2015 FAI Cup

2015 FAI Cup
FAI Irish Daily Mail Cup
Tournament details
Country Republic of Ireland
Teams40
Final positions
ChampionsDundalk
Runner-upCork City
Tournament statistics
Matches played39, plus replays
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2016 →

The 2015 FAI Senior Challenge Cup, also known as the 2015 FAI Irish Daily Mail Senior Cup for sponsorship reasons, was the 95th season of the national football competition of the Republic of Ireland. The winners of the competition earned a spot in the first qualifying round of the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League.

A total of 40 teams competed in the 2015 competition, which commenced in March 2015. The teams entered from the 2015 League of Ireland Premier Division and First Division received byes into the second round stage. Four non-league clubs also received byes to the second round. The remaining 12 teams entered at the first round stage. These non-league teams are composed of the sixteen clubs, which reached the fourth round of the 2014–15 FAI Intermediate Cup, and the semi-finalists of the FAI Junior Cup in 2014–15.[1]

Dundalk won the cup after a 1–0 win against Cork City in the final on 8 November.[2]

Teams

Round Clubs
remaining		 Clubs
involved		 Winners from
previous round		 New entries
this round		 Leagues entering at this round
First round 40 16 N/A 16 Leinster Senior League
Munster Senior League
Ulster Senior League
Second round 32 32 8 24 League of Ireland
Third round 16 16 16 none none
Quarter-finals 8 8 8 none none
Semi-Finals 4 4 4 none none
Final 2 2 2 none none

First round

The draw for the First Round of the FAI Cup was made on 7 April 2015 at Abbotstown by FAI President Tony Fitzgerald and Brendan Clarke. 20 intermediate and junior clubs were present in the draw. [3]

24 April St. Mary's A.F.C. 0–1 Avondale United
19:30 Report Roy Long pen.'
25 April College Corinthians A.F.C. 0–1 Crumlin United
14:00 Report
25 April Cobh Wanderers FC 2–0 Clonmel Celtic
14:30 Report
25 April Cockhill Celtic F.C. 1–0 Casement Celtic
17:00 Report
26 April Killester United 3–0 Dunboyne AFC
14:30 Report
26 April UCC 0–4 North End United
15:00 Report
26 April St. Mochta's 5–2 Arklow Town
11:00 Report
26 April Glenville 0–1 Firhouse Clover
11:00 Report

Second round

The draw for the Second Round of the FAI Cup was made on 6 May 2015 at the Aviva Stadium by Paul McGrath and FAI President Tony Fitzgerald and contained 32 teams, with the 20 League of Ireland teams entering the competition. Ties played on the weekend ending 31 May 2015.[4][5]

29 May Tolka Rovers 2–1 Waterford United Frank Cooke Park, Dublin
Report
29 May Dundalk F.C. 5–0 Shelbourne F.C. Oriel Park
Report
29 May Longford Town F.C. 1-1 Finn Harps F.C. City Calling Stadium/Finn Park
Report
Report
29 May Wexford Youths 0–2 Cork City F.C. Ferrycarrig Park
Report
29 May Galway United F.C. 1–0 North End United Terryland Park
Report
29 May Drogheda United F.C. 3–1 Cabinteely F.C. United Park
Report
29 May Saint Patrick's Athletic 2–1 Shamrock Rovers F.C. Richmond Park
Report
Report
29 May Bohemian F.C. 4–1 Firhouse Clover Dalymount Park
Report
29 May Bray Wanderers 3–1 Limerick F.C. Carlisle Grounds
Report
30 May Athlone Town F.C. 3–2 Liffey Wanderers F.C. Athlone Town Stadium
Report
30 May Killester United 3–0 Cobh Ramblers Hadden Park
Report
31 May Sligo Rovers 2–0 Crumlin United F.C. The Showgrounds
Report
31 May University College Dublin 1–3 Sheriff Y.C. Belfield Bowl
Report
31 May Cockhill Celtic F.C. 3–0 St. Mochta's Charlie O'Donnell Sports Grounds
Report
31 May Cobh Wanderers FC 3-3 Avondale United Oldchurch Park/Avondale Park
Report
Report
31 May Edenderry Town F.C. 0–3 Derry City F.C. Father Paul Park
Report

Third round

The draw for the third round took place in Sligo on 17 July and was made by Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill and FAI president Tony Fitzgerald. Fixtures were played on the weekend of August 23.[6]

22 August Cockhill Celtic F.C. 0–2 Longford Town F.C. Charlie O'Donnell Sports Grounds
Report
21 August Tolka Rovers 0–4 Killester United Frank Cooke Park
Report
21 August Galway United F.C. 1–4 Dundalk F.C. Eamonn Deacy Park
Report Attendance: 761
Referee: Robert Rogers
21 August Derry City F.C. 3–0 Drogheda United F.C. The Brandywell
Report
21 August Sheriff Y.C. 2-2 Athlone Town F.C. Clontarf Astro/Athlone Town Stadium
Report
Report
21 August Bohemian F.C. 0–1 Bray Wanderers Dalymount Park
Report
22 August Cobh Wanderers FC 0–4 Sligo Rovers Oldchurch Park
Report
21 August Cork City F.C. 4–0 Saint Patrick's Athletic Turners Cross
Report Attendance: 1,748
Referee: Paul McLaughlin

Quarter-final

The draw for the quarter-finals of the Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup were made on 23 August with Irish under 21 manager Noel King and FAI Director of Competitions Fran Gavin overseeing proceedings.[7][8] Ties were played on Friday 11 September. The draw featured 6 League of Ireland Premier Division teams and 2 non-league sides.

Bray Wanderers 2–0 Killester United Carlisle Grounds
Report
Derry City F.C. 1–1 Cork City F.C. The Brandywell
Report
Longford Town F.C. 3–1 Sheriff Y.C. City Calling Stadium
Report
Dundalk F.C. 4–0 Sligo Rovers F.C. Oriel Park
Report

Semi finals

The draw was made by former Republic of Ireland international Keith Fahey, who was a member of the St Patrick’s Athletic team that won the trophy in 2014, and Fran Gavin, Director of Competitions at the Football Association of Ireland. The draw was broadcast live on RTE Radio One’s Morning Ireland programme and also on RTE News Now. On Friday 2 October Dundalk defeated Longford Town 2 - 0.[9] Cork City defeated Bray Wanderers 1-0 on Sunday 4 October. The match was broadcast live on RTÉ2.[10]

2 October Dundalk F.C. 2–0 Longford Town F.C. Oriel Park
Report
4 October Bray Wanderers 0–1 Cork City F.C. Carlisle Grounds
Report

Final

Main article: 2015 FAI Cup Final
8 November 2015 Dundalk 1–0 (a.e.t.) Cork City Aviva Stadium
15:30 Richie Towell 107' Report Attendance: 25,103
Referee: David McKeon

References

  1. ^ "Plenty of surprises in FAI Ford cup second round". FAI.ie. 7 June 2014. Archived from the original on 17 July 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  2. ^ "Cork City 0-1 Dundalk". RTE Sport. 8 November 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  3. ^ "2015 Irish Daily Mail FAI Senior Cup first round draw". FAI.ie. 7 April 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  4. ^ "St Patrick's Athletic draw s in FAI Cup second round". RTE Sport. 7 May 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  5. ^ "2015 Irish Daily Mail FAI Senior Cup second round draw". FAI.ie. 6 May 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  6. ^ "Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup third round draw made". FAI.ie. 17 July 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  7. ^ "Quarter final draw made". FAI.ie. 23 August 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  8. ^ "Cork and Dundalk avoid each other in FAI Cup quarter final draw". The 42. 23 August 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  9. ^ "Dundalk double dream alive after Longford win". RTÉ News.
  10. ^ "Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup S-F Draw". FAI.ie. 14 September 2015. Retrieved 15 September 2015.