2023 FAI Cup

[culloty82]

The draw for the Preliminary Round has been made today, with ties to be played in the w/e April 9th:

Ringmahon Rangers (Cork) v Killester/Donnycarney
St Patrick's CYFC (Dublin) v Willow Park (Westmeath)
Kilbarrack United v Drumcondra FC
St Michael's AFC (Tipp) v Ballynanty Rovers (Limerick)
Cockhill Celtic (Donegal) v St Mochta's (Dublin)
Skerries Town v Newmarket Celtic
Portlaoise AFC v Usher Celtic
Home Farm v Rockmount (Cork)

Byes to First Round Proper:

Avondale United (Cork)
Bangor Celtic
Lucan United
Gorey Rangers

As for who seems best placed to upset a League club, probably Usher Celtic, Avondale, and possibly Rockmount, should they progress.

[total hoofball]

Have Gorey Rangers ever made to the first proper round of the Cup? Seems to be the only team out of those 20 inter/junior teams who I can't recall reaching that stage

[Martinho II]

Have Gorey Rangers ever made to the first proper round of the Cup? Seems to be the only team out of those 20 inter/junior teams who I can't recall reaching that stage

As far as I know I dont think so total hoofball!

[EatYerGreens]

The draw for the Preliminary Round has been made today, with ties to be played in the w/e April 9th:

Ringmahon Rangers (Cork) v Killester/Donnycarney
St Patrick's CYFC (Dublin) v Willow Park (Westmeath)
Kilbarrack United v Drumcondra FC
St Michael's AFC (Tipp) v Ballynanty Rovers (Limerick)
Cockhill Celtic (Donegal) v St Mochta's (Dublin)
Skerries Town v Newmarket Celtic
Portlaoise AFC v Usher Celtic
Home Farm v Rockmount (Cork)

Byes to First Round Proper:

Avondale United (Cork)
Bangor Celtic
Lucan United
Gorey Rangers

As for who seems best placed to upset a League club, probably Usher Celtic, Avondale, and possibly Rockmount, should they progress.

That's Easter Weekend, so will be interesting to see when the games all get scheduled for. Hoping to get to one or two of these myself.

[culloty82]

Rather surprisingly, after their recent Leinster Senior Cup heroics, Usher Celtic promptly lost 2-1 in Portlaoise, while St Pats CYFC had a comfortable 4-0 win over Willow Park.

[joey B]

Cockhill Celtic beat St Mochtas 5-4 after ET,winner in 121st minute.....

[culloty82]

Ringmahon Rangers edge out Killester 1-0, while Kilbarrack put five past Drumcondra.

[2 Year Contract]

Anyone with the FAI Connect app, take a look at that Killester Drumcondra game, 66th minute a lad called Eoghan Hampson was subbed off. The profile picture for him is what looks like a childhood passport photo. Only this country would that happen on the national association’s app!

[Longfordian]

Ha ha that's brilliant. How in this day and age is that the only photo they have of him?!

[pineapple stu]

Same for Josh Keegan on the Kilbarrack bench

I guess they may have been on an underage squad together. But GDPR would ask why the FAI still have passport photos years later

[nr637]

2023 FAI Cup
https://a.bn.ie/w/d/10.php?bannerid=17&campaignid=2&zoneid=14&source={obfs:}&loc=https%3A%2F%2Ffoot.ie%2Fthreads%2F281965-2023-FAI-Cup&referer=https%3A%2F%2Ffoot.ie%2Fforums%2F14-Premier-amp-First-Divisions&cb=c5b5e8a5d0


Preliminary Round w/e April 9th: Current Results

Saturday 9th April
Ringmahon Rangers (Cork) 1 v Killester/Donnycarney (Dublin) 0
St Patrick's CYFC (Dublin) 4 v Willow Park (Westmeath) 0
Kilbarrack United (Dublin) 5 v Drumcondra FC (Dublin) 0
Cockhill Celtic (Donegal) 5 v St Mochta's (Dublin) 4 aet
Portlaoise AFC (Laois) 2 v Usher Celtic (Dublin) 1

Sunday 10th April
St Michael's AFC (Tipperary) v Ballynanty Rovers (Limerick) Cooke Park Sunday @ 3pm
Skerries Town (Dublin) v Newmarket Celtic (Clare) Park Line Sunday @ 2pm
Home Farm (Dublin) v Rockmount (Cork) Whitehall Sunday @ 2pm

[nr637]

By the way,

FAI Junior Cup Final 2023

St. Michael's (Tipperary) v Newmarket Celtic (Clare)
(Jackman Park, Limerick)

April 29th Saturday @ 5 pm

Support would be hugely appreciated.

[culloty82]

Final three ties completed today:

Skerries Town 4-0 Newmarket Celtic
St Michael's 2-1 Ballynanty Rovers
Home Farm 0-0 Rockmount (Rockmount win 4-1 on penalties)

Last year, the draw for the first round proper was made in mid-June, even though the preliminary games were held on roughly the same weekend as now.

[pateen]

By the way,

FAI Junior Cup Final 2023

St. Michael's (Tipperary) v Newmarket Celtic (Clare)
(Jackman Park, Limerick)

April 29th Saturday @ 5 pm

Support would be hugely appreciated.

I thought this game would be on in the Aviva.

C'mon the saints

[EatYerGreens]

I thought this game would be on in the Aviva.

C'mon the saints

It's fairer to have the two teams and fans travel a shorter distance. And whilst no doubt they'd love to play in the Aviva, it would end up costing too much given the crowd. So Jackman is probably the right decision for this Junior Final.

[Shearer]

It's fairer to have the two teams and fans travel a shorter distance. And whilst no doubt they'd love to play in the Aviva, it would end up costing too much given the crowd. So Jackman is probably the right decision for this Junior Final.
There's no valid excuse for a national final to be held in Jackman Park.
One of the biggest amateur competitions in Europe with every club paying €30 to enter surely warrants a better ground or renting out the Markets Field if need be.

[legendz]

There's no valid excuse for a national final to be held in Jackman Park.
One of the biggest amateur competitions in Europe with every club paying €30 to enter surely warrants a better ground or renting out the Markets Field if need be.
Or even Turner's Cross owned by the Munster FA?

[Shearer]

Or even Turner's Cross owned by the Munster FA?
I'm assuming that it wasn't available and that it's the only reason it isn't on there but I might be giving the FAI too much credit.
That and Eamonn Deacy should have been looked at first.

[nigel-harps1954]

Intermediate Cup final is being held in Sligo as well. It's a pity clubs don't get their big day out in Aviva, irrespective of where they're located.

[pateen]

Anyone know when the draw for the next round takes place?

[2 Year Contract]

No official word on when the draw is yet. First round last year took place on 29/30/31 July and the draw was made on 21 June.

This year the first round is due to take place the weekend of 21/22/23 July so the draw could be mid June I’d say

[oriel]

And every PD club hoping for an away draw against Kerry !!!!!

[EatYerGreens]

And every PD club hoping for an away draw against Kerry !!!!!

The fans anyway. I doubt Derry would be that keen, as would probably necessitate an overnight stay as well as two long coach trips. Unless they could afford to fly it? :D Ironically Kerry themselves would probably prefer an away draw if they got a 'big' club, as it would maximise the gate for them.

[brendy_éire]

The fans anyway. I doubt Derry would be that keen, as would probably necessitate an overnight stay as well as two long coach trips. Unless they could afford to fly it?

I'll take Kerry away, grand.
The club used to fly to the Cork games back in the Celtic Tiger days, but it's bus and overnight now.

Would also happily accept Cockhill away. Saturday afternoon match, back in Maginn Park in the middle of summer would be lovely.

[Dermobohs]

Cannot imagine why anyone would consider Kerry away as a good draw?
You’d have virtually zero chance of a ticket.

[nigel-harps1954]

The novelty of Kerry away is one to tick off the list, but I wouldn't be in any hurry back until they got some sort of spectator facilities for away fans.

Obviously, there's a degree of irony in a Harps fan saying that, but I'd take the away ends of Oriel, Finn Park, or otherwise, over Mounthawk Park any day.

[Shearer]

Cannot imagine why anyone would consider Kerry away as a good draw?
You’d have virtually zero chance of a ticket.
The ones who do get tickets will only realise after they've paid €15 to look at the back of someone's head that it certainly isn't a good draw.

I've nothing against Kerry and was happy to see them enter the league due to their proximity to Limerick. With that said, if Treaty weren't playing on a Friday night I couldn't bring myself to go down there. I know it's not a League of Ireland ground and all the rest, but if you can't see the game you can't see the game.

[outspoken]

Obviously when we went down we only had about 30 fans so away end was grand but it really isn't suitable long term.

[Jamesie]

The novelty of Kerry away is one to tick off the list, but I wouldn't be in any hurry back until they got some sort of spectator facilities for away fans.

Obviously, there's a degree of irony in a Harps fan saying that, but I'd take the away ends of Oriel, Finn Park, or otherwise, over Mounthawk Park any day.

Whats wrong with it. ...covered standing with perfect view

[nigel-harps1954]

Whats wrong with it. ...covered standing with perfect view

Perfect view of what the mountains perhaps, because it's certainly not the football pitch.

[JC_GUFC]

A few people seem to have this complaint about the Kerry away end but when I was there earlier in the season I thought it was ok.

One corner of the pitch you struggle to see alright but that's the same in Oriel. I guess if there were 200 away fans in there it would be a bit cramped.

I don't think Kerry are overly concerned about away day gate receipts - I would say they'd probably love the hype (perhaps not the scoreline) of getting Shamrock Rovers down. You'd imagine their nightmare draw would be away to one of the non-league Donegal sides, a marathon journey which they might lose.

[legendz]

Ah yeah sure look Mounthawk Park has its limitations. Are there clubs Kerry should be hoping to avoid? Mainly in terms of segregation.

[JC_GUFC]

Ah yeah sure look Mounthawk Park has its limitations. Are there clubs Kerry should be hoping to avoid? Mainly in terms of segregation.

I think because of the small away capacity if you were to draw Rovers or Bohs their tickets would go to members first so you wouldn't expect any potential trouble makers to be down. Maybe Shels, it seems a few of these lads have been let out on their own for the first time this season and are now finding they can curse in public!

[outspoken]

The problem with the away "end" is it's just flat ground. If a big away crowd traveled the lads lucky enough to get in along the barrier would be grand but everyone else would be looking at the back of heads for 90 mins.

We had good banter with the Kerry fans, literally just a single barrier separating us, it didn't cross my mind that it wouldn't take much for things to get hairy if you'd a few messers either side of it

[sadloserkid]

Are Bray still the current wannabe Green Street? There tends to be a couple of clubs at any given time who have picked up a temporary fringe of toerags. Cobh have had a few issues this season too, no?

[nigel-harps1954]

Are Bray still the current wannabe Green Street? There tends to be a couple of clubs at any given time who have picked up a temporary fringe of toerags. Cobh have had a few issues this season too, no?

To be fair, I don't recall any Bray fans throwing traffic cones and spitting on Harps players this season, which, unfortunately, I can't say the same for Treaty kids.

[sadloserkid]

To be fair, I don't recall any Bray fans throwing traffic cones and spitting on Harps players this season, which, unfortunately, I can't say the same for Treaty kids.

I'm disappointed to hear of that sort of behaviour from any club, including my own. It's scummy and shouldn't be tolerated at all. These people should be weeded out. I haven't been near a Treaty away game this season to have formed an opinion one way or the other and, as I suggested above, in my experience these things tend to ebb and flow for most clubs as, presumably, the miscreants involved 'graduate' from acting the ******** at football to more general scumbaggery.

[legendz]

The main work Kerry had to do for licencing was on the floodlights, pitch and seating. Elevated terracing should be a basic starting point for any further development work. To club will probably need a mix of local government funding and business support to take on projects like that. The KDL own the ground.

[Shearer]

To be fair, I don't recall any Bray fans throwing traffic cones and spitting on Harps players this season, which, unfortunately, I can't say the same for Treaty kids.
One kid. Everyone who I spoke to that saw it happen condemned it and rightfully so, he shouldn't see the inside of the ground again.

No need to try and point score.

[outspoken]

Are Bray still the current wannabe Green Street? There tends to be a couple of clubs at any given time who have picked up a temporary fringe of toerags. Cobh have had a few issues this season too, no?

Nope, those scumbags who came to Longford last year haven't been seen since, don't know where they came from last year. Bray fans have always been excellent. Thankfully haven't come across too many bad sets of fans this season. Was a bad few weeks there last season where they seemed to be regular incidents occuring at games.

[nigel-harps1954]

One kid. Everyone who I spoke to that saw it happen condemned it and rightfully so, he shouldn't see the inside of the ground again.

No need to try and point score.

Who's "point scoring"? It was just a reply to a post. I'm aware there's been fairly widespread condemnation since online.

[Shearer]

Who's "point scoring"? It was just a reply to a post. I'm aware there's been fairly widespread condemnation since online.
Someone asked if that same group of thugs are still hanging around Bray games and you had a pop off him about the Treaty game on Friday for no reason. Get over it.

[2 Year Contract]

Sports Direct are new sponsors of the men’s and women’s FAI cups for the next 3 years. Draw for the next round is on Tuesday 6th of June

https://www.fai.ie/domestic/news/fai-and-sports-direct-announce-three-year-partnership (https://www.fai.ie/domestic/news/fai-and-sports-direct-announce-three-year-partnership)

[pateen]

Wonder what sort of money is involved?

[EatYerGreens]

Wonder what sort of money is involved?

Sports Direct have a reputation for being tough hagglers/tight arses. So I wouldn't be surprised if they've done a deal with some sort of 'in kind' element i.e. added stuff that won't cost them anything e.g. claim that they'll help promote the cup in store etc.

[nigel-harps1954]

Someone asked if that same group of thugs are still hanging around Bray games and you had a pop off him about the Treaty game on Friday for no reason. Get over it.


"There tends to be a couple of clubs at any given time who have picked up a temporary fringe of toerags"




But sure, okay, if you want to bury the head in the sand then fair enough.

[JC_GUFC]

Probably been said elsewhere but the 12 non-league clubs in this year's first round are:

Lucan United (7th LSL), Gorey Rangers (2nd Wexford), Avondale United (6th MSL), Bangor Celtic (6th LSL), Ringmahon Rangers (2nd MSL), St Pat's CY (4th LSL 2nd Div), Kilbarrack United (1st LSL 2nd Div), St Michael's (3rd Tipp South), Cockhill Celtic (1st USL), Skerries Town (5th LSL 2nd Div), Portlaoise (relegated to LSL 4th tier) and Rockmount (1st MSL)

[EatYerGreens]

Probably been said elsewhere but the 12 non-league clubs in this year's first round are:

Lucan United (7th LSL), Gorey Rangers (2nd Wexford), Avondale United (6th MSL), Bangor Celtic (6th LSL), Ringmahon Rangers (2nd MSL), St Pat's CY (4th LSL 2nd Div), Kilbarrack United (1st LSL 2nd Div), St Michael's (3rd Tipp South), Cockhill Celtic (1st USL), Skerries Town (5th LSL 2nd Div), Portlaoise (relegated to LSL 4th tier) and Rockmount (1st MSL)

If Portlaoise get drawn away to a top PD side, they could get absolutely hockeyed. There's a growing gulf in standard between the LOI and non-league teams as it is.

[Philosophizer]

Sports Direct have a reputation for being tough hagglers/tight arses. So I wouldn't be surprised if they've done a deal with some sort of 'in kind' element i.e. added stuff that won't cost them anything e.g. claim that they'll help promote the cup in store etc.

Yea sure it’s Mike Ashley’s company. The whole business model is based on being stingy as fcuk.
They knew that the FAI was seriously struggling for sponsors so they saw it as an opportunity to get a cut-price deal. FAI must be receiving terribly low offers if SD was the best they could get.
They won’t be getting out of debt any time soon with sponsors like that.

[eitoof]

If Portlaoise get drawn away to a top PD side, they could get absolutely hockeyed. There's a growing gulf in standard between the LOI and non-league teams as it is.
Wouldn't disagree with that. Their LSL season is now over and they have a number of first teamers who will probably prioritising GAA for the next few months.
1991 was their last time in the FAI Cup proper. Beat then LOI Home Farm at home before losing to a Kilkenny City team who I'm sure had a goal or two scored by Laois man, Tony Dunne.
There's a few ex LOI guys in the current team. Chris Mulhall, ex Shels and Limerick I think. Paul Cahillane ex Celtic reserves and Wexford. Jimmy Dermody, not sure on him tbh.