The Football Association of Ireland Senior Challenge Cup, known as the Sports Direct FAI Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland. Organised by the FAI, the competition is currently sponsored by Sports Direct. It was known as the Free State Cup from 1923 to 1936. Shamrock Rovers hold the record of most wins with 25.
Stephen O'Donnell is an Irish professional football coach and former player who is head coach at League of Ireland Premier Division club Dundalk. During his playing career the clubs he played at were Arsenal, Falkirk, Bohemians, Cork City, Galway United, Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk.
Aviva Stadium also known as Lansdowne Road or Dublin Arena is a sports stadium located in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, with a capacity for 51,711 spectators. It is built on the site of the former Lansdowne Road Stadium, which was demolished in 2007, and replaced it as home to its chief tenants: the Irish rugby union team and the Republic of Ireland football team. The decision to redevelop the stadium came after plans for both Stadium Ireland and Eircom Park fell through. Aviva Group Ireland signed a 10-year deal for the naming rights in 2009, and subsequently extended the arrangement until 2025.
David McMillan is an Irish former professional footballer who played as a forward for UCD over two spells, St Patrick's Athletic, Sligo Rovers, St Johnstone, Hamilton Academical, Falkirk and Dundalk over two spells. He is currently the League of Ireland's all-time leading scorer in the UEFA Champions League and was joint top-scorer in the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League qualifying phase and play-off round. McMillan has also been named League of Ireland Premier Division Player of the Month on three occasions.
Christopher Stephen Forrester is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for St Patrick's Athletic in the League of Ireland Premier Division. He has also previously played for Bohemians, Peterborough United, Aberdeen and the Republic of Ireland under-21's. In March 2016 he was called up to the Republic of Ireland senior squad but has yet to be capped.
The 2012 FAI Cup Final was the final match of the 2012 FAI Cup, the national association football cup of the Republic of Ireland. The match took place on 4 November 2012 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Derry City and St Patrick's Athletic contested the final, in what was a re-match of the 2006 FAI Cup Final. On that occasion, Derry City won the trophy, winning 4–3 after extra time. Derry later competed in the 2008 FAI Cup Final, where they lost against Bohemians, while St Patrick's Athletic had not contested the final since the 2006 encounter. It has been 51 years since St Patrick's Athletic last won the FAI Cup. Neil Doyle was the referee, with Emmet Dynan and Robert Clark as assistants and Damien Hancock as the fourth official. The cup was won by Derry City after extra time. The match was shown live on RTÉ Two and RTÉ Two HD in Ireland.
Seán Hoare is an Irish professional footballer playing for League of Ireland club Shamrock Rovers
The 2014 FAI Cup Final was the final match of the 2014 FAI Cup, the national association football cup of the Republic of Ireland. The match took place on 2 November 2014 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, and was contested between Derry City and St Patrick's Athletic, with St. Pat's being the winners by two goals to nil.
The 2016 FAI Cup Final was the final match of the 2016 FAI Cup, the national association football cup of the Republic of Ireland. The match took place on 6 November 2016 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, and wascontested between Cork City and Dundalk. The match was a repeat of the 2015 FAI Cup Final. Cork City won the game 1-0 after extra time with a late winning goal.
The 2018 FAI Cup was the 98th edition of the Republic of Ireland's primary national cup competition. It began with the qualifying round on 21 April 2018, and concluded with the final on 4 November 2018. The winner qualified for the 2019–20 Europa League first qualifying round.
Patrick Barrett is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender for League of Ireland Premier Division club Shelbourne.
Georgie Poynton is an Irish footballer who plays for NIFL Premiership side Newry City. He has previously played for Dundalk, Bohemians, Saint Patrick's Athletic, Waterford, Shelbourne and Drogheda United. He competed at underage level for the Republic of Ireland national under-19 football team, and was named 2016 FAI Under-19 Player of the Year.
The 2019 FAI Cup Final, known as the 2019 Extra.ie FAI Cup Final for sponsorship reasons, was the final match of the 2019 FAI Cup, the national association football cup of the Republic of Ireland. The match took place on Sunday 3 November 2019 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, and was contested by defending champions Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers.
Jason McClelland is an Irish professional footballer who plays for League of Ireland Premier Division club, St Patrick's Athletic, having previously played for UCD for 5 seasons.
The 2020 FAI Cup Final, known as the 2020 Extra.ie FAI Cup Final for sponsorship reasons, was the final match of the 2020 FAI Cup, the national association football cup of the Republic of Ireland. The match took place on Sunday 6 December 2020 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, and was contested by defending champions Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk. The match was a repeat of the 2019 Final.
Darragh Francis O'Brien Burns is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a winger for EFL League Two club Milton Keynes Dons.
Mark Doyle is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a winger or striker for USL Championship club Rhode Island, having previously spent six seasons at Drogheda United and two seasons with St Patrick's Athletic.
Ronan Liam Coughlan is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a striker, for League of Ireland First Division club Waterford. He previously played for Bray Wanderers, Cork City, Sligo Rovers and St Patrick's Athletic.
The 2023 FAI Cup, known as the Sports Direct FAI Cup for sponsorship reasons, was the 103rd edition of the Republic of Ireland's primary national cup competition. It featured teams from the League of Ireland Premier Division and the First Division, as well as non-league teams. The competition began with qualifying on 7 April 2023 and concluded with the final on 12 November 2023 in the Aviva Stadium. The winners qualified for the second qualifying round of the 2024–25 UEFA Conference League.
The 2023 FAI Cup Final, known as the 2023 Sports Direct FAI Cup Final for sponsorship reasons, was the final match of the 2023 FAI Cup, the national association football cup of the Republic of Ireland. The match took place on Sunday 12 November at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, between Bohemians and St Patrick's Athletic.
