The League of Ireland Cup (Irish: Corn Sraithe na hÉireann), also referred to in Ireland as the 'League Cup', was an annual knockout competition in men's football in the Republic of Ireland. It was contested by League of Ireland clubs and invited clubs from the lower levels of the Republic of Ireland football league system. It has been sponsored by Electronic Arts and branded the EA Sports Cup since 2009.[2]
| Organising body | Football Association of Ireland League of Ireland |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1973 |
| Region |  Ireland |
| Number of teams | 24 (2019) |
| Current champions | Dundalk |
| Most successful club(s) | Derry City (11 titles) |
 N/A[1] | |
The competition began in 1973–74, replacing the League of Ireland Shield and the Dublin City Cup. It has had several formats since its inception and has been a knock-out competition since 2005. As there was no European qualification for winners of the League of Ireland Cup, it had a lower status than the FAI Cup and was therefore seen as the third most important trophy in the Irish playing season.
The competition was not held in 2020 and 2021 as a result of delays and restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,[1] and has yet to resume being held as of 2024.
List of League Cup Finals
edit| † | Score on aggregate after 2 legs |
| Match was won on a penalty shootout |
Performance by club
edit| Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning Years | Years runners up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derry City | 11 | 3 | 1988–89, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1999–2000, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2018 | 1989–90, 2001–02, 2019 |
| Dundalk | 7 | 4 | 1977–78, 1980–81, 1986–87, 1989–90, 2014, 2017, 2019 | 1982–83, 1985–86, 1988–89, 1994–95 |
| St. Patrick's Athletic | 4 | 2 | 2000–01, 2003, 2015, 2016 | 1979–80, 1992–93 |
| Bohemians | 3 | 3 | 1974–75, 1978–79, 2009 | 1991–92, 2005, 2007 |
| Athlone Town | 3 | 2 | 1979–80, 1981–82, 1982–83 | 1983–84, 1999–2000 |
| Cork City | 3 | 2 | 1987–88, 1994–95, 1998–99 | 1996–97, 2011 |
| Limerick 1 | 3 | 2 | 1975–76, 1992–93, 2001–02 | 1990–91, 2016 |
| Shamrock Rovers | 2 | 8 | 1976–77, 2013 | 1978–79, 1981–82, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1998–99, 2012, 2014, 2017 |
| Sligo Rovers | 2 | 3 | 1997–98, 2010 | 1975–76, 1976–77, 1995–96 |
| Galway United 2 | 2 | 2 | 1985–86, 1996–97 | 1980–81, 2015 |
| Waterford United 3 | 2 | 1 | 1973–74, 1984–85 | 2009 |
| Drogheda United | 2 | 1 | 1983–84, 2012 | 2013 |
| Shelbourne | 1 | 3 | 1995–96 | 1993–94, 1997–98, 2006 |
| Longford Town | 1 | 1 | 2004 | 2003 |
| Finn Harps | - | 3 | - | 1973–74, 1974–75, 1984–85 |
| UCD | - | 2 | - | 2000–01, 2005 |
| Cork Alberts | - | 1 | - | 1977–78 |
| Wexford Youths | - | 1 | - | 2008 |
| Monaghan United | - | 1 | - | 2010 |
| Cobh Ramblers | - | 1 | - | 2018 |
Sponsors
editBass League Cup: 1975–76 – 1978–79
Opel League Cup: 1986–87 – 1989–90
Bord Gáis League Cup: 1990–91 – 1995–96
Harp Lager League Cup: 1996–97 – 1998–99
Eircom League Cup: 1999–2000 – 2008
EA Sports Cup: 2009 –
Television coverage
editThe Final has been broadcast live since 2005, first by Setanta Sports, then since 2016 by its successor channel Eir Sport
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "EA Sports Cup is cancelled". extratime.com. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
- ^ "EA SPORTS confirmed as new title sponsor of League of Ireland Cup". FAI. Retrieved 5 July 2009.
External links
edit- Ireland League Cup Finals from RSSSF
- League of Ireland Shield Winners from RSSSF