Association football competition in Republic of Ireland
Football tournament
The League of Ireland Cup (Irish : Corn Sraithe na hÉireann ), also referred to in Ireland as the 'League Cup', was an annual knockout competition in men's football in the Republic of Ireland . It was contested by League of Ireland clubs and invited clubs from the lower levels of the Republic of Ireland football league system . It has been sponsored by Electronic Arts and branded the EA Sports Cup since 2009 .[ 2]
The competition began in 1973–74, replacing the League of Ireland Shield and the Dublin City Cup . It has had several formats since its inception and has been a knock-out competition since 2005. As there was no European qualification for winners of the League of Ireland Cup, it had a lower status than the FAI Cup and was therefore seen as the third most important trophy in the Irish playing season.
The competition was not held in 2020 and 2021 as a result of delays and restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic ,[ 1] and has yet to resume being held as of 2024.
List of League Cup Finals
Season
Winner
Score
Runner-up
Venue
Attendance
1973–74
Waterford
2–1
Finn Harps
1974–75
Bohemians
3–2 †
Finn Harps
1975–76
Limerick
4–1 †
Sligo Rovers
1976–77
Shamrock Rovers
1–0
Sligo Rovers
1977–78
Dundalk
4–4 †
Cork Alberts
1978–79
Bohemians
2–0
Shamrock Rovers
1979–80
Athlone Town
4–2
St. Patrick's Athletic
1980–81
Dundalk
0–0
Galway Rovers
1981–82
Athlone Town
1–0
Shamrock Rovers
1982–83
Athlone Town
2–1
Dundalk
1983–84
Drogheda United
3–1
Athlone Town
1984–85
Waterford United
2–1
Finn Harps
1985–86
Galway United
2–0
Dundalk
1986–87
Dundalk
1–0
Shamrock Rovers
1987–88
Cork City
1–0
Shamrock Rovers
1988–89
Derry City
4–0
Dundalk
1989–90
Dundalk
1–1
Derry City
1990–91
Derry City
2–0
Limerick
1991–92
Derry City
1–0
Bohemians
1992–93
Limerick City
2–0
St. Patrick's Athletic
1993–94
Derry City
1–0 †
Shelbourne
1994–95
Cork City
2–1 †
Dundalk
1995–96
Shelbourne
2–2 †
Sligo Rovers
1996–97
Galway United
4–2 †
Cork City
Turners Cross, Cork
1997–98
Sligo Rovers
1–0 †
Shelbourne
1998–99
Cork City
2–1 †
Shamrock Rovers
1999–2000
Derry City
5–2 †
Athlone Town
2000–01
St. Patrick's Athletic
5–3 †
UCD
2001–02
Limerick F.C.
2–2 †
Derry City
2002–03
No Competition due to change in seasons
2003
St. Patrick's Athletic
1–0
Longford Town
Richmond Park , Dublin
2004
Longford Town
2–1
Bohemians
Flancare Park , Longford
2005
Derry City
2–1
UCD
Belfield Park
2,150
2006
Derry City
0–0
Shelbourne
Brandywell Stadium , Derry
2007
Derry City
1–0
Bohemians
Brandywell Stadium , Derry
7,700
2008
Derry City
6–1
Wexford Youths
Ferrycarrig Park , Crossabeg
3,500
2009
Bohemians
3–1
Waterford United
Waterford Regional Sports Centre , Waterford
4,000
2010
Sligo Rovers
1–0
Monaghan United
Showgrounds , Sligo
3,000
2011
Derry City
1–0
Cork City
Turner's Cross , Cork
4,164
2012
Drogheda United
3–1
Shamrock Rovers
Tallaght Stadium , Dublin
3,120
2013
Shamrock Rovers
2–0
Drogheda United
Tallaght Stadium , Dublin
3,820
2014
Dundalk
3–2
Shamrock Rovers
Oriel Park , Dundalk
3,500
2015
St Patrick's Athletic
0–0
Galway United
Eamonn Deacy Park , Galway
3,662
2016
St Patrick's Athletic
4–1
Limerick
Markets Field , Limerick
4,362
2017
Dundalk
3–0
Shamrock Rovers
Tallaght Stadium , Dublin
4,102
2018
Derry City
3–1
Cobh Ramblers
Brandywell Stadium , Derry
3,500 (est)
2019
Dundalk
2–2
Derry City
Brandywell Stadium , Derry
3,500 (est)
2020
Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
2021
Club
Winners
Runners-up
Winning Years
Years runners up
Derry City
11
3
1988–89, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1999–2000, 2005 , 2006 , 2007 , 2008 , 2011 , 2018
1989–90, 2001–02, 2019
Dundalk
7
4
1977–78 , 1980–81 , 1986–87 , 1989–90 , 2014 , 2017 , 2019
1982–83, 1985–86, 1988–89, 1994–95
St. Patrick's Athletic
4
2
2000–01, 2003, 2015 , 2016
1979–80, 1992–93
Bohemians
3
3
1974–75, 1978–79, 2009
1991–92, 2005, 2007
Athlone Town
3
2
1979–80, 1981–82, 1982–83
1983–84, 1999–2000
Cork City
3
2
1987–88, 1994–95, 1998–99
1996–97, 2011
Limerick 1
3
2
1975–76, 1992–93, 2001–02
1990–91, 2016
Shamrock Rovers
2
8
1976–77, 2013
1978–79, 1981–82, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1998–99, 2012, 2014, 2017
Sligo Rovers
2
3
1997–98, 2010
1975–76, 1976–77, 1995–96
Galway United 2
2
2
1985–86, 1996–97
1980–81, 2015
Waterford United 3
2
1
1973–74, 1984–85
2009
Drogheda United
2
1
1983–84, 2012
2013
Shelbourne
1
3
1995–96
1993–94, 1997–98, 2006
Longford Town
1
1
2004
2003
Finn Harps
-
3
-
1973–74, 1974–75, 1984–85
UCD
-
2
-
2000–01, 2005
Cork Alberts
-
1
-
1977–78
Wexford Youths
-
1
-
2008
Monaghan United
-
1
-
2010
Cobh Ramblers
-
1
-
2018
1 Includes results for Limerick and Limerick City.
2 Includes results for Galway Rovers.
3 Includes results for Waterford FC.
Bass League Cup : 1975–76 – 1978–79
Opel League Cup : 1986–87 – 1989–90
Bord Gáis League Cup : 1990–91 – 1995–96
Harp Lager League Cup : 1996–97 – 1998–99
Eircom League Cup : 1999–2000 – 2008
EA Sports Cup : 2009 –
Television coverage
The Final has been broadcast live since 2005, first by Setanta Sports , then since 2016 by its successor channel Eir Sport
See also
References
External links
Divisions Former Divisions Cups Former Cups Rivalries Representative team See also
Governing Bodies National Teams National Leagues Provincial Leagues County/Local Leagues
National Cups Provincial Cups All-Ireland Cups
Association football cup competitions in Ireland
All-Ireland
Northern Ireland
Republic of Ireland
International Friendly Trophies