The President of Ireland's Cup, also known simply as the President's Cup, is an association football super cup featuring clubs from the Republic of Ireland football league system. It is a one-off match between the winners of the previous season's League of Ireland Premier Division and the FAI Cup, and functions both as a domestic Super cup and an unofficial opener to the football season in Ireland. Because it is organised by the Football Association of Ireland, it is sometimes misleadingly referred to as the FAI President's Cup. However the president in the title refers to the President of Ireland and not the president of the FAI. The FAI has previously organised similar competitions, the Top Four Cup and the FAI Super Cup. A similarly named and formatted competition, the LFA President's Cup was organised by the Leinster Football Association.
History
The President of Ireland's Cup was introduced in 2014 and the inaugural match featured the 2013 League of Ireland Premier Division champions, St Patrick's Athletic, and the 2013 FAI Cup winners, Sligo Rovers. On 25 February 2014 the cup itself was officially unveiled with a ceremony at Áras an Uachtaráin hosted by the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins. President Higgins had previously served as president of Galway United and is a well-known football supporter who regularly attends League of Ireland games. Also at the ceremony were Liam Buckley and Ger O'Brien, the manager and captain of St Patrick's Athletic and Ian Baraclough and Gavin Peers, the manager and captain of Sligo Rovers. President Higgins subsequently attended the inaugural final at Richmond Park on 2 March 2014, which was won 1–0 by St Patrick's Athletic with Keith Fahey scoring the winner.
In the event that a team wins both the League of Ireland and the FAI Cup during the season, the league runners-up qualify to play in the competition.
List of finals Season Winner Score Runners-up Venue Attendance Ref.2014St Patrick's Athletic1–0Sligo RoversRichmond Park1,3302015Dundalk 2–1St Patrick's AthleticOriel Park1,8002016Cork City 2–0DundalkTurners Cross1,8502017Cork City 3–0DundalkTurners Cross3,1402018Cork City 4–2DundalkOriel Park3,0002019Dundalk2–1Cork City Turners Cross2,7772020CancelledDundalkShamrock RoversOriel Park2021Dundalk1–1 (4–3 pens.)Shamrock Rovers Tallaght Stadium02022Shamrock Rovers 1–1 (5–4 pens.)St Patrick's AthleticTallaght Stadium5,4262023Derry City 2–0Shamrock RoversBrandywell Stadium3,7002024Shamrock Rovers3–1St Patrick's AthleticTallaght Stadium8,0532025Shelbourne2–0Drogheda UnitedTolka Park4,5842026Derry City1–0Shamrock RoversTallaght Stadium4,711
List of winners by club Club Titles Seasons Runners-up Seasons Dundalk 2015, 2019, 2021 2016, 2017, 2018 Cork City 2016, 2017, 2018 2019 Derry City 2023, 2026 Shamrock Rovers 2022, 2024 2021, 2023, 2026 St Patrick's Athletic 2014 2015, 2022, 2024 Shelbourne 2025 Sligo Rovers 2014 Drogheda United 2025
See also Top Four Cup FAI Super Cup LFA President's Cup
References