2023 All-Island Cup

2023 All-Island Cup

Tournament details
Country	Northern Ireland Republic of Ireland
Dates	17 June 2023 – 23 July 2023
Teams	16
Final positions
Champions	Galway United (1st title)
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The All-Island Cup, known as the Avenir Sports Women's All-Island Cup for sponsorship purposes, ^[1] is a women's association football competition held on an all-Ireland basis between women's football clubs from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. It was founded in 2023. ^[2]

Background

Historically, association football in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland was organised separately due to the two associations holding separate UEFA membership. In 2023, the Republic of Ireland's Football Association of Ireland came up with the idea of an all-Ireland competition in advance of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, designed to keep competitive women's football going during this time. ^[3] It was also envisaged to showcase women's association football in the island of Ireland. ^[4] The idea was supported by Northern Ireland's Irish Football Association and the competition was planned with 11 teams from the FAI's League of Ireland Women's Premier Division and 5 from the IFA's Women's Premiership. ^[5] The draw for the inaugural competition was made at the FAI's Headquarters in Dublin. ^[6]

Prior to the semi-finals, due to Cliftonville qualifying, there was concern over the date of the final due to a potential clash with either the Northern Ireland women's national football team matches or the 2023 NIFL Women's Premiership League Cup Cliftonville were due to play in. ^[7] However the Irish League agreed to move it. ^[8] Galway United were the first All-Ireland Cup champions by defeating Cliftonville 1–0 at The Showgrounds, Sligo, winning their first major women's trophy. ^[9]

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Galway United	3	2	1	0	3	0	+3	7	Advance to Semi-finals
2	Shelbourne	3	1	1	1	5	4	+1	4
3	Athlone Town	3	1	1	1	3	5	−2	4
4	Linfield	3	0	1	2	2	4	−2	1

Source: Extra time

Group B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Wexford	3	2	1	0	8	5	+3	7	Advance to Semi-finals
2	Shamrock Rovers	3	2	0	1	8	8	0	6
3	Glentoran	3	1	1	1	8	4	+4	4
4	Peamount United	3	0	0	3	2	9	−7	0

Source: Extra time

Group C

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Cliftonville	3	2	1	0	5	3	+2	7	Advance to Semi-finals
2	Sion Swifts	3	2	0	1	6	3	+3	6
3	Bohemians	3	1	0	2	4	4	0	3
4	Sligo Rovers	3	0	1	2	3	8	−5	1

Source: Extra time

Group D

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Cork City	3	3	0	0	6	2	+4	9	Advance to Semi-finals
2	DLR Waves	3	2	0	1	6	3	+3	6
3	Crusaders Strikers	3	1	0	2	4	6	−2	3
4	Treaty United	3	0	0	3	3	8	−5	0

Source: Extra time

Semi-finals

Team 1	Score	Team 2
Cliftonville	1–0	Cork City
Wexford	1–1 (3–4 p)	Galway United

Final

23 July 2023 (2023-07-23)

15:00 IST

Cliftonville	0–1	Galway United
	Report	McGuinness 12'

The Showgrounds, Sligo

References

1. "Inaugural Draw for Avenir Sports Women's All-Island Cup Announced - The Home of Irish Football". Extra Time. 2023-05-18. Retrieved 2023-08-31.
2. Halligan, Fiona (2023-05-18). "Draw for inaugural All Island Cup has been made". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 2023-08-31.
3. "First women's All-Island Cup draw made with Wexford, Peamount and Shamrock Rovers handed tough group". Irish Independent. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-31.
4. "The Showgrounds to Host First Ever Avenir Sports All-Island Cup Final". Her Sport. 12 July 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-31.
5. McCann, Lauren (2023-06-15). "All-Island Cup: Everything you need to know about the new cross-border competition". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2023-08-31.
6. "All-Island Cup: Cliftonville draw Bohs in inaugural competition". BBC Sport. 2023-05-18. Retrieved 2023-08-31.
7. "International fixtures may delay All-Island Cup decider". Belfast Telegraph. 8 July 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-31.
8. "Avenir Sports All Island Cup Final Details Confirmed". NIFL. Retrieved 2023-08-31.
9. "Galway United Women claim first national trophy". Galway Advertiser. Retrieved 2023-08-31.