FAI Cup 2017

**JC_GUFC** · 15/10/2017, 8:06 AM

Originally Posted by RathfarnhamHoop

Nobody qualifies through the cup it goes to the league. Rovers now guaranteed Europe because of that after tonight's games

Technically Dundalk qualify through the cup if they win it and so 3rd and 4th in the league qualify. It doesn’t matter this year as they’ll be 2nd but for Europa League purposes the cup entrant is the highest ranked participant.

Anyway I think the original question was more on the lines of what happens if Cork do the double and for at least 5 years now the rules have been changed by UEFA that only the cup winners can qualify. Beaten finalists are not entitled to a European spot.

**oriel** · 15/10/2017, 12:15 PM

Technically an interesting point. Cork qualified for Europe in August I think, and Dundalk secured second spot a few weeks ago, so that was two of the four places confirmed. The fact that both are in the cup final means neither can USE the cup final as the method of qualifying. This means the team coming fourth gets the additional spot, but if Limerick had beaten Cork and qualified for the cup and lost, the spot would still have gone to the side finishing fourth. Only a Limerick cup win would have got them into Europe at the expense of the side finishing fourth.

I have vague memories of possibly Waterford qualifying as beaten finalists in mid eighties. Galway possibly too but they might have finished in the top three. The rule has definitely changed now though.

**trevy** · 16/10/2017, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by oriel

Technically an interesting point. Cork qualified for Europe in August I think, and Dundalk secured second spot a few weeks ago, so that was two of the four places confirmed. The fact that both are in the cup final means neither can USE the cup final as the method of qualifying. This means the team coming fourth gets the additional spot, but if Limerick had beaten Cork and qualified for the cup and lost, the spot would still have gone to the side finishing fourth. Only a Limerick cup win would have got them into Europe at the expense of the side finishing fourth.

I have vague memories of possibly Waterford qualifying as beaten finalists in mid eighties. Galway possibly too but they might have finished in the top three. The rule has definitely changed now though.

That's correct. Waterford lost the 1986 FAI Cup final to Shamrock Rovers but qualified for Europe in Cup Winners Cup I think and played Bordeaux. That was the last time we played in European football.

**WoodquayBoy** · 18/10/2017, 3:12 PM

Correct from our side as well - we lost the 1985 FAI Cup final to Shamrock Rovers, but as they also won the league, we took the place on offer in the 1985/86 European Cup Winners' Cup by virtue of being the beaten finalists (we finished 6th in the league).
The following season we finished second in the league and so qualified for the UEFA Cup through the league route.

**Trainee** · 19/10/2017, 6:19 AM

Ufea changed rules a few years ago where cup runners up would not get a European place, so if cup winners qualify for europe trough league then an a place would be offered to highest team in league who didn't qualify for Europe.

**oriel** · 19/10/2017, 11:17 AM

And to complete the sequence in 1987 Dundalk met Rovers in the final (cup specialist last win) and lost but we finished second in the league that season so I had assumed we had qualified for Europe that way.

Bohs came 3rd, and I think only 3 got into Europe those days, League winners, league runners up & Cup winners. With Dlk making the cup final this paved the way for Bohs to get the final spot, however a quick check on wiki I see Dlk played in the European Cup Winners competition that season.

**Charlie Darwin** · 19/10/2017, 2:55 PM

It was different in those days because somebody had to compete in the Cup Winners' Cup so it had to be the runner up rather than best-placed team.

**El-Pietro** · 19/10/2017, 3:08 PM

Its still the same now. The team who wins the cup takes the "Primary" Europa League spot. If the same team wins the league and cup, that "Primary" spot goes to the league runners up. Its not a big deal in Ireland but in some countries the Cup Winner enters at a later round.

**Straightstory** · 27/10/2017, 1:30 PM

Premium Tickets for the Cup Final - 30 euros - aren't available from Ticketmaster. Why is this - anyone know? Do they become available nearer the date?

**brendy_éire** · 27/10/2017, 2:01 PM

Originally Posted by Straightstory

Premium Tickets for the Cup Final - 30 euros - aren't available from Ticketmaster. Why is this - anyone know? Do they become available nearer the date?

All national team ST holders get bumped up to Premium (whether they like it or not), so there may not be any left.

**Straightstory** · 27/10/2017, 2:29 PM

OK - thanks for the reply. There was plenty of space there in previous years, so maybe this is a new thing?
Also - Anyone know which different sections the Dundalk/Cork fans are allocated?

**brendy_éire** · 27/10/2017, 3:39 PM

Originally Posted by Straightstory

OK - thanks for the reply. There was plenty of space there in previous years, so maybe this is a new thing?

Nah, been going for years.
They did say that you've to register for your upgrade this season. No closong date, but maybe they'll release more tickets closer to the time?

**outspoken** · 27/10/2017, 6:55 PM

Last year I went to buy at the ground (or the van just down the Road to be precise) and they had no normal priced tickets left only premium level so I’d say youl get them no problem closer to the time