FAI Women's Cup

The Football Association of Ireland Women's Cup is the senior cup competition for women's association football in the Republic of Ireland. It is commonly known as the Women's FAI Cup, the WFAI Cup, or prior to 2001, the Ladies FAI Cup or the LFAI Cup. Organised by the Women's Football Association of Ireland, like the Women's National League, the Cup is currently sponsored by Sports Direct and is known as the Sports Direct Women's FAI Cup. Previous sponsors include EVOKE.ie, Continental Tyres,[1] Umbro[2] and Brother International.[3]

FAI Women's Cup
Organising bodyWomen's Football Association of Ireland
Founded1975
Region Ireland
Number of teams14 (2022)
Current championsShelbourne (2nd title)
Most successful club(s)Castle Rovers/
Shamrock Rovers (6)
WebsiteFAI Continental Tyres Senior Cup @ www.fai.ie
2022 FAI Women's Cup

History

Antecedents

Two reports in the Kilkenny People suggest that Evergreen (Kilkenny) defeated Avengers (Dublin) in a 1973 final.[4][5] Two 1974 articles in the Irish Independent and Sunday Independent report that Anne O'Brien won the Drumcondra Cup with All-Stars (Dublin) in 1972.[6][7] A 1985 article in the Munster Express, marking Benfica's twenty year anniversary, claims the club first played in a national Cup as early as in 1968.[8]

Early years

Although the RSSSF archives only list finals from 1989,[9] a match programme from a 1978 international between the Republic of Ireland and France confirmed that the Ladies FAI Cup was first played for in 1975 with Limerick defeating C.S.O. (Dublin) 2–1 in the final.[10] Records from the early 1980s are more clear and during this period the three strongest teams were Dublin Castle, Benfica and Rathfarnham United. The former two clubs were both members of the Ladies League of Ireland. Dublin Castle was founded in the mid-1970s as a works team by Margaret Griffin, a former camogie player from Ennis, County Clare who later became a Republic of Ireland international. At the time Griffin was working for the Irish Revenue Commissioners based at Dublin Castle.[11]

Benfica won the cup for the third time in 1993 in controversial circumstances. College Corinthians originally defeated Benfica 1–0 in the final.[12] However a replay was held after it was discovered that Corinthians had fielded two unregistered players.[13] In the replay, a fifteen year old Ciara Grant scored twice as Benfica won 3–0 at Kilcohan Park.[14][15]

DWSL monopoly

Following the emergence of the Dublin Women's Soccer League in 1993, its member clubs, most notably Shamrock Rovers and UCD, dominated the competition.[16] This monopoly was briefly broken in 2006 and 2007 by the representative teams of two regional women's leagues. A team representing the Mayo Ladies League[17] defeated UCD in the 2006 final and in 2007 the Galway Ladies League defeated Raheny United.[18][19][20] Between 2008 and 2011 the DWSL dominance was restored with victories by St Francis, Peamount United and St. Catherine's.

UEFA Women's Cup

Between 2001 and 2010 the FAI Women's Cup served as a qualifier for the UEFA Women's Cup. In 2002–03, after winning the 2001 cup, Shamrock Rovers became the first women's team to represent the Republic of Ireland in Europe.[21] UCD became the second Republic of Ireland team to qualify for Europe after winning the cup. UCD played in the 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06 UEFA Women's Cups. The Mayo Ladies League, the Galway Ladies League, St Francis and Peamount United all represented the Republic of Ireland in Europe after winning the cup.

In 2005 Dundalk City won the FAI Women's Cup[22][23] and as a result qualified for the 2006–07 UEFA Women's Cup. However, in 2006 a split developed within Dundalk City over a plan for the club to fully merge with Dundalk F.C. This saw the emergence of two separate women's teams. Dundalk City was re-established as an independent club while Dundalk W.F.C. became affiliated with the League of Ireland club. Following complications that resulted from the split, it was Dundalk W.F.C. that went on to represent the Republic of Ireland in the UEFA Women's Cup.[24][25][26]

Women's National League era

The establishment of the Women's National League in 2011–12 led to a revamp for the FAI Women's Cup. Played between August and November, it serves as a warm up competition for the WNL season. Between 2013 and 2019 the final was staged as part of double header at the Aviva Stadium along with the men's FAI Cup final. This idea had previously been tried out in 2004 and 2005 when Lansdowne Road hosted both finals on the same day. Since 2013 the final has also been broadcast live on RTÉ Two.[27] In 2015 the double header system caused controversy when the FAI Women's Cup final went to extra-time and penalties. During the penalty shoot-out, Cork City F.C. players began their warm up preparations for the men's FAI Cup on the pitch.[28]

From the 2020 season onwards, the final was staged at Tallaght Stadium on a separate day to the men's final.

List of finals
Date Winner Score Runners-up Venue
1975Limerick2–1C.S.O. (Dublin)[10]
1976Dublin CastleWaterford
1977SuffragettesAvengers (Dublin)
1978Dublin CastleGreen Angels (Dublin)
1979Dublin CastleAvengers (Dublin)
1980Suffragettes4–1 [29]Rathfarnham United
1981Suffragettes[note 1][29]Rathfarnham United
10 October 1982Dublin Castle [30][31]5–0Cork CelticWaterford Glass Sports Centre
1983Glade Celtic2–0Dublin Castle [32]Belfield Park[33]
1984Dublin Castle [34]2-2 [note 2]Killeady/Cork Rangers [35]
1985Rathfarnham United2–2 (a.e.t.)BelvedereHogan Park, Rathbane
ReplayRathfarnham United2–0Belvedere[36][37]Dalymount Park[3]
1986Dublin CastleBenfica[38][39]
1987Benfica3–2Boyne Rovers [39][40]Dalymount Park
1988Rathfarnham United [41]
1989Benfica4–2 (a.e.t.)Rathfarnham United [note 3]The Farm[41][42]
1990Rathfarnham UnitedBoyne Rovers
1991Rathfarnham UnitedBelvedere
18 October 1992WelsoxBenficaDalymount Park[43]
1993College Corinthians1–0Benfica
ReplayBenfica3–0 [note 4]College CorinthiansKilcohan Park[12][13][14][15]
1994WelsoxVerona FC
1995Rathfarnham UnitedCollege Corinthians
1996Castle RoversO'Connell Chics
1997Shamrock Rovers[44]4–0Shelbourne
1998Shamrock RoversListowel Celtic
29 August 1999 [45] Shamrock Rovers2–0ShelbourneAUL Complex
2000Shamrock RoversBealnamulla
29 July 2001Shamrock Rovers3–1St. Catherine'sAUL Complex[46]
2002UCD2–1Shamrock Rovers
10 August 2003 [47]UCD2–0Lifford (Clare)Richmond Park
24 October 2004 [48]UCD4–1Dundalk CityLansdowne Road[49]
16 October 2005 [22][23][50]Dundalk City1–0Peamount UnitedLansdowne Road[49]
2 December 2006 [19]Mayo Ladies League1–0UCDRichmond Park[17]
14 October 2007 [20]Galway Ladies League1–0Raheny UnitedDalymount Park
22 November 2008 [51]St Francis2–1Peamount UnitedRichmond Park
25 July 2009 [52] St Francis1–0St. Catherine'sRichmond Park[53]
25 July 2010 [54] Peamount United4–2Salthill DevonTolka Park
7 August 2011 [55][56][57][58] St. Catherine's3–1Wilton UnitedTurners Cross
13 October 2012 [59]Raheny United2–1Peamount UnitedDalymount Park
3 November 2013 [60]Raheny United3–2 (a.e.t.)Castlebar CelticAviva Stadium[27]
2 November 2014 [61]Raheny United2–1 (a.e.t.)UCD WavesAviva Stadium
8 November 2015 [62]Wexford Youths2–2 [note 5]ShelbourneAviva Stadium
6 November 2016 [63]Shelbourne5–0Wexford YouthsAviva Stadium
5 November 2017 [64]Cork City1–0UCD WavesAviva Stadium
4 November 2018[65]Wexford Youths1–0Peamount UnitedAviva Stadium
3 November 2019[66]Wexford Youths3–2Peamount UnitedAviva Stadium
12 December 2020[67]Peamount United6–0Cork CityTallaght Stadium
21 November 2021[68]Wexford Youths3–1ShelbourneTallaght Stadium
6 November 2022[69]Shelbourne2–0Athlone TownTallaght Stadium
Notes
  1. Suffragettes and Rathfarnham United were the finalists.
  2. Dublin Castle won on penalties.
  3. RSSSF lists Boyne Rovers as the runners-up. However a report in The Munster Express identifies Rathfarnham United as the runners-up. The same report also identifies Rathfarnham United as the previous years winners.
  4. Replay held after Corinthians had fielded two unregistered players in first game.
  5. Wexford Youths won 4–2 on penalties.

List of winners by club

Dublin Castle and Castle Rovers/Shamrock Rovers have won the cup the most times, each winning the competition six times.[9][18]

Wins Team Seasons
6 Dublin Castle [note 1] 1976, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1984, 1986 [31]
6 Castle Rovers/Shamrock Rovers 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
5 Rathfarnham United 1985, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1995
4 Wexford Youths 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021
3 Benfica 1987, 1989, 1995
3 UCD 2002, 2003, 2004
3 Raheny United 2012, 2013, 2014
2 Peamount United 2010, 2020
2 Shelbourne 2016, 2022
2 Welsox 1992, 1994
2 St Francis 2008, 2010
1 Limerick 1975
1 Glade Celtic 1983
1 Dundalk City 2005
1 Mayo Ladies League 2006
1 Galway Ladies League 2007
1 St. Catherine's 2011
1 Cork City 2017

Source:[9][18]

Notes
  1. An Irish Examiner report on 1982 final states that 1982 was third time Dublin Castle had won cup but does not identify the earlier years.

References
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