The Football Association of Ireland Women's Cup is the senior cup competition for women's association football in Ireland. It is commonly known as the Women's FAI Cup, the WFAI Cup, or prior to 2001, the Ladies FAI Cup or the LFAI Cup. Organised by the Women's Football Association of Ireland, like the Women's National League, the Cup is currently sponsored by Club Orange and is known as the Club Orange Women's FAI Cup. Previous sponsors include Sports Direct, EVOKE.ie, Continental Tyres, Umbro and Brother International.

History

Antecedents Two reports in the Kilkenny People suggest that Evergreen (Kilkenny) defeated Avengers (Dublin) in a 1973 final. Two 1974 articles in the Irish Independent and Sunday Independent report that Anne O'Brien won the Drumcondra Cup with All-Stars (Dublin) in 1972. A 1985 article in the Munster Express, marking Benfica's twenty year anniversary, claims the club first played in a national Cup as early as in 1968.

Early years Although the RSSSF archives only list finals from 1989, a match programme from a 1978 international between the Republic of Ireland and France confirmed that the Ladies FAI Cup was first played for in 1975 with Limerick defeating C.S.O. (Dublin) 2–1 in the final. Records from the early 1980s are more clear and during this period the three strongest teams were Dublin Castle, Benfica and Rathfarnham United. The former two clubs were both members of the Ladies League of Ireland. Dublin Castle was founded in the mid-1970s as a works team by Margaret Griffin, a former camogie player from Ennis, County Clare who later became a Republic of Ireland international. At the time Griffin was working for the Irish Revenue Commissioners based at Dublin Castle.

Benfica won the cup for the third time in 1993 in controversial circumstances. College Corinthians originally defeated Benfica 1–0 in the final. However a replay was held after it was discovered that Corinthians had fielded two unregistered players. In the replay, a fifteen year old Ciara Grant scored twice as Benfica won 3–0 at Kilcohan Park.

DWSL monopoly Following the emergence of the Dublin Women's Soccer League in 1993, its member clubs, most notably Shamrock Rovers and UCD, dominated the competition. This monopoly was briefly broken in 2006 and 2007 by the representative teams of two regional women's leagues. A team representing the Mayo Ladies League defeated UCD in the 2006 final and in 2007 the Galway Ladies League defeated Raheny United. Between 2008 and 2011 the DWSL dominance was restored with victories by St Francis, Peamount United and St. Catherine's.

UEFA Women's Cup Between 2001 and 2010 the FAI Women's Cup served as a qualifier for the UEFA Women's Cup. In 2002–03, after winning the 2001 cup, Shamrock Rovers became the first women's team to represent the Republic of Ireland in Europe. UCD became the second Republic of Ireland team to qualify for Europe after winning the cup. UCD played in the 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06 UEFA Women's Cups. The Mayo Ladies League, the Galway Ladies League, St Francis and Peamount United all represented the Republic of Ireland in Europe after winning the cup.

In 2005 Dundalk City won the FAI Women's Cup and as a result qualified for the 2006–07 UEFA Women's Cup. However, in 2006 a split developed within Dundalk City over a plan for the club to fully merge with Dundalk F.C. This saw the emergence of two separate women's teams. Dundalk City was re-established as an independent club while Dundalk W.F.C. became affiliated with the League of Ireland club. Following complications that resulted from the split, it was Dundalk W.F.C. that went on to represent the Republic of Ireland in the UEFA Women's Cup.

Women's National League era The establishment of the Women's National League in 2011–12 led to a revamp for the FAI Women's Cup. Played between August and November, it serves as a warm up competition for the WNL season. Between 2013 and 2019 the final was staged as part of double header at the Aviva Stadium along with the men's FAI Cup final. This idea had previously been tried out in 2004 and 2005 when Lansdowne Road hosted both finals on the same day. Since 2013 the final has also been broadcast live on RTÉ Two. In 2015 the double header system caused controversy when the FAI Women's Cup final went to extra-time and penalties. During the penalty shoot-out, Cork City F.C. players began their warm up preparations for the men's FAI Cup on the pitch.

From the 2020 season onwards, the final was staged at Tallaght Stadium on a separate day to the men's final.

There were 15 teams competing in the 2024 season. In 2025, the competition was expanded to 16 teams.

List of finals Date Winner Score Runners-up Venue1975 Limerick2–1 C.S.O. (Dublin)1976 Dublin Castle Waterford 1977 Suffragettes Avengers (Dublin) 1978 Dublin Castle Green Angels (Dublin) 1979 Dublin Castle Avengers (Dublin) 1980 Suffragettes4–1 Rathfarnham United1981 SuffragettesSuffragettes and Rathfarnham United were the finalists. Rathfarnham United 10 October 1982 Dublin Castle 5–0Cork CelticWaterford Glass Sports Centre 1983 Glade Celtic2–0Dublin Castle Belfield Park1984 Dublin Castle 2-2 Dublin Castle won on penalties. Killeady/Cork Rangers 8 September 1985 Rathfarnham United 2–2 (a.e.t.) Belvedere Hogan Park, Rathbane Replay (9 Oct 1985) Rathfarnham United 2–0 BelvedereDalymount Park 24 August 1986 Dublin Castle 1–0 Benfica Janesboro FC (Limerick)1987 Benfica 3–2 Boyne Rovers Dalymount Park 25 September 1988 Rathfarnham United 2–0 Boyne Rovers Balbriggan10 September 1989 Benfica4–2 (a.e.t.) Rathfarnham United RSSSF lists Boyne Rovers as the runners-up. However a report in The Munster Express identifies Rathfarnham United as the runners-up. The same report also identifies Rathfarnham United as the previous years winners. The Farm 1990 Rathfarnham United Boyne Rovers 6 October 1991 Rathfarnham United 3–1 Belvedere Dalymount Park1992 Welsox BenficaDalymount Park 26 September 1993 College Corinthians1–0Benfica Pike Rovers F.C.Replay (21 Nov 1993) Benfica3–0 Replay held after Corinthians had fielded two unregistered players in first game. College CorinthiansKilcohan Park 25 September 1994 Welsox 4–0 Verona FC Richmond Park27 August 1995 Rathfarnham United 3–0 College Corinthians Oscar Traynor Centre 25 August 1996 Castle Rovers 3–0 O'Connell Chics Richmond Park24 August 1997 Shamrock Rovers4–0 Shelbourne Iveagh Grounds6 September 1998 Shamrock Rovers 10–3 Listowel Celtic Newcastle, Co Dublin29 August 1999 Shamrock Rovers 2–0 Shelbourne AUL Complex20 August 2000 Shamrock Rovers 7–0 Bealnamulla AUL Complex29 July 2001 Shamrock Rovers 3–1 St. Catherine's AUL Complex1 September 2002 UCD 2–1 Shamrock Rovers Verona FC, Coolmine10 August 2003 UCD 2–0 Lifford (Clare) Richmond Park24 October 2004 UCD 4–1 Dundalk City Lansdowne Road16 October 2005 Dundalk City 1–0 Peamount UnitedLansdowne Road2 December 2006 Mayo Ladies League 1–0 UCD Richmond Park14 October 2007 Galway Ladies League 1–0 Raheny United Dalymount Park 22 November 2008 St Francis 2–1 Peamount United Richmond Park25 July 2009 St Francis 1–0 St. Catherine's Richmond Park25 July 2010 Peamount United 4–2 Salthill Devon Tolka Park7 August 2011 St. Catherine's 3–1 Wilton United Turners Cross 13 October 2012 Raheny United 2–1 Peamount United Dalymount Park3 November 2013 Raheny United 3–2 (a.e.t.) Castlebar Celtic Aviva Stadium2 November 2014 Raheny United 2–1 (a.e.t.) UCD Waves Aviva Stadium8 November 2015 Wexford Youths 2–2 Wexford Youths won 4–2 on penalties. Shelbourne Aviva Stadium6 November 2016 Shelbourne5–0Wexford YouthsAviva Stadium5 November 2017 Cork City1–0UCD WavesAviva Stadium 4 November 2018 Wexford Youths 1–0 Peamount United Aviva Stadium3 November 2019Wexford Youths 3–2 Peamount United Aviva Stadium12 December 2020Peamount United 6–0 Cork City Tallaght Stadium21 November 2021Wexford Youths 3–1 Shelbourne Tallaght Stadium6 November 2022Shelbourne 2–0 Athlone Town Tallaght Stadium19 November 2023Athlone Town 2–2Athlone won 4–3 on penalties. Shelbourne Tallaght Stadium20 October 2024Shelbourne 6–1 Athlone Town Tallaght Stadium19 October 2025Athlone Town3–2BohemiansTallaght Stadium27 September 2026Shelbourne3–1Athlone TownTallaght Stadium

Notes

List of winners by club Dublin Castle and Castle Rovers/Shamrock Rovers have won the cup the most times, each winning the competition six times. Wins Team Seasons 6 Dublin Castle An Irish Examiner report on 1982 final states that 1982 was third time Dublin Castle had won cup but does not identify the earlier years. 1976, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1984, 1986 6 Castle Rovers/Shamrock Rovers 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 5 Rathfarnham United 1985, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1995 4 Wexford Youths 2015, 2018, 2019, 20214Shelbourne2016, 2022, 2024, 2026 3 Benfica 1987, 1989, 1995 3 UCD 2002, 2003, 2004 3 Raheny United 2012, 2013, 2014 2 Athlone Town 2023, 2025 2 Peamount United 2010, 2020 2 Welsox 1992, 1994 2 St Francis 2008, 2010 1 Limerick 1975 1 Glade Celtic 1983 1 Dundalk City 2005 1 Mayo Ladies League 2006 1 Galway Ladies League 2007 1 St. Catherine's 2011 1 Cork City 2017

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