2020 Scottish Challenge Cup final

Last updated
2020 Scottish Challenge Cup final
Event 2019–20 Scottish Challenge Cup
Inverness
Caledonian Thistle 		Raith Rovers
––
Shared
← 2019
2022 →

The 2020 Scottish Challenge Cup final, also known as the Tunnocks Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup final for sponsorship reasons, was a football match that was scheduled to take place between Raith Rovers and Inverness Caledonian Thistle, [1] [2] but was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Instead of contesting the final at a later date, the two clubs shared the cup.

Contents

Route to the final

The competition is a knock-out tournament and was contested by 58 teams from Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in 2019–20. [3] The competition was originally only contested by clubs in the Scottish football league system, but teams from Wales and Northern Ireland were added from 2016–17, [4] the Republic of Ireland in 2017–18, and two teams from the English National League (fifth tier) were added from 2018–19. [5] [6]

Raith Rovers

Round Opposition Score
Second round [7] Ross County Under-21s (a) 3–2
Third round [8] Falkirk (h) 2–0
Fourth round [9] Ulster Banner.svg Glenavon (h) 3–1
Quarter-final [10] Elgin City (h) 3–2
Semi-final [1] Partick Thistle (a) 2–1

Inverness

Round Opposition Score
Third round [11] Greenock Morton (h) 3–1
Fourth round [12] Alloa Athletic (h) 3–0
Quarter-final [13] Clyde (h) 0–0 ( a.e.t. )
4–2 ( p )
Semi-final [2] Rangers Under-21s (h) 2–1

Match details and cancellation

Inverness player James Keatings was initially suspended for the final, having been sent off for being shown two yellow cards during the semi-final. [14] An appeal against one of those cards, and the resulting suspension, was rejected by a Scottish Football Association panel. [14] A new appeal hearing was convened when one of the panel members advised the SFA that they had not considered all of the available evidence. [15] This second panel rescinded one of the cards, which would have made Keatings available to play in the final. [16]

The match was originally scheduled for 28 March 2020, [1] but all of Scottish football was suspended on 13 March due to the coronavirus pandemic. [17] The Scottish Football Association confirmed on 16 March that the SPFL had postponed the match, pending further information from the Scottish Government about when and how football could be resumed. [18] [19] When the SPFL announced in October 2020 that the 2020–21 edition of the competition had been cancelled, it also said that the 2019–20 final would "be scheduled for a date later this season", i.e. during 2020–21. [20]

On 30 April 2021, it was announced that the 2019–20 final would not be played and that both clubs would share the title instead. [21]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Partick Thistle 1–2 Raith Rovers". BBC Sport. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2–1 Rangers". BBC Sport. 16 February 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  3. ↑ "IRN-BRU Cup expanded for 2017/18". www.spfl.co.uk. Scottish Professional Football League. 7 June 2017. Archived from the original on 31 August 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  4. ↑ "Northern Irish and Welsh sides to join top flight U20s in Challenge Cup". STV Sport. STV. 8 June 2016. Archived from the original on 15 October 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
  5. ↑ "Sutton United & Boreham Wood to enter Irn Bru Scottish Challenge Cup". BBC Sport. 8 June 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  6. ↑ "Scottish Challenge Cup: Welsh club Wrexham representing England in Scottish Cup". BBC Sport. 26 June 2019. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  7. ↑ Elder, Matthew (13 August 2019). "Ross County Colts 2 Raith Rovers 3: As it happened". Fife Today. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  8. ↑ Elder, Matthew (8 September 2019). "Raith Rovers' spot-on performance sees off Falkirk in Challenge Cup". Fife Today. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  9. ↑ Elder, Matthew (14 October 2019). "Raith Rovers 3 Glenavon 1: John McGlynn and Gary Hamilton post-match reaction". Fife Today. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  10. ↑ Skinner, Andy (15 November 2019). "Elgin knocked out of Challenge Cup in brave 3-2 loss to Raith Rovers". The Press & Journal. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  11. ↑ Skinner, Andy (7 September 2019). "Caley Jags defeat Morton 3-1 to reach Challenge Cup last-16". The Press & Journal. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  12. ↑ Skinner, Andy (12 October 2019). "Caley Jags advance to Challenge Cup last eight with comfortable 3-0 victory over Wasps". The Press & Journal. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  13. ↑ Skinner, Andy (16 November 2019). "Caley Jags defeat Clyde on penalties to reach last four of Challenge Cup". The Press & Journal. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  14. 1 2 "Inverness CT's James Keatings misses Challenge Cup final after appeal dismissed". BBC Sport. 19 February 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  15. ↑ "James Keatings: Inverness CT striker's tribunal hearing 'rendered invalid'". BBC Sport. 21 February 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  16. ↑ "James Keatings: Inverness CT striker's ban revoked by Scottish FA tribunal". BBC Sport. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  17. ↑ "Coronavirus: Scottish football suspended until further notice". BBC Sport. BBC. 13 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  18. ↑ "Coronavirus - Joint Response Group Update 16 March". Scottish Football Association. 16 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  19. ↑ "JOINT RESPONSE GROUP UPDATE 16/03/20". spfl.co.uk. Scottish Professional Football League. 16 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  20. ↑ "Scottish Challenge Cup cancelled for season 2020-21". BBC Sport. BBC. 2 October 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  21. ↑ "Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Raith Rovers share last season's Scottish Challenge Cup". BBC Sport. 30 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.

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