Setanta Sports Cup
Encyclopedia
The Setanta Sports Cup, commonly known as just the Setanta Cup, is a club football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

 competition featuring teams from both football associations on the island of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

. It was inaugurated in 2005 as a cross-border competition between clubs from 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...

 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,...

 and the Irish League
IFA Premiership
The IFA Premiership – formerly the Irish Premier League, and before that the Irish Football League–and still known in popular parlance simply as the Irish League, is the national football league in Northern Ireland, and was historically the league for the whole of Ireland. Clubs in the league are...

 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...

.

The cup is sponsored by Setanta Sports
Setanta Sports
Setanta Sports is an international sports broadcaster based in Dublin, Ireland. Setanta Sports was formed in 1990 to facilitate the broadcasting of Irish sporting events...

, the Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 subscription sports television network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...

. The competition was launched with Setanta providing support for prize money (
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...

350,000) and sponsorship (€1.6 million over four years). In June 2009, the company went into administration and ceased broadcasting in Great Britain, putting the future of the competition in doubt. The draw for the 2009 tournament
Setanta Sports Cup 2009
The Setanta Sports Cup 2009–10 is the 5th staging of the cross-border Setanta Sports Cup competition - which features football clubs from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. It commenced on August 28, 2009, and the final is scheduled for May 15, 2010....

 was postponed while the company tries to continue trading in Ireland. The competition has seen numerous instances of crowd violence at its games since its inception, while attendances at fixtures have declined.

The competition features four teams from each league with the winners and runners-up of the respective leagues, the winners of the respective major cup competitions, FAI 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...

 of the League of Ireland, and 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...

 of the Irish League, and the winners of the respective secondary cup competitions, the League of Ireland Cup and Irish Football League Cup
Irish Football League Cup
The Irish League Cup, or the IRN-BRU League Cup, is the third-highest rated competition in domestic Northern Irish football competition after the IFA Premiership and Irish Cup. It has been sponsored by Irn Bru since the 2011–12 season. From 2001–02 to 2010–11 it was been sponsored by Co-operative...

 being added. If a club has qualified via a cup win and would also qualify by league table position, one of the spots would be awarded to the next highest club in the league table that has not qualified via a cup win. A ninth team qualifies by winning the competition the year before, if the winners have already qualified their spot is given to the highest finishing team in the winner's league that didn't already qualify. The competition is organised with three groups of three teams, semi-finals and a final.

History

The Setanta Cup is the first cross-border competition since the 1980s. Previous competitions included the Dublin and Belfast Intercity Cup
Dublin and Belfast Intercity Cup
The Dublin and Belfast Inter-city Cup was a soccer competition that ran for eight seasons in Ireland between and including 1941/42-1948/49. Each season's competition consisted of 6 teams from each of the 2 jurisdictions on the island of Ireland, the Irish Football Association and the Football...

 1941/42-1948/49, the North-South Cup
North-South Cup
The North-South Cup was a short-lived all-Ireland football tournament. It was played for two seasons in the 1960s and on both occasions won by teams from Northern Ireland.-Finals:-Note:...

 1961/62-1962/63, the Blaxnit Cup
Blaxnit Cup
The Blaxnit Cup, is a defunct club football competition which featured teams from both football associations on the island of Ireland, in a similar format to the current Setanta Cup...

 1967/68-1973/74, the Texaco (All-Ireland) Cup
Texaco (All-Ireland) Cup
The Texaco Cup was an all-Ireland football competition that ran for two seasons in 1974 and 1975. The tournament was sponsored by American petroleum giant Texaco....

 1973/74-1974/75, and the Tyler Cup
Tyler Cup
The Tyler Cup was a football competition played between soccer clubs in the North and Republic of Ireland played between 1977 and 1981. It was similar to the earlier Blaxnit Cup, North-South Cup, Dublin and Belfast Intercity Cup or the present day Setanta Sports Cup.-Tyler Cup results:The finals...

 1978-1980. These tournaments ultimately failed due to a lack of interest and security concerns. A cross-border competition was mooted in the early 2000s though did not come to fruition until the Setanta Cup began a few years later.

The inaugural Cup was played between March 15 and May 21, 2005 at the start of the League of Ireland season and the end of the Irish Premier League season.

2005

Qualification for the 2005 cup was based on the national league and cup performances in the respective countries - the top two in each league and the winners of the FAI 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...

 and 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...

 qualified. Teams were split into two groups with the winner of each qualifying for the final. The 2005 competition saw Cork City, Longford
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...

 and 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....

, represent the League of Ireland, and Glentoran
Glentoran F.C.
Glentoran F.C. is a semi-professional, football club in Northern Ireland. The club was founded in 1882 and plays its home games at the Oval in east Belfast. Club colours are green, red, and black.Glentoran's biggest rivals are Linfield...

, Linfield
Linfield F.C.
Linfield F.C. , is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club, whose home ground is Windsor Park in Belfast, which is also the home of the Northern Ireland international team....

 and Portadown represent the Irish League. The eventual winners of the Cup, Linfield, started the campaign poorly losing 2:1 to Longford before going on to win their remaining group matches and beating pre-tournament favourites Shelbourne.

2006

The 2006 competition featured four teams from each league with the winners of the respective secondary cup competitions, the League of Ireland Cup and Northern Ireland League Cup
Irish Football League Cup
The Irish League Cup, or the IRN-BRU League Cup, is the third-highest rated competition in domestic Northern Irish football competition after the IFA Premiership and Irish Cup. It has been sponsored by Irn Bru since the 2011–12 season. From 2001–02 to 2010–11 it was been sponsored by Co-operative...

 being added. The competition was organised with two groups of four teams. The top two teams in each group entered a semi-final round with the winner progressing to the final. The League of Ireland was represented by Cork City, 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...

, 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....

 and Drogheda United
Drogheda United
Drogheda United Football Club is an Irish football club currently playing in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. The club hails from Drogheda, Ireland and, since 1979, plays its home matches at Hunky Dorys Park....

 with the Irish Premier League being represented by Linfield
Linfield F.C.
Linfield F.C. , is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club, whose home ground is Windsor Park in Belfast, which is also the home of the Northern Ireland international team....

, Glentoran
Glentoran F.C.
Glentoran F.C. is a semi-professional, football club in Northern Ireland. The club was founded in 1882 and plays its home games at the Oval in east Belfast. Club colours are green, red, and black.Glentoran's biggest rivals are Linfield...

, Portadown
Portadown F.C.
Portadown F.C. is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club which plays in the IFA Premiership.The club was founded in the late 1880s and joined the Irish League in 1924. It is based in Portadown in County Armagh and plays its home games at Shamrock Park...

 and Dungannon Swifts
Dungannon Swifts F.C.
Dungannon Swifts F.C. is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club playing in the IFA Premiership. The club, founded in 1949, has risen from the Mid-Ulster league to the top tier in Northern Ireland since its election to the Irish League First Division in 1997...

. A total of twenty-seven matches were played with the competition kicking off on Monday 20 February 2006 with the final having been played on Saturday 22 April 2006 at Tolka Park
Tolka Park
Tolka Park is an Irish football ground located in the north Dublin suburb of Drumcondra, on the northern banks of the River Tolka. It is currently the home ground of League of Ireland club Shelbourne...

 in Dublin. Drogheda United
Drogheda United
Drogheda United Football Club is an Irish football club currently playing in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. The club hails from Drogheda, Ireland and, since 1979, plays its home matches at Hunky Dorys Park....

 won, beating Cork City.

2007

The draw for the 2007 Setanta Cup competition was made on 07 December 2006 with the original competing teams being the identical ones to the previous year's competition. On 30 January 2007, however, Shelbourne FC announced that they were withdrawing from the competition for reasons relating to their financial troubles and the fact that they would be unlikely to field a team of players. Their place was given to the 2006 FAI Cup runners-up St Patrick's Athletic FC, despite the fact that the next best-placed in the previous season's league (Shelbourne's qualification route), who did not have a place in the Setanta Cup already, were Sligo Rovers. While it is likely that the organisers transferred Derry, who finished second in the league, into Shelbourne's empty slot, first in the league, for the purpose of official qualification and then accorded St Pat's qualification by way of the FAI Cup, this would have logically entailed Derry moving into Group 2 to fill Shelbourne's place, while St. Patrick's should compete in Group 1 in the place of the moved Derry. However, it is possible that for the purposes of the initial draw, teams were accorded lots on an alphabetical basis. Thus, it would follow that St. Patrick's would have been assigned the same lot as Shelbourne and would have, as a result, been drawn in the same slot anyway.

The first round of matches commenced on Monday 26 February 2007. The prize of £100,000 was on offer to the eventual competition winner, with the runner-up to receive £55,000. Linfield progressed from the first stage after finishing top of Group 1, guaranteeing them a home semi-final, while Drogheda United finished behind them. This meant that Drogheda had to travel away from home to meet the winners of Group 2, who were St. Patrick's Athletic. Meanwhile, Cork City, who finished second in Group 2 had to travel to Windsor Park
Windsor Park
Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:...

 to play Linfield. Both Linfield and St. Patrick's Athletic went through the group stage without a single defeat, while St. Patrick's Athletic even managed to win five of their six games. The final, between Linfield and Drogheda at Windsor Park
Windsor Park
Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:...

 was decided by a penalty shoot-out. Drogheda claimed the trophy for a second consecutive year thanks to two penalty saves from Mikko Vilmunen
Mikko Vilmunen
Mikko Vilmunen is a Finnish football goalkeeper who plays for RoPS in Finland. Vilmunen was instrumental in the Drogheda United F.C.'s 2007 Setanta Cup win, saving two penalties in the shoot out against Linfield....

.

2008

The draw for the 2008 Setanta Sports Cup was made on the 17th of January 2008 having been postponed since December 2007 to allow time for work on agreeing the Eircom LoI fixtures for 2008. For the third year in a row there were four representatives from each of the leagues with two from each league to be drawn in each group. The 2008 seasons saw a change to the format with the first three group games in each group being played between late February and early April before the teams take a break from the competition until September. Over the period September/October the remaining group games and the semi-finals and final were be played. The final took place on Saturday November 1 at Turners Cross
Turners Cross
Turners Cross may mean:* Turners Cross , a football ground in Cork, Ireland* Turners Cross, Cork, a residential district and parish in Cork, Ireland...

 in Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...

, where Cork City FC overcame Glentoran 2-1.

The representatives of the respective leagues in the 2008 Setanta Sports Cup:

Eircom League of Ireland:

Drogheda United (League Champions 2007)

St. Patricks Athletic (League Runners-Up 2007)

Cork City F.C. (FAI Ford Cup winners 2007)

Derry City F.C. (FAI League Cup Winners 2007) *

JJB Irish Premiership:

Linfield F.C. (League Champions 2006-07)

Glentoran F.C. (League Runners -Up 2006-07)

Cliftonville F.C. (Third Place Team in League 2006-07)

Dungannon Swifts (Irish Cup Runners-Up 2006-07)

* in a change to previous years The FAI League Cup Winners were required to play the FAI First Division Champions in a play-off for the final Eircom LoI place in the Setanta Sports Cup 2008. As Derry City F.C. beat Cobh Ramblers 2-1 in the Setanta cup play-off in November 2007 they claimed the remaining spot.

2009–10

The 2009–10 season saw the Setanta Cup expand to nine teams, including the holders, Cork City. There were three groups of three with the group winners and best runners-up qualifying for the semi-finals.

2011

The 2011 Setanta Sports Cup will kick off on February 14 and conclude on May 14 and will be played over four rounds, each round over two legs, except the final. Six Airtricity League of Ireland and six Carling Premiership teams will take part. Clubs who finish in the top four positions in the Airtricity League and Carling Premiership will be invited to participate, along with the winners of both the FAI and Irish Cup competitions.
The first round will commence in early February, with eight clubs taking part in that stage of the tournament. The two league champions, FAI Ford Cup winners and JJB Sports Cup winners will receive byes into the quarter-final stage. The final will be played in Northern Ireland should a team from there qualify.
Milo Corcoran, Chairman of the Setanta Sports Cup Organising Committee said he believed the knockout format "will add even greater excitement to the tournament".

Finals

Season Winner Score Runners–up Venue Attendance
2005   Linfield
Linfield F.C.
Linfield F.C. , is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club, whose home ground is Windsor Park in Belfast, which is also the home of the Northern Ireland international team....

2-0 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....

Tolka Park
Tolka Park
Tolka Park is an Irish football ground located in the north Dublin suburb of Drumcondra, on the northern banks of the River Tolka. It is currently the home ground of League of Ireland club Shelbourne...

, Dublin
2006 Drogheda United 1-0 (aet) Cork City
Cork City F.C.
Cork City Football Club is an Irish football team that plays in the League of Ireland. Founded and elected to the league in 1984 to continue the long tradition of Association Football in Cork, City's traditional colours are green and white with red trim, and the crest is a variant of the Cork...

Tolka Park
Tolka Park
Tolka Park is an Irish football ground located in the north Dublin suburb of Drumcondra, on the northern banks of the River Tolka. It is currently the home ground of League of Ireland club Shelbourne...

, Dublin
2007 Drogheda United 1-1 (aet)
4-3 (pens)
  Linfield
Linfield F.C.
Linfield F.C. , is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club, whose home ground is Windsor Park in Belfast, which is also the home of the Northern Ireland international team....

  Windsor Park
Windsor Park
Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:...

, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...

2008 Cork City
Cork City F.C.
Cork City Football Club is an Irish football team that plays in the League of Ireland. Founded and elected to the league in 1984 to continue the long tradition of Association Football in Cork, City's traditional colours are green and white with red trim, and the crest is a variant of the Cork...

2-1   Glentoran
Glentoran F.C.
Glentoran F.C. is a semi-professional, football club in Northern Ireland. The club was founded in 1882 and plays its home games at the Oval in east Belfast. Club colours are green, red, and black.Glentoran's biggest rivals are Linfield...

Turners Cross
Turners Cross (stadium)
Turners Cross is an all-seater football stadium located in and synonymous with the district of Turners Cross, Cork, Ireland. It is home to the Munster Football Association, and League of Ireland side Cork City FC....

, Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...

5,500
2009-10 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...

1-0 St. Patrick's Athletic Tallaght Stadium
Tallaght Stadium
Tallaght Stadium is a football stadium in the Southside suburb of Tallaght, Dublin. Shamrock Rovers originally announced details of the stadium back in July 1996...

, Dublin
3,896
2011 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...

2-0 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...

Tallaght Stadium
Tallaght Stadium
Tallaght Stadium is a football stadium in the Southside suburb of Tallaght, Dublin. Shamrock Rovers originally announced details of the stadium back in July 1996...

, Dublin
4,879

Performance By Club

Nat. Club Winners Runners-up Winning Years
  Drogheda United
Drogheda United
Drogheda United Football Club is an Irish football club currently playing in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. The club hails from Drogheda, Ireland and, since 1979, plays its home matches at Hunky Dorys Park....

2 - 2006, 2007
  Linfield
Linfield F.C.
Linfield F.C. , is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club, whose home ground is Windsor Park in Belfast, which is also the home of the Northern Ireland international team....

1 1 2005
  Cork City 1 1 2008
  Bohemians 1 - 2009/10
  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...

1 - 2011
  Glentoran
Glentoran F.C.
Glentoran F.C. is a semi-professional, football club in Northern Ireland. The club was founded in 1882 and plays its home games at the Oval in east Belfast. Club colours are green, red, and black.Glentoran's biggest rivals are Linfield...

- 1
  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....

- 1
  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...

- 1
  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...

- 1

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK