The 2017 Scottish Challenge Cup final, also known as the Irn-Bru Cup final for sponsorship reasons, is a football match that took place on 25 March 2017 at Fir Park, between Dundee United and St Mirren. It was the 26th final of the Scottish Challenge Cup since it was first organised in 1990 to celebrate the centenary of the now defunct Scottish Football League and the fourth since the Scottish Professional Football League was formed. Both teams progressed through four elimination rounds to reach the final. The match was won by Dundee United 2–1, marking their first win in the tournament since its inception and their first silverware since the 2009–10 Scottish Cup.
Route to the final
The competition is a knock-out tournament and was contested by 52 teams from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2016-17. Those participating were the 30 clubs that played in the 2016–17 Championship, League One and League Two of the Scottish Professional Football League along with the top four teams from the 2015–16 Highland and Lowland Leagues (East Stirlingshire, who were relegated from the SPFL, took the place of the Lowland League champions Edinburgh City, who promoted in their place). The top two teams from the 2015–16 Welsh Premier League and 2015–16 NIFL Premiership and the U20s squads of the teams competing in the 2016–17 Premiership were also invited to compete. For the first three rounds, the draw was divided into two geographical regions – north and south. These draws were seeded to avoid U20s teams and Highland and Lowland League sides from being drawn against each other. From round four onwards, the draw was regionalised to keep Welsh and Northern Irish teams apart.
As both clubs play in the Championship, they received a bye to the third round.
Dundee United Round Opposition Score Third round Peterhead (h) 3–2 Fourth round Stranraer (a) 1–0 Quarter-final Dunfermline Athletic (a) 1–0 Semi-final Queen of the South (a) 3–2
St Mirren Round Opposition Score Third round Albion Rovers (a) 4–3 Fourth round Hibernian (a) 2–1 Quarter-final Ayr United (h) 2–1 Semi-final The New Saints (h) 4–1
Match details
Dundee United: GK1 Cammy Bell (c)RB8 Stewart MurdochCB14 William EdjenguéléCB4 Mark DurnanLB24 Jamie RobsonCM16 Charlie TelferCM14 Willo Flood RW22 Ali Coote AM19 Tony AndreuLW23 Nick van der Velden CF9 Simon Murray Substitutes:GK21 Luis ZwickDF3 Paul DixonDF5 Coll Donaldson DF6 Lewis ToshneyDF20 Frank van der StruijkMF11 Alex Nicholls FW18 Thomas Mikkelsen Manager: Ray McKinnonSt Mirren: GK21 Billy O'BrienRB3 Gary IrvineCB6 Gary MacKenzieCB15 Jack BairdLB44 Adam EckersleyRM42 Kyle Magennis CM10 Stevie Mallan CM22 Stephen McGinn (c)LM17 Lewis MorganCF16 Rory Loy CF9 John SuttonSubstitutes:GK1 Jamie LangfieldDF2 Stelios DemetriouDF4 Andy WebsterMF23 Pål FjeldeMF35 Darren WhyteMF36 Connor O'Keefe FW50 Ryan WattersManager: Jack Ross Man of the Match: Tony AndreuMatch rules 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary. Penalty shoot-out if scores still level. Seven named substitutes. Maximum of three substitutions.
References