The 2023 FAI Cup, known as the Sports Direct FAI Cup for sponsorship reasons,[1] was the 103rd edition of the Republic of Ireland's primary national cup competition. It featured teams from the League of Ireland Premier Division and the First Division, as well as non-league teams. The competition began with qualifying on 7 April 2023 and concluded with the final on 12 November 2023 in the Aviva Stadium.[2][3][4][5] The winners qualified for the second qualifying round of the 2024–25 UEFA Conference League.

2023 FAI Cup
Tournament details
CountryRepublic of Ireland
Venue(s)Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Dates7 April – 12 November
Teams40
Final positions
ChampionsSt Patrick's Athletic
Runner-upBohemians
Tournament statistics
Top goal scorer(s)Jonathan Afolabi (4 goals)
← 2022
2024 →
(Note: All statistics do not include qualifying round)

St Patrick's Athletic won the cup on 12 November after a 3–1 win over Bohemians in the final, it was their fifth FAI Cup win.[6]

Teams

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The 2023 FAI Cup is a knockout competition with 40 teams taking part. The competitors consist of the 20 teams from the League of Ireland and 20 teams from the regional leagues of the Republic of Ireland football league system.

League of Ireland Premier Division League of Ireland First Division Leinster Senior League Munster Senior League Ulster Senior League Other leagues
  • Ballynanty Rovers

(Limerick & District League)

(Tipperary South District League)

  • Newmarket Celtic

(Clare District League)

Preliminary round

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The eight preliminary round ties began over the weekend of the 9th of April with the first round proper played in July. The four non-league teams receiving byes into the first round were; Lucan United, Gorey Rangers, Avondale United and Bangor Celtic.

7 April 2023 St. Patrick's CY 4–0Willow ParkIrishtown
19:30 Gregg   4'
Kinsella   18'
Daly   68'   85'
Stadium: Irishtown Stadium
Attendance: 50
Referee: Robert Redmond
7 April 2023 Portlaoise 2–1Usher CelticPortlaoise
19:45 Fitzpatrick   13'   29' Buckley   9'
Lynam   70'
Stadium: Rossleighan Park
Attendance: 150
Referee: David Gallagher
8 April 2023 Cockhill Celtic 5–4 (a.e.t.)St. Mochta'sBuncrana
13:00 McLaughlin   64'   75'   89'
Friel   104'   120+1'
Brady   31'
Donnelly   41'
Scott   64'   117'
McWilliams   61'
Stadium: Charlie O'Donnell Sports Grounds
Attendance: 150
Referee: Barry Maxwell
8 April 2023 Kilbarrack United 5–0DrumcondraRaheny
14:00 Townley   5'
McCourt   8'
Fitzsimons   39'
Cummins   54'
Mulligan   82'
Stadium: Greendale Astro
Attendance: 100
Referee: Liam McGuirk
8 April 2023 Ringmahon Rangers 1–0Killester Donnycarney Mahon
14:00 Horgan   78' Kavanagh   80' Stadium: Ringmahon Park
Attendance: 100
Referee: Edwin McNally
9 April 2023 Skerries Town 4–0Newmarket CelticSkerries
14:00 Leonard   10'
Young   23'   68'
McKenna   51' (pen)
Stadium: Park Lane
Attendance: 250
Referee: John McCarthy
9 April 2023 Home Farm0–0 (a.e.t.)
(1–4 p)
Rockmount Whitehall
14:00 Stadium: Whitehall Stadium
Attendance: 115
Referee: Declan Troy
Penalties
Mellah   56'
McNevin  
Hoban  
Prizeman  
Ahearne  
Casey  
Leonard  
Connolly  
9 April 2023 St. Michael's 2–1Ballynanty Rovers Tipperary
15:00 McGrath   30'
Byron   61'
Quinn   66' Stadium: Cooke Park
Attendance: 550
Referee: Alec McCormack

First round

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The draw for the first round was made on June 6 and was made by FAI President Gerry McAnaney and former FAI Cup winner Derek Coughlan. All ties took place on the weekend of 23 July.[7][8]

21 July 2023 UCD 3–2Cobh RamblersBelfield
19:45 Keaney   23'
Frahill   50' (o.g.)
Norris   62'
Report Holland   16'
Larkin   70'
Stadium: UCD Bowl
Attendance: 174
Referee: Declan Toland
21 July 2023 Kerry 2–0Ringmahon RangersTralee
19:45 Kelliher   75', 84' Report Stadium: Mounthawk Park
Attendance: 665
Referee: Marc Lynch
21 July 2023 Drogheda United 2–1Sligo Rovers Drogheda
19:45 Foley   57'
Brennan   80' (pen.)
Report Mata   42' (pen.)
Lafferty   78'
Stadium: Weaver's Park
Attendance: 1334
Referee: David Dunne
21 July 2023 Bohemians 1–0Shelbourne Phibsborough
19:45 Afolabi   32' Report Stadium: Dalymount Park
Attendance: 4168
Referee: Paul McLaughlin
21 July 2023 Kilbarrack United 0–1 Finn Harps Kilbarrack
19:45 Report Hutchison   23' Stadium: Greendale Road
Attendance: 375
Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan
21 July 2023 Wexford 3–0Avondale United Wexford
19:45 Boyle   45' (pen.)
Doran   63'
Kenny   90+5' (pen.)
Report Stadium: Ferrycarrig Park
Attendance: 268
Referee: Gavin Colfer
22 July 2023 Treaty United0–2 Cork City Garyowen
14:00 Nwankwo   90' Report Honohan   54'
Owalabi   77'
Stadium: Markets Field
Attendance: 909
Referee: Damien MacGraith
22 July 2023 Cockhill Celtic1–3 Bray Wanderers Buncrana
14:00 McClure   42' Report Feeney   25'
Lyons   34'
Thompson   36'
Stadium: Charlie O'Donnell Sports Grounds
Attendance: 200
Referee: Paul Norton
22 July 2023 Gorey Rangers1–2 Rockmount Gorey
15:00 Molloy   90+4' Report O'Sullivan   42'
Courtney   76'
Stadium: Ramstown
Attendance: 177
Referee: Daniel Murphy
22 July 2023 St Michael's0–5 Waterford Tipperary
17:00 Report Coughlan   1'
Perry   26'
Parsons   42'
Cresswell   67'
Akachukwu   72'
Stadium: Cooke Park
Attendance: 800
Referee: Ray Matthews
22 July 2023 Galway United 4–1Bangor CelticGalway
17:00 Aouachria   14'
Walsh   39'   45+4'
Brouder   52'
Report Maher   1' Stadium: Eamonn Deacy Park
Attendance: 400
Referee: Alan Patchell
23 July 2023 Lucan United2–3 St Patrick's CY Celbridge
11:00 Mooney   36'   89' Report Doyle   9'
Hanrahan   39'
Ivie   90'
Stadium: O'Hanlon Park
Attendance: 200
Referee: David Gallagher
23 July 2023 Portlaoise0–3 Skerries Town Portlaoise
14:00 Report McKenna   14', 55', 90' Stadium: Rossleighan Park
Attendance: 675
Referee: Sean Boyd
23 July 2023 Derry City 3–0Athlone TownDerry
17:00 Patching   23' (pen.)
B.Kavanagh   90+3'
Duffy   90+5'
Report Stadium: Brandywell Stadium
Attendance: 3100
Referee: Oliver Moran
23 July 2023 Dundalk 1–0Shamrock RoversDundalk
17:00 Hayden Muller   23'
Doyle   31'
Report Stadium: Oriel Park
Attendance: 2686
Referee: Rob Harvey
23 July 2023 Longford Town1–2 St Patrick's Athletic Longford
18:00 Boudiaf   78'
Hand   81'
Brady   91'
Report Murphy   64'
Forrester   80' (pen.)
Stadium: Bishopsgate
Attendance: 1164
Referee: Rob Hennessy

Second round

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The draw for the second round was made on 25 July and was broadcast live on RTE 2FM on the 'Game On' radio programme.[9] All ties took place on the weekend of 20 August.

18 August 2023 Bohemians 6–0RockmountPhibsborough
19:45 Clarke   18'   45+1'
Afolabi   23'
McDaid   55'
Twardek   66'
McDonnell   85'
Report Stadium: Dalymount Park
Attendance: 2,746
Referee: David Dunne
18 August 2023 Bray Wanderers0–1 Dundalk Bray
19:45 Report Horgan   86' Stadium: Carlisle Grounds
Attendance: 500
Referee: Rob Hennessy
18 August 2023 Kerry0–1 Drogheda United Tralee
19:45 Report Robinson   7' Stadium: Mounthawk Park
Attendance: 960
Referee: Kevin O'Sullivan
18 August 2023 Finn Harps 5–0Skerries TownBallybofey
20:00 Hutchison   4'
Flood   16'   58'
Ferry   47'
O'Donnell   55'
Report Stadium: Finn Park
Attendance: 828
Referee: Damien MacGraith
20 August 2023 St. Patrick's CY0–1 Wexford Ringsend
13:30 Report D Levingston   42' Stadium: Irishtown Stadium
Attendance: 500
Referee: Adriano Reale
21 August 2023 Cork City 3–0WaterfordCork
19:45 Keating   1'
Honohan   17'
Bargary   87'
Report Idowu   90' Stadium: Turners Cross
Attendance: 2,407
Referee: Eoghan O'Shea
21 August 2023 UCD1–5 Galway United Belfield
19:45 O'Reilly   86' Report Aouachria   5'
Hurley   15'   38'
Manning   45+1'
Manley   69'
Stadium: UCD Bowl
Attendance: 416
Referee: Rob Harvey
Note: Original fixture on 18 August abandoned at half time due to Storm Betty.

Quarter-finals

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The draw for the quarter-finals of the FAI Cup was hosted by Shane Dawson and was made on 22 August 2023. FAI President Gerry McAnaney and former two time FAI Cup winner Barry Ferguson made the draw.[10] Games were played on 15 September 2023.

15 September 2023 Drogheda United1–3 Bohemians Drogheda
19:45 Brennan   50' (pen) Report Nowak   44'
Afolabi   56'   90' (pen)
Stadium: Weavers Park
Attendance: 2,344
Referee: Damien MacGraith
15 September 2023 Finn Harps1–2 St Patrick's Athletic Ballybofey
20:00 O'Donnell   24' Report Forrester   48' (pen)
Lonergan   85'
Stadium: Finn Park
Attendance: 1,351
Referee: Rob Harvey
15 September 2023 Galway United 4–0DundalkGalway
19:45 Walsh   8'
McCarthy   20'
Nugent   30'
Hurley   39' (pen)
Report Stadium: Eamonn Deacy Park
Attendance: 4,300
Referee: David Dunne
15 September 2023 Cork City 2–1WexfordCork
19:45 Dijksteel   78'
Keating   90+2'
Report Dobbs   45+2' Stadium: Turners Cross
Attendance: 2,141
Referee: Eoghan O'Shea

Semi-finals

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The draw for the semi finals was made on 19 September and was hosted by Shane Dawson at FAI Headquarters in Abbotstown. The draw was made by FAI President Gerry McAnaney and for FAI Cup winner Shane Robinson.[11]

7 October 2023 Galway United0–1 Bohemians Galway
14:40 Report Connolly   44'
Radkowski   59'
Stadium: Eamonn Deacy Park
Attendance: 4,300
Referee: Neil Doyle
8 October 2023 Cork City0–2 St Patrick's Athletic Cork
14:40 Report Doyle   12'
Carty   83'
Stadium: Turners Cross
Attendance: 6,355
Referee: Rob Harvey

Final

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The final was held on 12 November 2023 in the Aviva Stadium.

12 November 2023 Bohemians1–3 St Patrick's Athletic Ballsbridge
15:00 Afolabi   9' (pen.) Report Doyle   23'
Nowak   48' (o.g.)
Lonergan   87'
Stadium: Aviva Stadium
Attendance: 43,881
Referee: Paul McLaughlin

References

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  1. ^ "Mike Ashley's Sports Direct to become new FAI Cup sponsors". FAI.ie. 27 April 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Preliminary draw made FAI Official". FAI.ie. 15 March 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  3. ^ "Preliminary draw made on extratime.ie". extratime.ie. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  4. ^ "Willow Park to learn FAI Senior Cup draw today". westmeathindepent.ie. 15 March 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Draw for FAI Men's Senior Cup". strikeronline.ie. 15 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  6. ^ "St Pat's secure FAI Cup with comeback win to beat Bohs at the Aviva". Irish Independent. 12 November 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  7. ^ "Dundalk to meet Shamrock Rovers in FAI Cup first round". RTE Sport. 6 June 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  8. ^ "Preview: Dublin derby kicks off FAI Cup first round". RTE Sport. 21 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  9. ^ "FAI Cup second round draw recap as Derry take on St Pat's". Irish Mirror. 25 July 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  10. ^ "FAI Cup Quarter-Final draw completed". Extratime.com. 22 August 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  11. ^ "FAI Cup semi-final draw: Cork City to host St Pats, Galway to welcome Bohemians". Irish Examiner. 19 September 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.