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1988 FAI Cup Final
Event	1987–88 FAI Cup
Date	1 May 1988
Venue	Dalymount Park, Dublin
Referee	John Spillane
Attendance	21,000
	← 1987 1989 →

The 1988 FAI Cup Final was the final match of the 1987–88 FAI Cup, a knock-out association football competition contested annually by clubs affiliated with the Football Association of Ireland. It took place on Sunday 1 May 1988 at Dalymount Park in Dublin, and was contested by Dundalk and Derry City. Dundalk won the match 1–0 to win the cup for the eighth time, and, in so doing, won their second League and Cup Double.

Background

The two sides' three previous meetings that season had been in the League, with Dundalk winning both matches in Oriel Park and Derry winning the match in the Brandywell. Dundalk had already been confirmed League of Ireland Champions for 1987–88, and they were chasing their second League and Cup Double. They had lost the previous season's final and hadn't won the Cup since 1981.^[1] To reach the final they had defeated Sligo Rovers (3–2 in a replay after a 1–1 draw), Bray Wanderers (2–0), Cork City (1–0 in a replay after a 0–0 draw), and St Patrick's Athletic (4–0 on aggregate in a two-leg semi-final).^[2]

Derry City had joined the League in 1985–86, and been promoted in 1986–87. They finished eighth in the Premier Division in their first season, and were playing in their first FAI Cup final, but had already qualified for the 1988–89 European Cup Winners' Cup due to Dundalk qualifying for the 1988–89 European Cup. They had overcome non-league St Joseph's Boys (6–0), Bohemians (4–1 in a replay after a 0–0 draw), Home Farm (3–0), and Longford Town (6–2 on aggregate in a two-leg semi-final) to reach the final.^[3]^[4]

The match was broadcast live on RTÉ Two in Ireland with commentary from George Hamilton.^[5]

Match

Summary

The match, spoiled somewhat by a strong blustery wind and a cut-up pitch, was settled by a controversial 20th-minute penalty, scored by John Cleary. Derry's Martin Bayly had been harshly adjudged to have fouled Dundalk's Larry Wyse by referee Spillane, when Bayly pushed Wyse on the right-hand side of the penalty area but not with enough force to knock him over. Derry City had two claims for penalties of their own waved away in the second half, but on the balance of play Dundalk were considered to have been the better team, generally snuffing out Derry City's attacking play and creating a number of good chances of their own.^[6] Dundalk's victory meant that they had secured their second League and Cup Double, the first having been won in 1978–79.^[7]

Details

1 May 1988

15:30

Dundalk	1–0^[8]	Derry City
John Cleary 20' (pen.)	Report

Dalymount Park, Dublin

Attendance: 21,000^[9]

Referee: John Spillane

Dundalk

Derry City



GK	Alan O'Neill
CB	Harry McCue
CB	John Cleary
CB	Joey Malone (c)
RWB	Gino Lawless
LWB	Martin Lawlor
CM	Martin Murray
CM	Larry Wyse	70'
CM	Barry Kehoe
CF	Terry Eviston
CF	Dessie Gorman
Substitutes:
MF	Michael O'Connor	70'
Manager:
Turlough O'Connor



GK	Stuart Roberts
RB	Pascal Vaudequin
CB	Paul Curran
CB	Stuart Gauld (c)
LB	Ray McGuinness
RM	Paul Carlyle
CM	Felix Healy	63'
CM	Calvin Plummer
LM	Martin Bayly
CF	Owen Da Gama
CF	Jonathan Speak
Substitutes:
MF	John Cunningham	63'
Manager:
Jim McLaughlin

References

Bibliography

Murphy, Jim (2003). The History of Dundalk F.C.: The First 100 Years. Dundalgan Press. ASIN B0042SO3R2.
Wilson, David (2007). Derry City FC: City Till I Die. Zero Seven Media. ISSN 1753-8904.
Graham, Alex. Football in the Republic of Ireland a Statistical Record 1921–2005. Soccer Books Limited. ISBN 1-86223-135-4.

Citations

^ Murphy, Jim (2003). The History of Dundalk F.C.: The First 100 Years. Dundalgan Press. p. 340. ASIN B0042SO3R2.
^ Murphy, Jim (2003). The History of Dundalk F.C.: The First 100 Years. Dundalgan Press. p. 344. ASIN B0042SO3R2.
^ Wilson, David (2007). Derry City FC: City Till I Die. Zero Seven Media. ISSN 1753-8904.
^ Carwood, Michael (1 May 1988). "FAI Cup Preview". Sunday Press. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
^ "RTE 2". Sunday Independent. 1 May 1988. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
^ Stuart, Charlie (2 May 1988). "Delight". The Irish Press. Retrieved 23 April 2019 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
^ Stuart, Charlie (2 May 1988). "Dundalk's joy as penalty clinches it!". Irish Press. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
^ "Ireland FAI Cup (1921-1994)". RSSSF. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
^ "FAI Cup Final". Irish Press. 2 May 1988. Retrieved 28 October 2019.