FAI Junior Cup

Last updated

FAI Junior Cup
Organising body Football Association of Ireland
Founded1923
RegionRepublic of Ireland
Current champions Fairview Rangers A.F.C.
Most successful club(s)Fairview Rangers
(10 titles) [1]
Television broadcasters TG4
Setanta Sports
Irish TV
eir Sport
Website FAI Junior Cup @ www.fai.ie

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 ten times. [1] [4] 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. [5] The competition also serves a qualifier for the senior FAI Cup with the eight quarter-finalists all invited to take part in the FAI Cup.

Contents

History

League of Ireland

The 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] [6]

Recent finals

On 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. [5] 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] [7] The 2014–15 and 2015–16 finals were both played as double headers along with the FAI Intermediate Cup finals. [8] [9]

Television coverage

TV 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.

FAI Senior Cup

The semi-finalists of the Junior Cup have traditionally been invited to play the preliminary rounds of the FAI Senior Cup. In 2024, this was changed with the semi-finalsists automatically qualifying for the FAI Cup. [10] [11]

List of finals

SeasonWinnersResultRunner-UpVenue
2024-25Fairview Rangers4–1 North End United Turner's Cross
2023-24 Cockhill Celtic F.C. 1–1 (pens)Gorey Rangers Eamonn Deacy Park
2022-23Newmarket Celtic1-1 (pens) St. Michael's Jackman Park
2021–22 Villa FC 1–0Pike Rovers Turners Cross [12]
2019–20Fairview Rangers1–0Usher Celtic Eamon Deacy Park [13]
2018–19St. Michael's1–0 Sheriff Y.C. Eamon Deacy Park
2017–18North End United1–1 [note 1] Pike Rovers Aviva Stadium
2016–17 Sheriff Y.C. 2–0Evergreen Aviva Stadium
2015–16 Sheriff Y.C. [14] 1–0 Pike Rovers Aviva Stadium
2014–15 Liffey Wanderers [8] 2–1 [note 2] Sheriff Y.C. Aviva Stadium
2013–14 St. Michael's [15] 4–0Ballynanty Rovers (Limerick) Aviva Stadium
2012–13 Sheriff Y.C. [16] 0–0 [note 3] Kilbarrack United Aviva Stadium
2011–12 Sheriff Y.C. [17] 3–1 Kilbarrack United Tolka Park
2010–11 Pike Rovers [18] 2–1 St. Michael's Turners Cross
2009–10Fairview Rangers [19] 0–0 [note 4] St. Michael's Turners Cross
2008–09Ballymun United [20] 2–0St. Peter's (Athlone) Tolka Park
2007–08Carrick United (Waterford) [21] 2–1Killester United Waterford RSC
2006–07Killester United3–0St John Bosco(Drimnagh) Dalymount Park
2005–06 Waterford Crystal 1–0Athenry Terryland Park
2004–05 Westport United 2–0 [22] [23] Waterford Crystal Buckley Park
2003–04Fairview RangersCarrick United
2002–03Fairview RangersPortmarnock FC
2001–02Fairview Rangers3–0St Michael's FC
2000–01Ballymun United St. Kevin's Boys F.C. Tolka Park
1999–2000Portmarnock2-0St Michael's FC Tolka Park
1998–99Fairview RangersBallymun United
1997–98Fairview RangersWaterford Crystal
1996–97Fairview RangersPortmarnock FC
1995–96Bohemians (Waterford)Mungret Regional
1994–95 Cherry Orchard 1.1(pens)Kilmore United
1993–94Clonmel Town [24] 5–1New Ross Celtic
1992–93 Kinvara Boys St. Kevin's Boys F.C.
1991–92Neilstown RangersRosemount
1990–91 Cherry Orchard 1.0Donaghmede Celtic
1989–90 Cherry Orchard 2.0Avenue United (Clare)
1988–89 Tolka Rovers Waterford Bohemians
1987–88Usher Celtic Beggsboro
1986–87 Cherry Orchard 1.0Temple United (Cork)
1985–86 Cherry Orchard 2.0Usher 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 2.0Diamond Celtic
1980–81St Teresa'sBelgrave
1979–80East Wall UnitedArbour United
1978–79 St. Patrick's C.Y.M.S. East Wall United
1977–78Inchicore [note 5] 3.0 Cherry Orchard
1976–77Dunleary CelticDingle United
1975–76Whitehall Rangers2-0Ballynanty Rovers (Limerick)
1974–75Dunleary CelticArbour United
1973–74 St. Michael's Tolka Rovers
1972–73 Tolka Rovers St. Patrick's C.Y.M.S.
1971–72Talbot United St. Mary's (Cork)
1970–71Hoganville (Dublin)Caledonians (Limerick)
1969–70Caledonians (Limerick) Tolka Rovers
1968–69 St Francis Talbot United
1967–68 Finn Harps Telephones United (Dublin)
1966–67Swilly Rovers (Donegal)Orchard United (Dublin)
1965–66East Wall UnitedEverton (Cork)
1964–65Fairview Rangers (Limerick)1 – 1 / 3 – 0 (R)Douglas (Cork) Turners Cross / Markets Field (R) [25]
1963–64East Wall UnitedSwilly Rovers (Donegal)
1962–63 T.E.K. United 3–1Blackrock (Cork Dalymount Park
1961–62Swilly Rovers (Donegal)Castleview (Cork)
1960–61Valley UnitedHibernians (Waterford)
1959–60Pearse RangersHibernians (Waterford)
1958–59 St Saviours Glenmore Celtic
1957–58VirginiansSwilly Rovers (Donegal)
1956–57BelgroveVirginians
1955–56Grange UnitedBohemians (Waterford)
1954–55 Home Farm Belgrove
1953–54 Bray Wanderers [26] 1–0Ierne Dalymount Park
1952–53Evergreen (Waterford)3-2Swilly Rovers (Donegal) Dalymount Park
1951–52RathfarnhamBohemians (Waterford)
1950–51 Bray Wanderers [26] 2–1 Drogheda United Dalymount Park
1949–50Griffith RangersIrish Raleigh
1948–49RathfarnhamCaledonians (Limerick)
1947–48St Paul's (Cork) Pike Rovers
1946–47Hibernians (Waterford)Iona C.Y.M.S. (Dublin)
1945–46 St. Patrick's C.Y.M.S. Rathfarnham
1944–45Rockville (Cork)Wembley Rovers (Limerick)
1943–44Coastal Defence (Cork) Drogheda United
1942–43No 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 4-0Killybegs (Donegal)Dalymount Park
1937–38 Athlone Town [6] 2–0Bendigo United (Dublin) Tolka Park
1936–37Amiens CelticSt. Patrick's (Dundalk)
1935–36 Evergreen United 2-1 [27] Shelbourne Dalymount Park
1934–35 Athlone Town [6] [28] 3–0 Evergreen United Dalymount Park
1933–34 B&I [29] 2–1 Cobh Wanderers Dalymount Park
1932–33Queen's Park [30] 1–0Amiens CelticRutland Avenue
1931–32Clontarf Corinthians [31] 2–1Southern Rovers Dalymount Park
1930–31 Distillery (Dublin) [32] 1–0Southern Rovers Harold's Cross
1929–30Rossville [33] 2–0 Bohemians "C" Dalymount Park
1928–29 Sligo Rovers 3–0 Grangegorman The Showgrounds (Sligo)
1927–28Richmond United [34] 3–0Cahir Unknowns Tolka Park
1926–27Richmond United [35] 4–1 Bohemians "C" Dalymount Park
1925–26Brunswick [36] 1–0St. Vincents (Cork)Victoria Cross, Cork
1924–25St. Mary's United [37] 3–2Sligo CelticSt James' Park
1923–24 Brideville [38] 1–0 Cobh Ramblers Victoria Cross, Cork

Source: [2] [3] [39]

Notes
  1. ↑ North End United won on penalties
  2. ↑ After extra time
  3. ↑ Sheriff Y.C. won 5–4 on penalties
  4. ↑ Fairview Rangers won 5–3 on penalties
  5. ↑ FAI Yearbook & Diary 1995 lists team as Inchicore Athletic. Other sources list team as Inchicore United

References

  1. 1 2 "Fairview Rangers A.F.C. – About Us". fairviewrangers.ie. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "FAI Junior Cup Winners". stadium.aviva.ie. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 Mark Herbert, Donie Butler (1994–95). FAI Yearbook & Diary 1995. Dublin: Sportsworld Ltd.
  4. ↑ "fairview-rangers-4-1-north-end-united-title-no10-rangers". www.fai.ie. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Ireland to play Georgia on June 2". fai.ie. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 Lynch, Frank (1991). A History of Athlone Town F.C: The First 101 Years. Athlone: Arcadia.
  7. ↑ "Aviva Stadium to host FAI Junior Cup Final next May". The Kerryman . 25 August 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  8. 1 2 "Liffey Wanderers overcome Sheriff YC to claim first FAI Junior Cup". The Irish Times. 17 May 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  9. ↑ "Information: FAI Junior and Intermediate Cup Finals". fai.ie. 13 May 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  10. ↑ "FAI Cup sees format change with updated first round". extratime.com. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  11. ↑ "Preliminary-round-sports-direct-mens-FAI cup-now-be-held-competitions-first-round". www.fai.ie. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
  12. ↑ "Pike Rovers Suffer Heartbreak as Villa win FAI Junior Cup – Sporting Limerick" . Retrieved 26 July 2025.
  13. ↑ Finnin, Adrian (14 September 2020). "Fairview Rangers Claim Ninth FAI Junior Cup Title". Limerick Post Newspaper. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  14. ↑ "Dublin club Sheriff YC claim FAI Junior Cup glory at the Aviva Stadium". the42. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  15. ↑ "Four-midable St Michael's clinch the FAI Junior Cup final". the42.ie. 25 May 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  16. ↑ "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.
  17. ↑ "Sheriff 3–1 Kilbarrack". extratime.ie. 3 June 2013. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  18. ↑ "Pike Rovers claim dramatic Junior Cup victory". fai.ie. 22 May 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  19. ↑ "Hickey the hero as Fairview celebrate". Irish Examiner . 7 June 2010. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  20. ↑ "Results 2008/2009". fai.ie. 22 May 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  21. ↑ "Carrick dreams come true". Munster Express. 8 May 2008. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  22. ↑ "Results 2004/2005". fai.ie. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  23. ↑ "Westport clinch Junior Cup glory". The Irish Independent. 20 June 2005. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  24. ↑ "Clonmel Town – Club History". clonmeltownfc.com. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  25. ↑ Keaveney, Mal (24 May 2025). "Remembering Fairview's 1965 breakthrough Junior Cup win". Limerick Post Newspaper. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  26. 1 2 "Club History 1920s to 1985". braywanderers.com. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  27. ↑ Irish Press 1931-1995, Monday, 11 May 1936; Page: 11
  28. ↑ Irish Independent 1905-current, Monday, May 20, 1935; Page: 13
  29. ↑ Irish Press 1931-1995, Monday, 7 May 1934; Page: 11
  30. ↑ Irish Independent 1905–current, Monday, 22 May 1933; Page: 13
  31. ↑ Irish Independent 1905–current, Monday, 2 May 1932; Page: 13
  32. ↑ Irish Independent 1905–current, Monday, 11 May 1931; Page: 13
  33. ↑ Irish Independent 1905–current, Monday, 19 May 1930; Page: 12
  34. ↑ Irish Independent 1905–current, Monday, 30 April 1928; Page: 11
  35. ↑ Irish Independent 1905–current, Monday, 16 May 1927; Page: 10
  36. ↑ Irish Independent 1905–current, Monday, 10 May 1926; Page: 10
  37. ↑ Irish Independent 1905–current, Monday, 11 May 1925; Page: 10
  38. ↑ Irish Independent 1905–current, Monday, 19 May 1924; Page: 7
  39. ↑ "Cork AUL Records – FAI Junior Cup" (PDF). corkaul.files.wordpress.com. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
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