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FAI Intermediate Cup

The FAI Intermediate Cup, also known as the FAI Umbro Intermediate Cup and the Pat O'Brien Intermediate Challenge Cup, is a cup competition organized by the Football Association of Ireland for intermediate association football clubs from the Republic of Ireland. These include clubs competing in the Leinster Senior League and the Munster Senior League. It was originally known as the FAI Qualifying Cup and from the beginning it has been used as a qualifying competition for the senior FAI Cup. It is currently sponsored by Umbro and has previously been sponsored by Carlsberg.

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FAI Intermediate Cup
Organiser(s)Football Association of Ireland
Founded1926
RegionRepublic of Ireland Ireland
Domestic cupTom Hand Memorial Cup
Current championsCollege Corinthians (1st Title)
(2024–25)
Most championshipsAvondale United (8 titles)
WebsiteFAI Intermediate Cup @ www.fai.ie

The FAI Intermediate Cup (Irish: Corn Comortais Peile na hÉireann),1 also known as the FAI Umbro Intermediate Cup and the Pat O'Brien Intermediate Challenge Cup, is a cup competition organized by the Football Association of Ireland for intermediate association football clubs from the Republic of Ireland. These include clubs competing in the Leinster Senior League and the Munster Senior League. It was originally known as the FAI Qualifying Cup and from the beginning it has been used as a qualifying competition for the senior FAI Cup. It is currently sponsored by Umbro and has previously been sponsored by Carlsberg.

History

FAI Qualifying Cup

The competition was originally known as the FAI Qualifying Cup before it was renamed the FAI Intermediate Cup at the start of the 1931–32 season. The cup's first winners were Drumcondra who beat Cobh Ramblers in the inaugural 1926–27 final. Drumcondra, who at the time were playing in the Leinster Senior League, subsequently went onto complete a cup double when they defeated Brideville 1–0 in the 1926–27 FAI Cup final.234 The competition continues to act a qualifying competition for the FAI Cup with clubs who reach the Round of Sixteen being invited to compete in the senior cup.156

League of Ireland

In addition to being the inaugural winners, Drumcondra were also the first of several future League of Ireland clubs to win the FAI Intermediate Cup. Cork Bohemians, Sligo Rovers, Longford Town, UCD, Cobh Ramblers, St Patricks Athletic, Albert Rovers, Bray Wanderers, Home Farm and Cork Hibernians, playing as AOH, all subsequently won the cup before joining the national league. Athlone Town were also finalists on one occasion. Jacobs, St. James's Gate and Transport all won the cup after leaving the League of Ireland. With five wins, Longford Town were the competitions most successful club until Bluebell United equalled their record in 1999–2000 and Avondale United surpassed it in 2013–14. The reserve teams of League of Ireland clubs have also won the cup on several occasions. These include Bohemians, Shelbourne, Drumcondra and St Patrick's Athletic. Limerick B and UCD Reserves were also runners up.34

2000s and 2010s

During the late 2000s and 2010s Avondale United and Crumlin United were the cup's most successful clubs.3 In 2013–14 Avondale United became only the second club after Distillery to win the cup four times in a row.78 In 2012 the FAI introduced a new cup, the Tom Hand Memorial Cup, which saw the winners of the FAI Intermediate Cup play off against the winners of the FAI Junior Cup. Avondale United won the inaugural match, defeating Sheriff Y.C. 2–1 at the AUL Complex.910 In 2014 it was announced that future finals would be hosted at the Aviva Stadium.11 The 2014–15 and 2015–16 finals were both played as double headers along with the FAI Junior Cup finals.1213

Finals

Season Winner Score Runner-up Venue
2024–25 College Corinthians A.F.C. 2–1 (a.e.t.) Ringmahon Rangers Turners Cross, Cork1415
2023–24 Glebe North 3–2 (a.e.t.) Ringmahon Rangers Weavers Park, Drogheda16
2022–23 Rockmount 1–1 (a.e.t.)
4–3 (pen.) 		Cockhill Celtic The Showgrounds, Sligo17
2021–22 Rockmount 2–0 Bluebell United Turners Cross, Cork18
2020–21 Unfinished due to Coronavirus pandemic19
2019–20 St. Mochta's 2–1 Killester Donnycarney Tallaght Stadium, Dublin20
2018–19 Avondale United 1–0 Crumlin United Aviva Stadium, Dublin21
2017–18 Maynooth University Town 4–1 (a.e.t.)2223 Firhouse Clover F.C. Aviva Stadium
2016–17 Liffey Wanderers 2–2 (a.e.t.)
5–4 (pen.) 		Cobh Wanderers Aviva Stadium24
2015–16 Crumlin United 5–0825 Letterkenny Rovers Aviva Stadium
2014–15 Crumlin United 4–02627 Tolka Rovers Aviva Stadium
2013–14 Avondale United 3–0728 UCD Reserves Turners Cross
2012–13 Avondale United 4–129 Bluebell United Richmond Park
2011–12 Avondale United 2–1 (a.e.t.)30 Cherry Orchard Tallaght Stadium
2010–11 Avondale United 1–0 (a.e.t.)31 Cherry Orchard Turners Cross
2009–10 Crumlin United 3–13233 Avondale United Dalymount Park
2008–09 Crumlin United 3–23435 Bluebell United Tallaght Stadium
2007–08 Rockmount 2–036 Douglas Hall Turners Cross
2006–07 Avondale United 1–03738 Bangor Celtic Turners Cross
2005–06 Avondale United39 1–0 Blarney United
2004–05 Wayside Celtic 1–040 Rockmount Carlisle Grounds
2003–04 Rockmount Bluebell United Richmond Park41
2002–03 Belgrove (Dublin) Rockmount Turners Cross42
Replay Belgrove (Dublin) 2–143 Rockmount Whitehall Stadium
2001–02 Ashtown Villa 4–144 Cherry Orchard Dalymount Park
2000–01 Wayside Celtic 1–0 Ashtown Villa Dalymount Park45
1999–2000 Bluebell United St. Marys
1998–99 Rockmount 2–041 Garda Turners Cross
1997–98 Cherry Orchard 2–146 College Corinthians
1996–97 Glenmore Celtic (Dublin) 1–047 Everton Turners Cross
1995–96 Wayside Celtic Fanad United
1994–95 Fanad United 1–046 College Corinthians Terryland Park48
1993–94 Bluebell United Cherry Orchard TBC49
1992–93 Bluebell United Wayside Celtic
1991–92 Pegasus (Dublin) Bluebell United
1990–91 Edenmore 2–0 St Joseph's Boys (Sallynoggin) Tolka Park
1989–90 Bluebell United Ballyfermot United (Ballyfermot)
1988–89 T.E.K. United 1–0 St. James's Gate Dalymount Park
1987–88 Fanad United 1–0 Tramore Athletic Dalymount Park5048
1986–87 Tramore Athletic Bank Rovers (Dublin)
1985–86 Crofton Celtic (Cork) Everton
1984–85 Bank Rovers (Dundalk) Hammond Lane (Dublin)
1983–84 Ballyfermot United (Ballyfermot) Bank Rovers (Dublin)
1982–83 Cobh Ramblers Bluebell United
1981–82 Bluebell United Tramore Athletic
1980–81 Tramore Athletic Ballyfermot United (Ballyfermot)
1979–80 Cobh Ramblers Tramore Athletic
1978–79 Tramore Athletic Swilly Rovers (Ramelton)
1977–78 Avondale United AIB
1976–77 Pegasus (Dublin) Bray Wanderers
1975–76 St. Brendans CIE Transport
1974–75 CYM Terenure (Terenure) Belgrove (Dublin)
1973–74 Transport T.E.K. United
1972–73 Dalkey United (Dalkey) Rialto (Dublin)
1971–72 CYM Terenure (Terenure) T.E.K. United
1970–71 Tullamore Town Bluebell United
1969–70 Rialto (Dublin) Home Farm
1968–69 Longford Town Transport
1967–68 Home Farm 0–0 Athlone Town St Mel's Park51
Replay Home Farm 1–0 Athlone Town Tolka Park5152
1966–67 Home Farm Tramore Athletic
1965–66 Transport Home Farm
1964–65 T.E.K. United Glasheen (Glasheen)
1963–64 Transport T.E.K. United
1962–63 Home Farm Limerick B
1961–62 Longford Town Home Farm
1960–61 Workmen's Club Jacobs
1959–60 Longford Town Bray Wanderers
1958–69 Albert Rovers53 3–2 Bray Wanderers Rutland Avenue
1957–58 Bray Wanderers 3–2 Chapelizod (Chapelizod)
1956–57 Workmen's Club 2–1 AOH Turners Cross
1955–56 Bray Wanderers Workmen's Club54
1954–55 Longford Town Workmen's Club
1953–54 Albert Rovers Jacobs
1952–53 St Patrick's Athletic Reserves Jacobs
1951–52 AOH Pike Rovers
1950–51 St. James's Gate Evergreen United
1949–50 Jacobs St Patricks Athletic
1948–49 St Patrick's Athletic Freebooters (Cork)
1947–48 St Patrick's Athletic Cobh Ramblers
1946–47 Drumcondra B Rockville (Cork)
1944–45 UCD 4–2 Cobh Ramblers Dalymount Park
1941–42 Distillery (Dublin) Cobh Ramblers55
1940–41 Distillery (Dublin) Cork Bohemians
1939–40 Distillery (Dublin) Cobh Ramblers55
1938–39 Distillery (Dublin) Cork Bohemians
1937–38 Terenure Athletic Cork Bohemians
1936–37 Longford Town Fearon's Athletic
1935–36 B and ISP G.S. Rlys (Cork)
1934–35 Tramore Rookies Bohemians Reserves
1933–34 Sligo Rovers Tramore Rookies
1932–33 Shelbourne B Cork Bohemians
1931–32 Bohemians Reserves Cork Bohemians
1930–31 Cork Bohemians Rossville
1929–30 Cahir Park (Cahir) 4–2 Glasnevin (Glasnevin) TBA56
1928–29 Richmond United Fermoy (Fermoy)
1927–28 Cork Bohemians Strandville
1926–27 Drumcondra Cobh Ramblers

Sources:34

List of winners by club

Club Titles Seasons
Avondale United 8 1977–78, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2018–19
Rockmount 5 1998–99, 2003–04, 2007–08, 2021-22, 2022-2023
Bluebell United 5 1981–82, 1989–90, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1999–2000
Longford Town 5 1936–37, 1954–55, 1959–60, 1961–62, 1968–69
Crumlin United 4 2008–09, 2009–10, 2014–15, 2015–16
Distillery (Dublin) 4 1938–39, 1939–40, 1940–41, 1941–42
Home Farm 3 1962–63, 1966–67, 1967–68
St Patrick's Athletic 3 1947–48, 1948–49, 1952–53
Tramore Athletic 3 1978–79, 1980–81, 1986–87
Transport 3 1963–64, 1965–66, 1973–74
Wayside Celtic 3 1995–96, 2000–01, 2004–05
Albert Rovers 2 1953–54, 1958–59
Bray Wanderers 2 1955–56, 1957–58
Cobh Ramblers 2 1979–80, 1982–83
Cork Bohemians 2 1927–28, 1930–31
CYM Terenure (Terenure) 2 1971–72, 1974–75
Drumcondra 2 1926–27, 1946–47
Fanad United 2 1987–88, 1994–95
Pegasus (Dublin) 2 1976–77, 1991–92
T.E.K. United 2 1964–65, 1988–89
Workmen's Club 2 1956–57, 1960–61
AOH 1 1951–52
Ashtown Villa 1 2001–02
Ballyfermot United (Ballyfermot) 1 1983–84
Bank Rovers (Dundalk) 1 1984–85
Belgrove (Dublin) 1 2002–03
Bohemians Reserves 1 1931–32
B and ISP 1 1935–36
Cahir Park (Cahir) 1 1929–30
Cherry Orchard 1 1997–98
College Corinthians 114 2024–25
Crofton Celtic (Cork) 1 1997–98
Dalkey United (Dalkey) 1 1972–73
Edenmore 1 1990–91
Glenmore Celtic (Dublin) 1 1996–97
Jacobs 1 1949–50
Liffey Wanderers 1 2016–2017
Maynooth University Town 1 2017–18
Rialto (Dublin) 1 1969–70
Richmond United 1 1928–29
St. Brendans CIE 1 1975–76
St James's Gate 1 1950–51
Shelbourne B 1 1932–33
Sligo Rovers 1 1933–34
Terenure Athletic 1 1937–38
Tramore Rookies 1 1934–35
Tullamore Town 1 1970–71
UCD 1 1945–46

Source:34

References

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