All-Island Cup

All-Island Cup

Organising body	Football Association of Ireland
Founded	2023
Region	Northern Ireland  Republic of Ireland
Number of teams	16
Current champions	Galway United
Most successful club(s)	Galway United (2 titles)

The All-Island Cup, known as the Avenir Sports Women's All-Island Cup for sponsorship purposes,^[1] is a women's association football competition held on an all-Ireland basis between women's football clubs from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. It was founded in 2023.^[2]

Background

Historically, association football in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland was organised separately due to the two associations holding separate UEFA membership. In 2023, the Republic of Ireland's Football Association of Ireland came up with the idea of an all-Ireland competition in advance of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, designed to keep competitive women's football going during this time.^[3] It was also envisaged to showcase women's association football in the island of Ireland.^[4] The idea was supported by Northern Ireland's Irish Football Association and the competition was planned with 11 teams from the FAI's League of Ireland Women's Premier Division and 5 from the IFA's Women's Premiership.^[5] The draw for the inaugural competition was made at the FAI's Headquarters in Dublin.^[6]

Prior to the semi-finals, due to Cliftonville qualifying, there was concern over the date of the final due to a potential clash with either the Northern Ireland women's national football team matches or the 2023 NIFL Women's Premiership League Cup Cliftonville were due to play in.^[7] However the Irish League agreed to move it.^[8] Galway United were the first All-Ireland Cup champions by defeating Cliftonville 1–0 at The Showgrounds, Sligo, winning their first major women's trophy.^[9]

2023 competition

Group A

Pos	Nat	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1		Galway United	3	2	1	0	3	0	+3	7	Advance to Round 2
2		Shelbourne	3	1	1	1	5	4	+1	4
3		Athlone Town	3	1	1	1	3	5	−2	4
4		Linfield	3	0	1	2	2	4	−2	1

Source: Extra time

Group B

Pos	Nat	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1		Wexford Youths	3	2	1	0	5	3	+2	7	Advance to Round 2
2		Shamrock Rovers	3	2	0	1	8	8	0	6
3		Glentoran	3	1	1	1	8	4	+4	4
4		Peamount United	3	0	0	3	2	9	−7	0

Source: Extra time

Group C

Pos	Nat	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1		Cliftonville	3	2	1	0	5	3	+2	7	Advance to Round 2
2		Sion Swifts	3	2	0	1	6	3	+3	6
3		Bohemians	3	1	0	2	4	4	0	3
4		Sligo Rovers	3	0	1	2	3	8	−5	1

Source: Extra time

Group D

Pos	Nat	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1		Cork City	3	3	0	0	6	2	+4	9	Advance to Round 2
2		DLR Waves	3	2	0	1	6	3	+3	6
3		Crusaders Strikers	3	1	0	2	4	6	−2	3
4		Treaty United	3	0	0	3	3	8	−5	0

Source: Extra time

Semi-finals

Team 1	Score	Team 2
Cliftonville	1–0[10]	Cork City
Wexford Youths	1–1 (3-4 p)[11]	Galway United

Final

23 July 2023 (2023-07-23)

15:00 IST

Galway United	1–0	Cliftonville
McGuinness 12'	Report

The Showgrounds, Sligo

2024 edition

The 2024 edition of the All-Island Cup was drawn on 22 February 2024.^[12]

Group A

Pos	Nat	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1		Peamount United	2	1	1	0	8	2	+6	4	Advance to Round 2
2		Linfield	2	1	1	0	4	3	+1	4
3		Bohemians	2	1	0	1	5	2	+3	3
4		Lisburn	2	0	0	2	0	10	−10	0

Source: Soccerway

Group B

Pos	Nat	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1		Wexford Youths	2	1	1	0	8	2	+6	4	Advance to Round 2
2		Shelbourne	2	1	1	0	4	1	+3	4
3		Cork City	2	0	1	1	2	5	−3	1
4		Cliftonville	2	0	1	1	1	7	−6	1

Source: Soccerway

Group C

Pos	Nat	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1		Shamrock Rovers	2	1	1	0	5	1	+4	4	Advance to Round 2
2		Treaty United	2	1	1	0	3	1	+2	4
3		Crusaders Strikers	2	1	0	1	1	2	−1	3
4		DLR Waves	2	0	0	2	0	5	−5	0

Source: Soccerway

Group D

Pos	Nat	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1		Galway United	2	2	0	0	6	0	+6	6	Advance to Round 2
2		Athlone Town	2	2	0	0	7	3	+4	6
3		Sligo Rovers	2	0	0	2	1	4	−3	0
4		Glentoran	2	0	0	2	2	9	−7	0

Source: Soccerway

References

1. "Inaugural Draw for Avenir Sports Women's All-Island Cup Announced - The Home of Irish Football". Extra Time. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
2. Halligan, Fiona (18 May 2023). "Draw for inaugural All Island Cup has been made". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
3. "First women's All-Island Cup draw made with Wexford Youths, Peamount and Shamrock Rovers handed tough group". Irish Independent. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
4. "The Showgrounds to Host First Ever Avenir Sports All-Island Cup Final". Her Sport. 12 July 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
5. McCann, Lauren (15 June 2023). "All-Island Cup: Everything you need to know about the new cross-border competition". BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
6. "All-Island Cup: Cliftonville draw Bohs in inaugural competition". BBC Sport. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
7. "International fixtures may delay All-Island Cup decider". Belfast Telegraph. 8 July 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
8. "Avenir Sports All Island Cup Final Details Confirmed". NIFL. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
9. "Galway United Women claim first national trophy". Galway Advertiser. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
10. "All-Island Cup: Cliftonville beat Cork City to reach final against Galway". BBC Sport. 9 July 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
11. "Wexford Youths pay the penalty as Galway progress to final". Irish Independent. 12 July 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
12. "All-Island Cup: Irish Premiership winners Glentoran draw holders Galway United". BBC Sport. 22 February 2024. Retrieved 21 March 2024.