Tolka Park
10,100
2001–02
Dundalk
2 – 1
Bohemians
Tolka Park
10,100
2002 (Interim)
Derry City
1 – 0
Shamrock Rovers
Tolka Park
10,100
2003
Longford Town
2 – 0
St. Patrick's Athletic
Lansdowne Road
12,000
2004
Longford Town
2 – 1
Waterford United
Lansdowne Road
9,676
2005
Drogheda United
2 – 0
Cork City
Lansdowne Road
24,521
2006
Derry City
4 – 3 (a.e.t. )
St. Patrick's Athletic
Lansdowne Road
16,022
2007
Cork City
1 – 0
Longford Town
RDS
10,000
2008
Bohemians
2 – 2 (a.e.t. ) 4 – 2 (pen. )
Derry City
RDS
10,281
2009
Sporting Fingal
2 – 1
Sligo Rovers
Tallaght Stadium
8,105
2010
Sligo Rovers
0 – 0 (a.e.t. ) 2 – 0 (pen. )
Shamrock Rovers
Aviva Stadium
36,101
2011
Sligo Rovers
1 – 1 (a.e.t. ) 4 – 1 (pen. )
Shelbourne
Aviva Stadium
21,662
2012
Derry City
3 – 2 (a.e.t. )
St. Patrick's Athletic
Aviva Stadium
16,117
2013
Sligo Rovers
3 – 2
Drogheda United
Aviva Stadium
17,573
2014
St. Patrick's Athletic
2 – 0
Derry City
Aviva Stadium
17,038
2015
Dundalk
1 – 0 (a.e.t. )
Cork City
Aviva Stadium
25,103
2016
Cork City
1 – 0 (a.e.t. )
Dundalk
Aviva Stadium
26,400
2017
Cork City
1 – 1 (a.e.t. ) 5 – 3 (pen. )
Dundalk
Aviva Stadium
24,210
Club
Winners
Runners-up
Winning Years
Shamrock Rovers
24
9
1924–1925 , 1928–29 , 1929–30 , 1930–31 , 1931–32 , 1932–33 , 1935–36 , 1939–1940, 1943–1944, 1944–1945, 1947–48, 1954–1955, 1955–1956, 1961–62 , 1963–1964, 1964–1965, 1965–1966, 1966–1967, 1967–1968, 1968–1969, 1977–1978, 1984–1985, 1985–1986, 1986–87
Dundalk
10
7
1941–1942, 1948–1949, 1951–1952, 1957–1958, 1976–1977, 1978–1979, 1980–1981, 1987–1988, 2001–2002, 2015
Shelbourne
7
11
1938–1939, 1959–1960, 1962–1963, 1992–1993, 1995–1996, 1996–1997, 1999–2000
Bohemians
7
7
1927–28 , 1934–35 , 1969–1970, 1975–1976, 1991–1992, 2000–2001, 2008
Sligo Rovers
5
6
1982–1983, 1993–1994, 2010 , 2011 , 2013
Derry City [1]
5
5
1988–1989, 1994–1995, 2002, 2006 , 2012
Drumcondra
5
4
1926–1927 , 1942–1943, 1945–1946, 1953–1954, 1956–1957
Cork City
4
4
1997–1998, 2007 , 2016 , 2017
St. Patrick's Athletic
3
8
1958–1959, 1960–1961, 2014
Waterford [2]
2
7
1936–37 , 1979–1980
Cork Athletic
2
3
1950–1951, 1952–1953
Limerick [3]
2
3
1970–71 , 1981–82
Cork/Fordsons
2
2
1925–26 , 1933–1934
Cork Hibernians
2
2
1971–1972, 1972–1973
Cork United
2
2
1940–1941, 1946–1947
Longford Town
2
2
2003, 2004
St. James's Gate
2
2
1921–22 , 1937–1938
Bray Wanderers
2
-
1989–1990, 1998–1999
Drogheda United [4]
1
3
2005
Finn Harps
1
1
1973–1974
Galway United
1
1
1990–1991
Alton United
1
-
1922–23
Athlone Town
1
-
1923–1924
Transport
1
-
1949–1950
Home Farm
1
-
1974–1975
UCD AFC
1
-
1983–1984
Sporting Fingal
1
-
2009
Cork Celtic
-
2
-
Brideville
-
2
-
Dolphin
-
2
-
St. Francis
-
1
-
Notes :
1 ^ Since 1985 when Derry City joined to the league.
2 ^ Includes Waterford.
3 ^ Includes Limerick United.
4 ^ Includes Drogheda.
References
External links
Governing Bodies National Teams National Leagues Provincial Leagues County/Local Leagues
National Cups Provincial Cups All-Ireland Cups
Association football cup competitions in Ireland
All-Ireland
Northern Ireland
Republic of Ireland
International Friendly Trophies