The Montenegrin Men's Handball Cup (Montenegrin: Rukometni Kup Crne Gore) is an elimination handball tournament held annually. It is the second most important national title in Montenegrin handball after the Montenegrin First League.

It has been held annually since Montenegrin independence in 2006.

History Montenegrin clubs in Yugoslav Cup Before Montenegrin independence, clubs from that Republic played in national handball Cup of Yugoslavia / Serbia and Montenegro. Most successful was RK Lovćen with two trophies won. First significant success at that time made RK Mornar, who played in Yugoslav Cup 1994-95 finals, but lost against RK Crvena zvezda. Two years later, another Montenegrin team played in the final of Yugoslav Cup - RK Lovćen, but they were defeated against RK Partizan (39-36; 21-30). Same rivals played in the Cup finals 2000-01 and once again RK Partizan won the trophy. First trophy for RK Lovćen came in 2001-02 on final-four in Vršac, defeating RK Sintelon (19:18) in the final. Year later, Lovćen won the final four in Belgrade (final match against RK Partizan - 28:26). Serbia and Montenegro Cup final 2004-05 was the last one in which participated RK Lovćen. On that game, Montenegrin side was defeated by RK Vojvodina (25-32). Below is a list of Yugoslav Cup trophies won by Montenegrin clubs. Club Winners Runners-up Winning years Lovćen Cetinje 2001-02, 2002–03 Mornar Bar

Montenegrin Cup (2006-) Except Montenegrin First League of Men's Handball as a top-tier league competition, after the independence, Handball Federation of Montenegro established Montenegrin Cup as a second elite national tournament. Inaugural season of Montenegrin Cup was 2006-07, and by now most successful was RK Lovćen with 9 titles. One title won RK Berane, RK Sutjeska, RK Partizan Tivat and RK Komovi Andrijevica. Three different teams won the first three editions of the Cup - RK Berane (2006-07), RK Sutjeska (2007-08) and RK Lovćen (2008-09). That was the beginning of successful era of RK Lovćen who won seven consecutive titles from 2009 to 2015. Except that, on season 2013-14, RK Lovćen scored 41 goals in the final game against RK Danilovgrad which is the all-time record. On season 2015-16, RK Partizan won their first Cup trophy, and next two years, the Cup winner was RK Lovćen. Big surprise came on season 2018-19, as the Cup winner became RK Komovi, based in the small town Andrijevica.

Competition Tournament format There are two phases of Montenegrin Men's Handball Cup. At first, there are two elimination phases in February - round of 16 and the quarterfinals. Winners of quarterfinals are participating in the second phase - Final tournament, which held on the Montenegrin Independence Day - May 21.

Final four Traditional event, Final tournament of Montenegrin Cup, every year is organising on 20/21 May. During the first day, there are two Semi-finals, and final match is playing on the Independence Day (May 21). Until today, hosts of Montenegrin Cup Final tournament were cities Cetinje (6), Danilovgrad (3), Tivat (2), Podgorica (1), Pljevlja (1), Budva (1), Bijelo Polje (1) and Mojkovac (1).

Participants

During the history, 15 different clubs played at the Final tournament of Montenegrin Handball Cup. Below is the list of participants on every Final tournament. 2006/07: RK Berane, RK Lovćen Cetinje, RK Mornar Bar, RK Cepelin Cetinje 2007/08: RK Sutjeska Nikšić, RK Berane, RK Lovćen Cetinje, RK Mornar Bar 2008/09: RK Lovćen Cetinje, RK Budućnost Podgorica, RK Mojkovac, RK Berane 2009/10: RK Lovćen Cetinje, RK Sutjeska Nikšić, RK Budućnost Podgorica, RK Budvanska rivijera Budva 2010/11: RK Lovćen Cetinje, RK Mojkovac, RK Rudar Pljevlja, RK Sutjeska Nikšić 2011/12: RK Lovćen Cetinje, RK Mojkovac, RK Budvanska rivijera Budva, RK Sutjeska Nikšić 2012/13: RK Lovćen Cetinje, RK Mojkovac, RK Ulcinj, RK Danilovgrad 2013/14: RK Lovćen Cetinje, RK Danilovgrad, RK Budvanska rivijera Budva, RK Sutjeska Nikšić 2014/15: RK Lovćen Cetinje, RK Budvanska rivijera Budva, RK Berane, RK Rudar Pljevlja 2015/16: RK Partizan Tivat, RK Lovćen Cetinje, RK Budvanska rivijera Budva, RK Berane 2016/17: RK Lovćen Cetinje, RK Mojkovac, RK Partizan Tivat, RK Budvanska rivijera Budva 2017/18: RK Lovćen Cetinje, RK Partizan Tivat, RK Jedinstvo Bijelo Polje, RK Ivangrad Berane 2018/19: RK Komovi, RK Partizan Tivat, RK Budvanska rivijera Budva, RK Jedinstvo 2019/20: RK Lovćen Cetinje, RK Partizan Tivat, RK Komovi, RK Budućnost Podgorica 2020/21: RK Lovćen Cetinje, RK Komovi, RK Partizan Tivat, RK Budvanska rivijera Budva 2021/22: RK Lovćen Cetinje, RK Budvanska rivijera, RK Budućnost Podgorica, RK Rudar Pljevlja 2022/23: RK Budvanska rivijera , RK Rudar Pljevlja, Lovćen Cetinje, RK Sutjeska Nikšić

There is not a single team which played every edition of the final four. The most appearances on the final four tournament have Lovćen (15). During the season 2012/13, Danilovgrad became first team from the Second league which played the final four tournament.

Winners and finals Season by season During the past, most successful team in Montenegrin Cup was RK Lovćen Cetinje. Below is the list of final matches of Montenegrin Handball Cup

Year Venue Winner Runner-up Score 2006/07 Danilovgrad RK Berane RK Lovćen Cetinje 23:21 (10:11) 2007/08 Danilovgrad RK Sutjeska Nikšić RK Berane 24:23 (9:10) 2008/09 Cetinje RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Budućnost Podgorica 26:25 (13:12) 2009/10 Pljevlja RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Sutjeska Nikšić 18:17 (10:10) 2010/11 Cetinje RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Mojkovac 31:25 (19:16) 2011/12 Cetinje RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Mojkovac 23:19 (10:12) 2012/13 Cetinje RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Mojkovac 28:22 (15:11) 2013/14 Danilovgrad RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Danilovgrad 41:28 (21:12) 2014/15 Budva RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Budvanska Rivijera 25:21 (13:12) 2015/16 Tivat RK Partizan Tivat RK Lovćen Cetinje 24:17 (9:6) 2016/17 Mojkovac RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Mojkovac 22:15 (8:8) 2017/18 Tivat RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Partizan Tivat 23:18 (12:12) 2018/19 Bijelo Polje RK Komovi Andrijevica RK Budvanska Rivijera 26:21 (12:13) 2019/20 Tivat RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Partizan Tivat 30:26 (18:13) 2020/21 Cetinje RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Komovi Andrijevica 31:20 (22:9) 2021/22 Podgorica RK Lovćen Cetinje RK Budućnost Podgorica 32:25 (15:8) 2022/23 Podgorica RK Budvanska rivijera RK Rudar Pljevlja 29:27 (11:13)

Trophies by team Montenegrin Cup There are nine different clubs which participated in the final match of Montenegrin Cup.

Four of them won the Cup.

Club Winners Runners-up Winning years RK Lovćen Cetinje 12 2 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022 RK Partizan Tivat 1 2 2016 RK Budvanska Rivijera 1 2 2023 RK Berane 1 1 2007 RK Sutjeska Nikšić 1 1 2008 RK Komovi Andrijevica 1 1 2019 RK Mojkovac - 4 RK Budućnost Podgorica - 2 RK Danilovgrad - 1

Overall Below is an overall list, including titles won in both national Cups - Montenegrin Cup and FR Yugoslavia / Serbia and Montenegro Cup.

Club Winners Runners-up Winning years RK Lovćen Cetinje 14 5 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022 RK Sutjeska Nikšić 1 1 2008 RK Berane 1 1 2007 RK Partizan Tivat 1 2 2016 RK Komovi Andrijevica 1 1 2019 RK Mojkovac - 4 RK Budvanska Rivijera - 2 RK Mornar Bar - 1 RK Budućnost Podgorica - 1 RK Danilovgrad - 1

See also Montenegrin First League of Men's Handball Montenegrin Second League of Men's Handball

References

External links Handball Federation of Montenegro