The FAI Junior Cup is a cup competition organized by the Football Association of Ireland for junior association football clubs from the Republic of Ireland. The inaugural winners were Brideville.[2][3] The competition's most successful club is Fairview Rangers of the Limerick & District League who have been winners nine times.[1] According to the FAI, the FAI Junior Cup is one of the largest national amateur cup competitions in Europe. The 2012–13 competition saw an estimated 600 clubs enter the cup.[4] The competition also serves a qualifier for the senior FAI Cup with the four semi-finalists all invited to take part in the FAI Cup.
| Organising body | Football Association of Ireland |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1923 |
| Region |  Ireland |
| Current champions | Cockhill Celtic |
| Most successful club(s) | Fairview Rangers (9 titles)[1] |
| Television broadcasters | TG4 Setanta Sports Irish TV eir Sport |
| Website | FAI Junior Cup @ www.fai.ie |
History
editLeague of Ireland
editThe cup's first winners were Brideville who beat Cobh Ramblers in the inaugural 1923–24 final. Brideville and Cobh Ramblers also became the first of several future League of Ireland members to feature in an FAI Junior Cup final. Sligo Rovers, Evergreen United, St Patrick's Athletic, Bray Wanderers, Home Farm, Finn Harps and St Francis all won the cup before joining the national league. Drogheda United were finalists on four occasions but never winners while Athlone Town won the cup twice during the 1930s after dropping out of the League of Ireland.[2][3][5]
Recent finals
editOn 2 June 2013 the FAI Junior Cup final was played at the Aviva Stadium for the first time. It was played before a friendly international between the Republic of Ireland and Georgia.[4] In 2013 Aviva joined Umbro as sponsors of the FAI Junior Cup and as part of the arrangement all the finals since then have been played at the Aviva Stadium. Sheriff Y.C. became the first club to win the cup following a final at the Aviva.[2][6] The 2014–15 and 2015–16 finals were both played as double headers along with the FAI Intermediate Cup finals.[7][8]
Television coverage
editTV coverage debuted on TG4 and Setanta Sports in 2014 from the quarter-finals stage. Irish TV replaced TG4 as free-to-air broadcaster in 2015, and all three channels showed coverage in 2016, again from the quarter-finals stage.
In a major change, the 2016–17 season saw coverage begin with the third round in October, running on the newly-renamed eir Sport, IrishTV until its closure in March 2017, and TG4 from the quarter-finals stage.
List of finals
edit| Season | Winners | Result | Runner-Up | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | Cockhill Celtic F.C. | 1–1 (pens) | Gorey Rangers | Eamonn Deacy Park |
| 2022-23 | Newmarket Celtic | 1-1 (pens) | St. Michael's | Jackman Park |
| 2021-22 | Villa FC | 1-0 | Pike Rovers | Turners Cross |
| 2019–20 | Fairview Rangers | 1-0 | Usher Celtic | Eamon Deacy Park |
| 2018–19 | St. Michael's | 1–0 | Sheriff Y.C. | Eamon Deacy Park |
| 2017–18 | North End United | 1–1 [note 1] | Pike Rovers | Aviva Stadium |
| 2016–17 | Sheriff Y.C. | 2–0 | Evergreen | Aviva Stadium |
| 2015–16 | Sheriff Y.C.[9] | 1–0 | Pike Rovers | Aviva Stadium |
| 2014–15 | Liffey Wanderers[7] | 2–1 [note 2] | Sheriff Y.C. | Aviva Stadium |
| 2013–14 | St. Michael's[10] | 4–0 | Ballynanty Rovers (Limerick) | Aviva Stadium |
| 2012–13 | Sheriff Y.C.[11] | 0–0 [note 3] | Kilbarrack United | Aviva Stadium |
| 2011–12 | Sheriff Y.C.[12] | 3–1 | Kilbarrack United | Tolka Park |
| 2010–11 | Pike Rovers[13] | 2–1 | St. Michael's | Turners Cross |
| 2009–10 | Fairview Rangers[14] | 0–0 [note 4] | St. Michael's | Turners Cross |
| 2008–09 | Ballymun United[15] | 2–0 | St. Peter's (Athlone) | Tolka Park |
| 2007–08 | Carrick United (Waterford)[16] | 2–1 | Killester United | Waterford RSC |
| 2006–07 | Killester United | 3–0 | St John Bosco(Drimnagh) | Dalymount Park |
| 2005–06 | Waterford Crystal | 1–0 | Athenry | Terryland Park |
| 2004–05 | Westport United | 2–0[17][18] | Waterford Crystal | Buckley Park |
| 2003–04 | Fairview Rangers | Carrick United | ||
| 2002–03 | Fairview Rangers | Portmarnock FC | ||
| 2001–02 | Fairview Rangers | 3–0 | St Michael's FC | |
| 2000–01 | Ballymun United | St. Kevin's Boys F.C. | Tolka Park | |
| 1999–2000 | Portmarnock | 2-0 | St Michael's FC | Tolka Park |
| 1998–99 | Fairview Rangers | Ballymun United | ||
| 1997–98 | Fairview Rangers | Waterford Crystal | ||
| 1996–97 | Fairview Rangers | Portmarnock FC | ||
| 1995–96 | Bohemians (Waterford) | Mungret Regional | ||
| 1994–95 | Cherry Orchard | 1.1(pens) | Kilmore United | |
| 1993–94 | Clonmel Town[19] | 5–1 | New Ross Celtic | |
| 1992–93 | Kinvara Boys | St. Kevin's Boys F.C. | ||
| 1991–92 | Neilstown Rangers | Rosemount | ||
| 1990–91 | Cherry Orchard | 1.0 | Donaghmede Celtic | |
| 1989–90 | Cherry Orchard | 2.0 | Avenue United (Clare) | |
| 1988–89 | Tolka Rovers | Waterford Bohemians | ||
| 1987–88 | Usher Celtic | Beggsboro | ||
| 1986–87 | Cherry Orchard | 1.0 | Temple United (Cork) | |
| 1985–86 | Cherry Orchard | 2.0 | Usher Celtic | |
| 1984–85 | Cherry Orchard | 2.1 | St. Kevin's Boys F.C. | |
| 1983–84 | Beggsboro | Evergreen (Kilkenny) | ||
| 1982–83 | St Francis | Ballynanty Rovers (Limerick) | ||
| 1981–82 | Cherry Orchard 2.0 | Diamond Celtic | ||
| 1980–81 | St Teresa's | Belgrave | ||
| 1979–80 | East Wall United | Arbour United | ||
| 1978–79 | St. Patrick's C.Y.M.S. | East Wall United | ||
| 1977–78 | Inchicore [note 5] | 3.0 | Cherry Orchard | |
| 1976–77 | Dunleary Celtic | Dingle United | ||
| 1975–76 | Whitehall Rangers | 2-0 | Ballynanty Rovers (Limerick) | |
| 1974–75 | Dunleary Celtic | Arbour United | ||
| 1973–74 | St. Michael's | Tolka Rovers | ||
| 1972–73 | Tolka Rovers | St. Patrick's C.Y.M.S. | ||
| 1971–72 | Talbot United | St. Mary's (Cork) | ||
| 1970–71 | Hoganville (Dublin) | Caledonians (Limerick) | ||
| 1969–70 | Caledonians (Limerick) | Tolka Rovers | ||
| 1968–69 | St Francis | Talbot United | ||
| 1967–68 | Finn Harps | Telephones United (Dublin) | ||
| 1966–67 | Swilly Rovers (Donegal) | Orchard United (Dublin) | ||
| 1965–66 | East Wall United | Everton (Cork) | ||
| 1964–65 | Fairview Rangers (Limerick) | Douglas (Cork) | ||
| 1963–64 | East Wall United | Swilly Rovers (Donegal) | ||
| 1962–63 | T.E.K. United | 3–1 | Blackrock (Cork | Dalymount Park |
| 1961–62 | Swilly Rovers (Donegal) | Castleview (Cork) | ||
| 1960–61 | Valley United | Hibernians (Waterford) | ||
| 1959–60 | Pearse Rangers | Hibernians (Waterford) | ||
| 1958–59 | St Saviours | Glenmore Celtic | ||
| 1957–58 | Virginians | Swilly Rovers (Donegal) | ||
| 1956–57 | Belgrove | Virginians | ||
| 1955–56 | Grange United | Bohemians (Waterford) | ||
| 1954–55 | Home Farm | Belgrove | ||
| 1953–54 | Bray Wanderers[20] | 1–0 | Ierne | Dalymount Park |
| 1952–53 | Evergreen (Waterford) | 3-2 | Swilly Rovers (Donegal) | Dalymount Park |
| 1951–52 | Rathfarnham | Bohemians (Waterford) | ||
| 1950–51 | Bray Wanderers[20] | 2–1 | Drogheda United | Dalymount Park |
| 1949–50 | Griffith Rangers | Irish Raleigh | ||
| 1948–49 | Rathfarnham | Caledonians (Limerick) | ||
| 1947–48 | St Paul's (Cork) | Pike Rovers | ||
| 1946–47 | Hibernians (Waterford) | Iona C.Y.M.S. (Dublin) | ||
| 1945–46 | St. Patrick's C.Y.M.S. | Rathfarnham | ||
| 1944–45 | Rockville (Cork) | Wembley Rovers (Limerick) | ||
| 1943–44 | Coastal Defence (Cork) | Drogheda United | ||
| 1942–43 | No competition | |||
| 1941–42 | Distillery B (Dublin) | Drogheda United | ||
| 1940–41 | St Patrick's Athletic | Galway Bohemians | ||
| 1939–40 | Drumcondra Juniors | Drogheda United | ||
| 1938–39 | Drumcondra Juniors | 4-0 | Killybegs (Donegal) | Dalymount Park |
| 1937–38 | Athlone Town[5] | 2–0 | Bendigo United (Dublin) | Tolka Park |
| 1936–37 | Amiens Celtic | St. Patrick's (Dundalk) | ||
| 1935–36 | Evergreen United | 2-1 [21] | Shelbourne | Dalymount Park |
| 1934–35 | Athlone Town[5][22] | 3–0 | Evergreen United | Dalymount Park |
| 1933–34 | B&I[23] | 2–1 | Cobh Wanderers | Dalymount Park |
| 1932–33 | Queen's Park[24] | 1–0 | Amiens Celtic | Rutland Avenue |
| 1931–32 | Clontarf Corinthians[25] | 2–1 | Southern Rovers | Dalymount Park |
| 1930–31 | Distillery (Dublin)[26] | 1–0 | Southern Rovers | Harold's Cross |
| 1929–30 | Rossville[27] | 2–0 | Bohemians "C" | Dalymount Park |
| 1928–29 | Sligo Rovers | 3–0 | Grangegorman | The Showgrounds (Sligo) |
| 1927–28 | Richmond United[28] | 3–0 | Cahir Unknowns | Tolka Park |
| 1926–27 | Richmond United[29] | 4–1 | Bohemians "C" | Dalymount Park |
| 1925–26 | Brunswick[30] | 1–0 | St. Vincents (Cork) | Victoria Cross, Cork |
| 1924–25 | St. Mary's United[31] | 3–2 | Sligo Celtic | St James' Park |
| 1923–24 | Brideville[32] | 1–0 | Cobh Ramblers | Victoria Cross, Cork |
- Notes
References
edit- ^ a b "Fairview Rangers A.F.C. – About Us". fairviewrangers.ie. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ a b c d "FAI Junior Cup Winners". stadium.aviva.ie. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ a b c Mark Herbert, Donie Butler (1994–95). FAI Yearbook & Diary 1995. Dublin: Sportsworld Ltd.
- ^ a b "Ireland to play Georgia on June 2". fai.ie. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ a b c Lynch, Frank (1991). A History of Athlone Town F.C: The First 101 Years. Athlone: Arcadia.
- ^ "Aviva Stadium to host FAI Junior Cup Final next May". The Kerryman. 25 August 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
- ^ a b "Liffey Wanderers overcome Sheriff YC to claim first FAI Junior Cup". The Irish Times. 17 May 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
- ^ "Information: FAI Junior and Intermediate Cup Finals". fai.ie. 13 May 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
- ^ "Dublin club Sheriff YC claim FAI Junior Cup glory at the Aviva Stadium". the42. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
- ^ "Four-midable St Michael's clinch the FAI Junior Cup final". the42.ie. 25 May 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ "Dunne and dusted: Sheriff claim second FAI Junior Cup". thejuniorsoccerportal. 3 June 2013. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
- ^ "Sheriff 3–1 Kilbarrack". extratime.ie. 3 June 2013. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ "Pike Rovers claim dramatic Junior Cup victory". fai.ie. 22 May 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ "Hickey the hero as Fairview celebrate". Irish Examiner. 7 June 2010. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ "Results 2008/2009". fai.ie. 22 May 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ "Carrick dreams come true". Munster Express. 8 May 2008. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ "Results 2004/2005". fai.ie. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ "Westport clinch Junior Cup glory". The Irish Independent. 20 June 2005. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ "Clonmel Town – Club History". clonmeltownfc.com. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ a b "Club History 1920s to 1985". braywanderers.com. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ Irish Press 1931-1995, Monday, 11 May 1936; Page: 11
- ^ Irish Independent 1905-current, Monday, May 20, 1935; Page: 13
- ^ Irish Press 1931-1995, Monday, 7 May 1934; Page: 11
- ^ Irish Independent 1905–current, Monday, 22 May 1933; Page: 13
- ^ Irish Independent 1905–current, Monday, 2 May 1932; Page: 13
- ^ Irish Independent 1905–current, Monday, 11 May 1931; Page: 13
- ^ Irish Independent 1905–current, Monday, 19 May 1930; Page: 12
- ^ Irish Independent 1905–current, Monday, 30 April 1928; Page: 11
- ^ Irish Independent 1905–current, Monday, 16 May 1927; Page: 10
- ^ Irish Independent 1905–current, Monday, 10 May 1926; Page: 10
- ^ Irish Independent 1905–current, Monday, 11 May 1925; Page: 10
- ^ Irish Independent 1905–current, Monday, 19 May 1924; Page: 7
- ^ "Cork AUL Records – FAI Junior Cup" (PDF). corkaul.files.wordpress.com. Retrieved 20 October 2016.