FAI Cup Final

The FAI Cup Final, known recently as the SportsDirect FAI Cup Final for sponsorship reasons, is an annual soccer match which is the last game in the Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup. It is the culmination of a knock-out competition among clubs belonging to the Football Association of Ireland, generally competed for by clubs from the Republic of Ireland, although representatives from Northern Ireland (most notably Derry City) have competed and even won the Cup. Shelbourne, Bohemians and Derry City are the only clubs to win both the (Northern) Irish Cup and the FAI Cup, although Shelbourne and Bohemians only won it before partition, whilst Derry City remained in the Northern Irish league system until 1973, entering the League of Ireland in 1985.

The FAI Cup final was played at Dalymount Park until 1990, since when it has been played at several venues. The 2006 final was the last soccer game to be played at the old Lansdowne Road before it was redeveloped and rebranded the Aviva Stadium. It was 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 this game with a brand new version of the trophy used in the following seasons. The cup final has been held at the Aviva Stadium since 2010.

List of results

Main article: FAI Cup § FAI Cup Finals

Performance by club

Club	Winners	Runners-up	Winning Years
Shamrock Rovers	25	10	1925, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1936, 1940, 1944, 1945, 1948, 1955, 1956, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1978, 1985, 1986, 1987, 2019.
Dundalk	12	7	1942, 1949, 1952, 1958, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1988, 2002, 2015, 2018, 2020
Shelbourne	7	11	1939, 1960, 1963, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000
Bohemians	7	8	1928, 1935, 1970, 1976, 1992, 2001, 2008
Sligo Rovers	5	6	1983, 1994, 2010, 2011, 2013
Derry City^[1]	6	5	1989, 1995, 2002, 2006, 2012, 2022
Drumcondra	5	4	1927, 1943, 1946, 1954, 1957
St. Patrick's Athletic	4	8	1959, 1961, 2014, 2021
Cork City	4	4	1998, 2007, 2016, 2017
Waterford United^[2]	2	7	1937, 1980
Cork Athletic	2	3	1951, 1953
Limerick^[3]	2	3	1971, 1982
Cork/Fordsons	2	2	1926, 1934
Cork Hibernians	2	2	1972, 1973
Cork United	2	2	1941, 1947
Longford Town	2	2	2003, 2004
St. James's Gate	2	2	1922, 1938
Bray Wanderers	2	-	1990, 1999
Drogheda United^[4]	2	3	2005
Finn Harps	1	1	1974
Galway United	1	1	1991
Alton United	1	-	1923
Athlone Town	1	-	1924
Transport	1	-	1950
Home Farm	1	-	1975
UCD AFC	1	-	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.

List of Match Officials

Year	Referee	Assistant Referees	Fourth Official
2025	-	-	-
2024	Rob Harvey[1]	Allen Lynch, Emmett Dynan	Paul Norton
2023	Paul McLaughlin[2]	Eoin Harte, Darren Carey	Rob Harvey
2022	Damien MacGraith [3]	Christopher Campbell, Brian Fenlon	Ben Connolly
2021	Robert Hennessy[4]	Dermot Broughton, Michelle O'Neill	Damien MacGraith
2020	Rob Harvey[5]	Alan Sherlock, Darren Corcoran	Sean Grant
2019	Derek Tomney[6]	Robert Clarke, Darragh Keegan	Robert Hennessy
2018	Neil Doyle[7]	Mark Gavin, Declan Toland (AAR[8] Rob Harvey & Damien MacGraith)	Rob Rogers
2017	Paul McLaughlin[9]	Robert Clarke, Wayne McDonnell (AAR Rob Hennessy & Ray Matthews)	Derek Tomney
2016	Rob Rogers	Allen Lynch, Emmett Dynan (AAR[10] Tomás Connolly & Derek Tomney)	Tomás Connolly
2015	David McKeon[11]	Dermot Broughton, Mark Gavin	Rob Rogers
2014	Padraigh Sutton[12]	Ciaran Delaney, Wayne McDonnell	Paul McLaughlin
2013	Paul Tuite[13]	Damien MacGraith, Michelle O'Neill	Derek Tomney
2012	Neil Doyle[14]	Emmett Dynan, Robert Clarke	Damien Hancock
2011	Richie Winter	Mark Gavin, Dermot Broughton	Graham Kelly
2010	Tomás Connolly	Damien MacGraith, Wayne McDonnell	Padraigh Sutton
2009	Alan Kelly	Allen Lynch, Terence Moyne	Neil Doyle
2008	Anthony Buttimer	Eddie Foley, Ken Hennessy	Richie Winter
2007	David McKeon	Damien MacGraith, Fran Cunningham	Pat Whelan
2006	Damien Hancock (Dublin)	Ciaran Delaney (Dublin), Marc Douglas (Louth)	David McKeon (Dublin)
2005	Ian Stokes	Dave Wogan, JP Kelly	Declan Hanney
2004	John Feighery (Dublin)	Martin Moloney (Edenderry, Co Meath), Rhona Daly (Athlone, Co Roscommon)	Ian Stokes (Dublin)
2003	Alan Kelly (Cork)	Eddie Foley, Barry McDonnell	Paul Tuite
2001-02	Paul McKeon (Dublin)
1994-95	Michael Tomney
1987-88	John Spillane
1983	Robert Finn	Liam Gavin, Sean Ware	Wilfred Wallace
1980-81	Paddy Mulhall
1978-79	Paddy Daly (Dublin)
1976-77	Noel Breen
1957-58	Denis Howell (Birmingham)
1951-52	C. Fletcher (Cheshire)
1948-49	E. Roland
1941-42	T. Dwyer
1930-31 (Replay)	Mr H.N. Mee (Nottingham)
1928-29	Mr Hull (Burnley)
1927-28	Jean Langenus (Belgium)
1926-27	Mr J.T. Howcroft (Bolton)
1924-25	Mr Howcroft (Bradford)
1921-22	M. Broderick (Athlone)

See also

• FAI Cup

References

1. https://www.extratime.com/articles/34916/rob-harvey-returns-to-referee-fai-cup-final-after-officiating-2020-final/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
2. https://twitter.com/FAIreland/status/1721594123956719641. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
3. "MATCH OFFICIALS CONFIRMED FOR THE FAI MENS AND WOMENS CUP FINALS | Football Association of Ireland".
4. "SSE Airtricity League".
5. https://twitter.com/faireland/status/1335630081214083072?lang=en. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
6. "SSE Airtricity League".
7. "Neil Doyle to referee the FAI Cup final".
8. "Additional Assistant Referees | Inside UEFA". 2 January 2014.
9. "Donegal man appointed to referee FAI Senior Cup final". 16 October 2017.
10. "Additional Assistant Referees | Inside UEFA". 2 January 2014.
11. "Officials appointed for FAI Cup Finals | Football Association of Ireland".
12. "Padraigh Sutton set to referee FAI Ford Cup final". 29 October 2014.
13. "Tuite to referee FAI Ford Cup Final | Football Association of Ireland".
14. "Neil Doyle to referee FAI Ford Cup Final | Football Association of Ireland".

External links

• "'You can't lose, you'll make the league look bad'", RTÉ Sport, 13 May 2020.