FAI Cup

The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup(FAI Cup), known as the FAI Ford Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland (as well as Derry City from Northern Ireland). Organised by the FAI (Football Association of Ireland), the competition is currently sponsored by the car manufacturer, Ford. It was known as the Free State Cup from 1923 to 1936. Shamrock Rovers hold the record of most wins with 24.

The current holders are Sligo Rovers who beat Shamrock Rovers in the Aviva Stadium on November 14, 2010. The full time score ended 0-0 with Sligo Rovers winning the cup in a dramatic penalty shootout, they won the shootout by two penalties to nil.

Venues

Since the early 1920s, all but a handful of FAI Cup finals were held at Dalymount Park, Dublin. Two replays in the 1920s were held at Shelbourne Park, the 1973 replay was held in Flower Lodge in Cork and the 1984 replay was in Tolka Park. However, since 1990, due to the lack of development of Dalymount, the final has been played at a number of different venues. From 1990 until 1997 it was played at Lansdowne Road, stadium, from 1997–1999, back at Dalymount, from 1999 to 2002 at Tolka Park and from 2003 to 2006 back at Landsdowne Road. Due to the redevelopment of Lansdowne, the 2007 and 2008 finals were played at the RDS Arena. The 2009 final took place in the Tallaght......
Read More