The FAI Cup Final, known recently as the FAI Ford Cup Final for sponsorship reasons, is an annual soccer match which is the last game in the Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup

FAI Cup

The Football Association of Ireland Challenge 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...

. It is the culmination of a knock-out competition among clubs belonging to the Football Association of Ireland

Football Association of Ireland

The Football Association of Ireland is the governing body for the sport of association football in the Republic of Ireland. It should not to be confused with the Irish Football Association , which is the organising body for the sport in Northern Ireland.For the full history, statistics and records...

, generally competed for by clubs from the Republic of Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

, although representatives from Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

 (most notably Derry City

Derry City F.C.

Derry City Football Club is a professional football club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. It plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division...

) have competed and even won the Cup. Shelbourne

Shelbourne F.C.

Shelbourne Football Club is an Irish professional football club based in the Drumcondra area of Dublin, currently playing in the League of Ireland Premier Division....

, Bohemians

Bohemian F.C.

Bohemian F.C. , more commonly referred to as Bohemians, is a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. Bohemians compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the third most successful club in League of Ireland football history, having won the League of Ireland title 11...

 and Derry City are the only clubs to win both the (Northern) Irish Cup

Irish Cup

For the equivalent tournament in the Republic of Ireland, see FAI Cup.The Irish Cup is the national cup knock-out competition in Northern Irish football. Inaugurated in 1881, it is the fourth oldest national cup competition in the world...

 and the FAI Cup, although Shelbourne and Bohemians only won it before partition

Partition of Ireland

The partition of Ireland was the division of the island of Ireland into two distinct territories, now Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland . Partition occurred when the British Parliament passed the Government of Ireland Act 1920...

, whilst Derry City remained in the Northern Irish league system until 1973, entering the League of Ireland

League of Ireland

The League of Ireland is the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1921, as a league of eight clubs, it has expanded over time into a two-tiered league of 22 clubs. It is currently split into the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland...

 in 1985.

From 1990 until 2006 the FAI Cup Final was held at the old Lansdowne Road

Lansdowne Road

Lansdowne Road was a stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union that has been the location of a number of sports stadiums. It was used primarily for rugby union and for association football matches as well as some music concerts...

. For 2007 and 2008 the RDS

Royal Dublin Society

The Royal Dublin Society was founded on 25 June 1731 to "to promote and develop agriculture, arts, industry, and science in Ireland". The RDS is synonymous with its main premises in Ballsbridge in Dublin, Ireland...

 was used as an alternative venue during the redevelopment of the Road. The 2006 final was the last ever soccer game to be played at the old Lansdowne Road. It was contested between St Patrick's Athletic

St Patrick's Athletic F.C.

St Patrick's Athletic Football Club is a football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the League of Ireland Premier Division. Founded in 1929, they are based in the Dublin suburb of Inchicore and play their home matches at Richmond Park. They have won the League of Ireland title 7 times and...

 and Derry City, who ran out eventual 4-3 winners after extra-time. The original FAI Cup was also retired after this game with a brand new version of the trophy used in the following seasons.

Performance By Club

Club	Winners	Runners-up	Winning Years
Shamrock Rovers Shamrock Rovers F.C. Shamrock Rovers Football Club are a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the most successful club in Irish football history. The club have won the League of Ireland title a record 17 times and the FAI Cup a record 24...	24	9	1925 FAI Cup 1924–25 The FAI Cup 1924–25 was the fourth edition of Ireland's premier cup competition, The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup or FAI Cup. The tournament began on 3 January 1925 and concluded on 17 March with the final held at Dalymount Park, Dublin... , 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1936, 1940, 1944, 1945, 1948, 1955, 1956, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1978, 1985, 1986, 1987
Dundalk Dundalk F.C. Dundalk Football Club is a professional Irish football club based in Dundalk, County Louth. The club currently play in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. Founded in 1903, they are the second most successful team, in terms of trophies won, in the history of the League of Ireland. The...	9	5	1942, 1949, 1952, 1958, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1988, 2002
Shelbourne Shelbourne F.C. Shelbourne Football Club is an Irish professional football club based in the Drumcondra area of Dublin, currently playing in the League of Ireland Premier Division....	7	10	1939, 1960, 1963, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000
Bohemians Bohemian F.C. Bohemian F.C. , more commonly referred to as Bohemians, is a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. Bohemians compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the third most successful club in League of Ireland football history, having won the League of Ireland title 11...	7	7	1928, 1935, 1970, 1976, 1992, 2001, 2008 FAI Cup 2008 The FAI Cup 2008 was the eighty-fifth staging of The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup, or FAI Cup for short. This season was the second one sponsored by Ford....
Drumcondra	5	4	1927 FAI Cup 1926–27 The FAI Cup 1926–27 was the sixth edition of Ireland's premier cup competition, The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup or FAI Cup. The tournament began on 8 January 1927 and concluded on 9 April with the final replay held at Shelbourne Park, Dublin... , 1943, 1946, 1954, 1957
Cork Athletic Cork Athletic F.C. Cork Athletic Football Club is a former Irish football club based in Cork. They played in the League of Ireland between 1948 and 1957. They were the successor club of Fordsons F.C., Cork F.C., Cork City and Cork United. When United quit the league in 1948, they instantly reformed as Cork Athletic...	4	5	1941, 1947, 1951, 1953
Derry City Derry City F.C. Derry City Football Club is a professional football club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. It plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division...	4	4	1989, 1995, 2002, 2006 FAI Cup 2006 The FAI Cup 2006 was the 83rd staging of The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup or FAI Cup. This seasons competition was the last to be sponsored by Carlsberg. It officially kicked-off in late April, when twenty clubs from the junior and intermediate leagues battled it out for the chance...
Sligo Rovers Sligo Rovers F.C. Sligo Rovers Football Club is a professional Irish football club playing in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. The club was founded in 1928 and have been in the League of Ireland since 1934. The club is a co-operative venture, owned by the people of Sligo. Sligo Rovers have played at...	3	6	1983, 1994, 2010 2010 FAI Cup The 2010 FAI Senior Challenge Cup, also known as the 2010 FAI Ford Cup, is the 87th season of the national football competition of the Republic of Ireland....
Waterford United	2	7	1937, 1980
St. Patrick's Athletic St Patrick's Athletic F.C. St Patrick's Athletic Football Club is a football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the League of Ireland Premier Division. Founded in 1929, they are based in the Dublin suburb of Inchicore and play their home matches at Richmond Park. They have won the League of Ireland title 7 times and...	2	7	1959, 1961
Limerick Limerick F.C. Limerick Football Club is an association football club based in Limerick, Ireland. The club currently play in the First Division of the League of Ireland. The first Limerick FC was founded in 1937 and has had a number of guises through its history, known at different times as Limerick FC, Limerick...	2	3	1971, 1982
Cork City	2	3	1998, 2007 FAI Cup 2006 The FAI Cup 2006 was the 83rd staging of The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup or FAI Cup. This seasons competition was the last to be sponsored by Carlsberg. It officially kicked-off in late April, when twenty clubs from the junior and intermediate leagues battled it out for the chance...
Cork Hibernians Cork Hibernians F.C. Cork Hibernians F.C. were an Irish football club based in Cork. They played in the League of Ireland between 1957 and 1976 and played their home games at Flower Lodge. In 1971, they were League of Ireland champions.-History:...	2	2	1972, 1973
Longford Town Longford Town F.C. Longford Town F.C. is an Irish football club playing in the League of Ireland First Division. The club, founded in 1924 and elected to the league in 1984, hails from Longford, County Longford and play their home matches at Flancare Park...	2	2	2003, 2004 FAI Cup 2004 The FAI Cup 2004 was the 81st staging of The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup or FAI Cup. It officially kicked-off in late May, when twenty clubs from the junior and intermediate leagues battled it out for the chance to face League of Ireland opposition in the Second Round...
St. James's Gate	2	2	1922 FAI Cup 1921–22 The FAI Cup 1921–22 was the first ever edition of Ireland's premier cup competition, The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup or FAI Cup. The tournament began on 14 January 1922 and concluded on 8 April with the final replay held at Dalymount Park, Dublin... , 1938
Bray Wanderers Bray Wanderers A.F.C. Bray Wanderers A.F.C. are an Irish football club playing in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. The club, founded in 1942 and elected to the League in 1985, hails from Bray and play their home matches at the Carlisle Grounds. Club colours are Green and White, and it goes by the nickname...	2	-	1990, 1999
Drogheda United	1	2	2005 FAI Cup 2005 The FAI Cup 2005 was the 82nd staging of The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup or FAI Cup. It officially kicked-off in late April, when twenty clubs from the junior and intermediate leagues battled it out for the chance to face League of Ireland opposition in the Second Round...
Cork Cork F.C. Cork Football Club was an Irish football club based in Cork. They played in the League of Ireland between 1930 and 1938.-History:Cork F.C. originally played as Fordsons and were originally the factory team of the Ford Motor Company, a major employer in the city at that time. However in 1930, Ford...	1	1	1934
Finn Harps	1	1	1974
Fordsons	1	1	1926 FAI Cup 1925–26 The FAI Cup 1925–26 was the fifth edition of Ireland's premier cup competition, The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup or FAI Cup. The tournament began on 9 January 1926 and concluded on 17 March with the final held at Dalymount Park, Dublin...
Galway United	1	1	1991
Alton United	1	-	1923 FAI Cup 1922–23 The FAI Cup 1922–23 was the second edition of Ireland's premier cup competition, The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup or FAI Cup. The tournament began on 6 January 1923 and concluded on 17 March with the final held at Dalymount Park, Dublin. An official attendance of 14,000...
Athlone Town	1	-	1924 FAI Cup 1923–24 The FAI Cup 1923–24 was the third edition of Ireland's premier cup competition, The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup or FAI Cup. The tournament began on 5 January 1924 and concluded on 17 March with the final held at Dalymount Park, Dublin...
Home Farm	1	-	1975
Sporting Fingal Sporting Fingal F.C. Sporting Fingal Football Club was a professional football club based in Fingal, County Dublin, Ireland. The club competed in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland from 2008 to 2011. Former Shamrock Rovers manager, Liam Buckley was the club's manager while former Arsenal player, John Devine...	1	-	2009
Transport	1	-	1950
UCD	1	-	1984
Brideville	-	2	-
Cork Celtic	-	2	-
Dolphin	-	2	-
Evergreen United	-	1	-
St. Francis	-	1	-

List of match officials

Year	Referee	Assistant referees	Fourth official
2005	Ian Stokes Ian Stokes Ian Stokes is an Irish FIFA-level soccer referee from Dublin. An experienced League of Ireland official, he took charge of the 2005 FAI Cup Final at Lansdowne Road, Dublin. He has also taken charge of one of the semi-finals of the 2007 Setanta Sports Cup. At international level, Stokes refereed one...
2006 2006 FAI Cup Final The 2006 FAI Cup Final was a soccer match held at Lansdowne Road, Dublin on 3 December 2006 and was the final match of the 2006 FAI Cup competition. The match was the 83rd FAI Cup Final, and the last to be held at the old Lansdowne Road before it shut for redevelopment. It was also the last ever...	Damien Hancock Damien Hancock Damien Hancock is a Irish soccer referee from Dublin. He has been on the National League panel since 1995, and regularly referees matches at the top level of the League of Ireland....	Ciaran Delaney, Marc Delaney	Dave McKeon
2007	Dave McKeon
2008 2008 FAI Cup Final The 2008 FAI Cup Final was a football match held at the RDS, Dublin on 23 November 2008 and was the final match of the 2008 FAI Cup competition. The match was the 85th FAI Cup Final, and the second to be held at the RDS since Lansdowne Road shut for redevelopment...	Anthony Buttimer Anthony Buttimer Anthony Buttimer is an Irish FIFA-level soccer referee from Cork. An experienced League of Ireland official, he took charge of the 2008 FAI Cup Final in the RDS, Dublin...	Eddie Foley, Ken Hennessy	Richie Winter
2009 2009 FAI Cup Final The 2009 FAI Cup Final was competed in by Sligo Rovers and Sporting Fingal who were 2-1 winners in only their 2nd year in the League of Ireland....	Alan Kelly Alan Kelly (referee) Alan Kelly is an Irish football refereeSon of Pat and grandson of Tim, both League of Ireland referees, Alan began as a professional in 2002 when he was selected to referee at the UEFA U-17 Championship 2002 where he refereed 3 group stage matches and the semi-finals between Spain and France...	Allen Lynch, Terence Moyne	Neil Doyle