# FAI Cup

The Football Association of Ireland Senior Challenge Cup (FAI Cup), known as the Sports Direct FAI Cup 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 Drogheda United F.C. who won their 2nd title on 10 November 2024, defeating Derry City F.C. 2-0 at Aviva Stadium.

## 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.
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.

## 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

| Lvl | Competition | Entering cup at | No. of clubs |
| 1 | League of Ireland Premier Division | First Round | All 10 teams qualify automatically |
| 2 | League of Ireland First Division | First Round | All 10 teams qualify automatically |
| 3–7 | FAI Intermediate Cup | Preliminary Round, First Round | 16 fourth round teams |
| 7–12 | FAI Junior Cup | Preliminary Round | 4 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

| 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 |
| 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 | 41,238 |
| 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 | 21,000 |
| 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 |
| 2018 | Dundalk | 2–1 | Cork City | Aviva Stadium | 30,412 |
| 2019 | Shamrock Rovers | 1 – 1 (a.e.t.) 4 – 2 (pen.) | Dundalk | Aviva Stadium | 33,111 |
| 2020 | Dundalk | 4 – 2 (a.e.t.) | Shamrock Rovers | Aviva Stadium | 0* |
| 2021 | St Patrick's Athletic | 1 – 1 (a.e.t.) 4 – 3 (pen.) | Bohemians | Aviva Stadium | 37,126 |
| 2022 | Derry City | 4–0 | Shelbourne | Aviva Stadium | 32,412 |
| 2023 | St Patrick's Athletic | 3–1 | Bohemians | Aviva Stadium | 43,881 |
| 2024 | Drogheda United | 2–0 | Derry City | Aviva Stadium | 38,723 |
| $^*$Denotes match in which Covid-19 restrictions limited attendance ||||||

## Performances
### Performance by club

| Rank | Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning Years |
| 1 | Shamrock Rovers | 25 | 10 | 1924–25, 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 |
| 2 | Dundalk | 12 | 8 | 1941–42, 1948–49, 1951–52, 1957–58, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1980–81, 1987–88, 2001–02, 2015, 2018, 2020 |
| 3 | Shelbourne | 7 | 12 | 1938–39, 1959–60, 1962–63, 1992–93, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1999–00 |
| 3 | Bohemians | 7 | 9 | 1927–28, 1934–35, 1969–70, 1975–76, 1991–92, 2000–01, 2008 |
| 5 | Derry City | 6 | 6 | 1988–1989, 1994–1995, 2002, 2006, 2012, 2022 |
| 6 | St Patrick's Athletic | 5 | 8 | 1958–59, 1960–61, 2014, 2021, 2023 |
| 6 | Sligo Rovers | 5 | 6 | 1982–83, 1993–94, 2010, 2011, 2013 |
| 6 | Drumcondra | 5 | 4 | 1926–27, 1942–43, 1945–46, 1953–54, 1956–57 |
| 9 | Cork City | 4 | 5 | 1997–98, 2007, 2016, 2017 |
| 10 | Waterford | 2 | 7 | 1936–37, 1979–80 |
| 10 | Cork Athletic | 2 | 3 | 1950–52, 1952–53 |
| 10 | Limerick | 2 | 3 | 1970–71, 1981–82 |
| 10 | Drogheda United | 2 | 3 | 2005, 2024 |
| 10 | Cork/Fordsons | 2 | 2 | 1925–26, 1933–34 |
| 10 | Cork Hibernians | 2 | 2 | 1971–72, 1972–73 |
| 10 | Cork United | 2 | 2 | 1940–41, 1946–47 |
| 10 | Longford Town | 2 | 2 | 2003, 2004 |
| 10 | St. James's Gate | 2 | 2 | 1921–22, 1937–38 |
| 10 | Bray Wanderers | 2 | - | 1989–90, 1998–99 |
| 20 | Finn Harps | 1 | 1 | 1973–74 |
| 20 | Galway United | 1 | 1 | 1990–91 |
| 20 | Alton United | 1 | - | 1922–23 |
| 20 | Athlone Town | 1 | - | 1923–24 |
| 20 | Transport | 1 | - | 1949–50 |
| 20 | Home Farm | 1 | - | 1974–75 |
| 20 | UCD AFC | 1 | - | 1983–84 |
| 20 | Sporting Fingal | 1 | - | 2009 |
| 28 | Cork Celtic | - | 3 | – |
| 28 | Brideville | - | 2 | – |
| 28 | Dolphin | - | 2 | – |
| 28 | St. Francis | - | 1 | – |
Notes:
* 1 ^ Includes Limerick United
* 2 ^ Includes Drogheda F.C.
* 3 ^ Includes Evergreen United