Montenegrin Men's Handball Cup

Last updated
Montenegrin Handball Cup
Founded2006
Country Montenegro
ConfederationEHF
Most recent
champion(s)
RK Budvanska rivijera
(2022/23)
Most titles RK Lovćen Cetinje (12 titles)
Official website

The Montenegrin Men's Handball Cup (Montenegrin: Rukometni Kup Crne Gore) is an elimination handball tournament held annually. It is the second most important national title in Montenegrin handball after the Montenegrin First League.

Contents

It has been held annually since Montenegrin independence in 2006.

History

Montenegrin clubs in Yugoslav Cup

Before Montenegrin independence, clubs from that Republic played in national handball Cup of Yugoslavia / Serbia and Montenegro. Most successful was RK Lovćen with two trophies won.
First significant success at that time made RK Mornar, who played in Yugoslav Cup 1994-95 finals, but lost against RK Crvena zvezda. Two years later, another Montenegrin team played in the final of Yugoslav Cup - RK Lovćen, but they were defeated against RK Partizan (39-36; 21-30). Same rivals played in the Cup finals 2000-01 and once again RK Partizan won the trophy.
First trophy for RK Lovćen came in 2001-02 on final-four in Vršac, defeating RK Sintelon (19:18) in the final. Year later, Lovćen won the final four in Belgrade (final match against RK Partizan - 28:26). Serbia and Montenegro Cup final 2004-05 was the last one in which participated RK Lovćen. On that game, Montenegrin side was defeated by RK Vojvodina (25-32).
Below is a list of Yugoslav Cup trophies won by Montenegrin clubs.

ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning years
Lovćen Cetinje
2
3
2001-02, 2002-03
Mornar Bar
-
1

Montenegrin Cup (2006-)

Except Montenegrin First League of Men's Handball as a top-tier league competition, after the independence, Handball Federation of Montenegro established Montenegrin Cup as a second elite national tournament. Inaugural season of Montenegrin Cup was 2006-07, and by now most successful was RK Lovćen with 9 titles. One title won RK Berane, RK Sutjeska, RK Partizan Tivat and RK Komovi Andrijevica.
Three different teams won the first three editions of the Cup - RK Berane (2006-07), RK Sutjeska (2007-08) and RK Lovćen (2008-09). That was the beginning of successful era of RK Lovćen who won seven consecutive titles from 2009 to 2015. Except that, on season 2013-14, RK Lovćen scored 41 goals in the final game against RK Danilovgrad which is the all-time record.
On season 2015-16, RK Partizan won their first Cup trophy, and next two years, the Cup winner was RK Lovćen. Big surprise came on season 2018-19, as the Cup winner became RK Komovi, based in the small town Andrijevica.

Competition

Tournament format

There are two phases of Montenegrin Men's Handball Cup. At first, there are two elimination phases in February - round of 16 and the quarterfinals.
Winners of quarterfinals are participating in the second phase - Final tournament, which held on the Montenegrin Independence Day - May 21.

Final four

Traditional event, Final tournament of Montenegrin Cup, every year is organising on 20/21 May. During the first day, there are two Semi-finals, and final match is playing on the Independence Day (May 21).
Until today, hosts of Montenegrin Cup Final tournament were cities Cetinje (6), Danilovgrad (3) , Tivat (2), Podgorica (1), Pljevlja (1), Budva (1), Bijelo Polje (1) and Mojkovac (1).

Participants

During the history, 15 different clubs played at the Final tournament of Montenegrin Handball Cup. Below is the list of participants on every Final tournament.

There is not a single team which played every edition of the final four. The most appearances on the final four tournament have Lovćen (15). During the season 2012/13, Danilovgrad became first team from the Second league which played the final four tournament.

Winners and finals

Season by season

During the past, most successful team in Montenegrin Cup was RK Lovćen Cetinje.
Below is the list of final matches of Montenegrin Handball Cup

YearVenueWinnerRunner-upScore
2006/07 Danilovgrad RK Berane RK Lovćen Cetinje 23:21 (10:11)
2007/08 Danilovgrad RK Sutjeska Nikšić RK Berane 24:23 (9:10)
2008/09 Cetinje RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Budućnost Podgorica 26:25 (13:12)
2009/10 Pljevlja RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Sutjeska Nikšić 18:17 (10:10)
2010/11 Cetinje RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Mojkovac 31:25 (19:16)
2011/12 Cetinje RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Mojkovac 23:19 (10:12)
2012/13 Cetinje RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Mojkovac 28:22 (15:11)
2013/14 Danilovgrad RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Danilovgrad 41:28 (21:12)
2014/15 Budva RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Budvanska Rivijera 25:21 (13:12)
2015/16 Tivat RK Partizan Tivat RK Lovćen Cetinje 24:17 (9:6)
2016/17 Mojkovac RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Mojkovac 22:15 (8:8)
2017/18 Tivat RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Partizan Tivat 23:18 (12:12)
2018/19 Bijelo Polje RK Komovi Andrijevica RK Budvanska Rivijera 26:21 (12:13)
2019/20 Tivat RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Partizan Tivat 30:26 (18:13)
2020/21 Cetinje RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Komovi Andrijevica 31:20 (22:9)
2021/22 Podgorica RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Budućnost Podgorica 32:25 (15:8)
2022/23 Podgorica RK Budvanska rivijera RK Rudar Pljevlja 29:27 (11:13)

Trophies by team

Montenegrin Cup

There are nine different clubs which participated in the final match of Montenegrin Cup.

Four of them won the Cup.

ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning Years
RK Lovćen Cetinje 1222009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022
RK Partizan Tivat 122016
RK Budvanska Rivijera 122023
RK Berane 112007
RK Sutjeska Nikšić 112008
RK Komovi Andrijevica 112019
RK Mojkovac -4
RK Budućnost Podgorica -2
RK Danilovgrad -1

Overall

Below is an overall list, including titles won in both national Cups - Montenegrin Cup and FR Yugoslavia / Serbia and Montenegro Cup.

ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning Years
RK Lovćen Cetinje 1452002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022
RK Sutjeska Nikšić 112008
RK Berane 112007
RK Partizan Tivat 122016
RK Komovi Andrijevica 112019
RK Mojkovac -4
RK Budvanska Rivijera -2
RK Mornar Bar -1
RK Budućnost Podgorica -1
RK Danilovgrad -1

See also

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