# League of Ireland Cup

The League of Ireland Cup, also referred to in Ireland as the 'League Cup', was an annual knockout competition in men's football in Ireland. It was contested by League of Ireland clubs and invited clubs from the lower levels of the Irish football league system. It has been sponsored by Electronic Arts and branded the EA Sports Cup since 2009.
The competition began in 1973–74, replacing the League of Ireland Shield and the Dublin City Cup. It has had several formats since its inception and has been a knock-out competition since 2005. As there was no European qualification for winners of the League of Ireland Cup, it had a lower status than the FAI Cup and was therefore seen as the third most important trophy in the Irish playing season.
The competition was not held in 2020 and 2021 as a result of delays and restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and has yet to resume being held as of 2025.

## List of League Cup Finals

Key to the list of finals :
| † | Score on aggregate after 2 legs |
| | Match was won on a penalty shootout |
| Season | Winner | Score | Runner-up | Venue | Attendance |
| 1973–74 | Waterford | 2–1 | Finn Harps |
| 1974–75 | Bohemians | 3–2 $^†$ | Finn Harps |
| 1975–76 | Limerick | 4–1 $^†$ | Sligo Rovers |
| 1976–77 | Shamrock Rovers | 1–0 | Sligo Rovers |
| 1977–78 | Dundalk | 4–4 $^†$ | Cork Alberts |
| 1978–79 | Bohemians | 2–0 | Shamrock Rovers |
| 1979–80 | Athlone Town | 4–2 | St. Patrick's Athletic |
| 1980–81 | Dundalk | 0–0 | Galway Rovers |
| 1981–82 | Athlone Town | 1–0 | Shamrock Rovers |
| 1982–83 | Athlone Town | 2–1 | Dundalk |
| 1983–84 | Drogheda United | 3–1 | Athlone Town |
| 1984–85 | Waterford United | 2–1 | Finn Harps |
| 1985–86 | Galway United | 2–0 | Dundalk |
| 1986–87 | Dundalk | 1–0 | Shamrock Rovers |
| 1987–88 | Cork City | 1–0 | Shamrock Rovers |
| 1988–89 | Derry City | 4–0 | Dundalk |
| 1989–90 | Dundalk | 1–1 | Derry City |
| 1990–91 | Derry City | 2–0 | Limerick |
| 1991–92 | Derry City | 1–0 | Bohemians |
| 1992–93 | Limerick City | 2–0 | St. Patrick's Athletic |
| 1993–94 | Derry City | 1–0 $^†$ | Shelbourne |
| 1994–95 | Cork City | 2–1 $^†$ | Dundalk |
| 1995–96 | Shelbourne | 2–2 $^†$ | Sligo Rovers |
| 1996–97 | Galway United | 4–2 $^†$ | Cork City | Turners Cross, Cork |
| 1997–98 | Sligo Rovers | 1–0 $^†$ | Shelbourne |
| 1998–99 | Cork City | 2–1 $^†$ | Shamrock Rovers |
| 1999–2000 | Derry City | 5–2 $^†$ | Athlone Town |
| 2000–01 | St. Patrick's Athletic | 5–3 $^†$ | UCD |
| 2001–02 | Limerick F.C. | 2–2 $^†$ | Derry City |
| 2002–03 | No Competition due to change in seasons | No Competition due to change in seasons | No Competition due to change in seasons |
| 2003 | St. Patrick's Athletic | 1–0 | Longford Town | Richmond Park, Dublin |
| 2004 | Longford Town | 2–1 | Bohemians | Flancare Park, Longford |
| 2005 | Derry City | 2–1 | UCD | Belfield Park | 2,150 |
| 2006 | Derry City | 0–0 | Shelbourne | Brandywell Stadium, Derry | |
| 2007 | Derry City | 1–0 | Bohemians | Brandywell Stadium, Derry | 7,700 |
| 2008 | Derry City | 6–1 | Wexford Youths | Ferrycarrig Park, Crossabeg | 3,500 |
| 2009 | Bohemians | 3–1 | Waterford United | Waterford Regional Sports Centre, Waterford | 4,000 |
| 2010 | Sligo Rovers | 1–0 | Monaghan United | Showgrounds, Sligo | 3,000 |
| 2011 | Derry City | 1–0 | Cork City | Turner's Cross, Cork | 4,164 |
| 2012 | Drogheda United | 3–1 | Shamrock Rovers | Tallaght Stadium, Dublin | 3,120 |
| 2013 | Shamrock Rovers | 2–0 | Drogheda United | Tallaght Stadium, Dublin | 3,820 |
| 2014 | Dundalk | 3–2 | Shamrock Rovers | Oriel Park, Dundalk | 3,500 |
| 2015 | St Patrick's Athletic | 0–0 | Galway United | Eamonn Deacy Park, Galway | 3,662 |
| 2016 | St Patrick's Athletic | 4–1 | Limerick | Markets Field, Limerick | 4,362 |
| 2017 | Dundalk | 3–0 | Shamrock Rovers | Tallaght Stadium, Dublin | 4,102 |
| 2018 | Derry City | 3–1 | Cobh Ramblers | Brandywell Stadium, Derry | 3,500 (est) |
| 2019 | Dundalk | 2–2 | Derry City | Brandywell Stadium, Derry | 3,500 (est) |
| 2020 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland |
| 2021 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland |

## Performance by club

| Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning Years | Years runners up |
| Derry City | 11 | 3 | 1988–89, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1999–2000, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2018 | 1989–90, 2001–02, 2019 |
| Dundalk | 7 | 4 | 1977–78, 1980–81, 1986–87, 1989–90, 2014, 2017, 2019 | 1982–83, 1985–86, 1988–89, 1994–95 |
| St. Patrick's Athletic | 4 | 2 | 2000–01, 2003, 2015, 2016 | 1979–80, 1992–93 |
| Bohemians | 3 | 3 | 1974–75, 1978–79, 2009 | 1991–92, 2005, 2007 |
| Athlone Town | 3 | 2 | 1979–80, 1981–82, 1982–83 | 1983–84, 1999–2000 |
| Cork City | 3 | 2 | 1987–88, 1994–95, 1998–99 | 1996–97, 2011 |
| Limerick | 3 | 2 | 1975–76, 1992–93, 2001–02 | 1990–91, 2016 |
| Shamrock Rovers | 2 | 8 | 1976–77, 2013 | 1978–79, 1981–82, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1998–99, 2012, 2014, 2017 |
| Sligo Rovers | 2 | 3 | 1997–98, 2010 | 1975–76, 1976–77, 1995–96 |
| Galway United | 2 | 2 | 1985–86, 1996–97 | 1980–81, 2015 |
| Waterford United | 2 | 1 | 1973–74, 1984–85 | 2009 |
| Drogheda United | 2 | 1 | 1983–84, 2012 | 2013 |
| Shelbourne | 1 | 3 | 1995–96 | 1993–94, 1997–98, 2006 |
| Longford Town | 1 | 1 | 2004 | 2003 |
| Finn Harps | - | 3 | - | 1973–74, 1974–75, 1984–85 |
| UCD | - | 2 | - | 2000–01, 2005 |
| Cork Alberts | - | 1 | - | 1977–78 |
| Wexford Youths | - | 1 | - | 2008 |
| Monaghan United | - | 1 | - | 2010 |
| Cobh Ramblers | - | 1 | - | 2018 |
* Includes results for Limerick and Limerick City.
* Includes results for Galway Rovers.
* Includes results for Waterford FC.

## Sponsors

Bass League Cup: 1975–76 – 1978–79
Opel League Cup: 1986–87 – 1989–90
Bord Gáis League Cup: 1990–91 – 1995–96
Harp Lager League Cup: 1996–97 – 1998–99
Eircom League Cup: 1999–2000 – 2008
EA Sports Cup: 2009 –

## Television coverage

The Final has been broadcast live since 2005, first by Setanta Sports, then since 2016 by its successor channel Eir Sport