The 2018 FAI Cup (known as the Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup for sponsorship purposes) was the 98th edition of the Republic of Ireland's primary national cup competition. It began with the qualifying round on 21 April 2018, and concluded with the final on 4 November 2018. The winner qualified for the 2019–20 Europa League first qualifying round.
| Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup | |
|---|---|
| Tournament details | |
| Country |  Republic of Ireland |
| Defending champions | Cork City |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Dundalk (11th title) |
| Runner-up | Cork City |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 40 |
| Goals scored | 152 (3.8 per match) |
| Top goal scorer(s) | Kieran Sadlier (7 goals) |
Cork City were the defending champions but lost in the final 2–1 to Dundalk.[1][2]
Qualifying round
The draw for the qualifying round was made on 4 April 2018. FAI President Tony Fitzgerald was joined by Dundalk goalkeeper and three-time winner Gary Rogers and Irish Daily Mail Circulation Manager, David Vaz, to perform the draw.
A total of 20 teams entered the qualifying round, with four teams (Home Farm, Cockhill Celtic, Newmarket Celtic and Blarney United) receiving a bye to the first round proper. The remaining 16 teams played eight games, with the winners entering the first round proper.
The Irish Daily Mail offered a cash prize for the non-league team who advanced the furthest in the competition.[3]
| 21 April 2018 | Avondale United | 0–2 | Pike Rovers | Carrigaline |
| 14:00 | Report | McGann  15' (pen.)Collins 70' | Stadium: Avondale Park |
| 21 April 2018 | Leeds | 3–1 | St. Michael's | Ballyvolane |
| 15:00 | Report | Stadium: Leeds Park |
| 21 April 2018 | Maynooth University Town | 2–2 (a.e.t.) (4–3 p) | Everton | Maynooth |
| 16:00 | 35' 36' | Report | Spitere 18' Murphy 55' | Stadium: Maynooth University |
| 21 April 2018 | Inchicore Athletic | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (4–3 p) | Crumlin United | Inchicore |
| 19:00 | Geraghty | Report | Donnelly (pen.) | Stadium: Pearse Park |
| 22 April 2018 | Dublin Bus | 4–2 | Firhouse Clover | Clondalkin |
| 11:00 | Sasaki 4', 34' Dunne 31'McMahon 69' | Report | 70' 90' | Stadium: Coldcut Road |
| 22 April 2018 | Kilnamanagh | 1–2 | Skerries Town | Kilnamanagh |
| 11:00 | Collins | Report | Stadium: Ned Kelly Park |
| 22 April 2018 | CIÉ Ranch | 1–0 | Letterkenny Rovers | Ballyfermot |
| 14:00 | Sullivan 70' | Report | Stadium: CIÉ Works |
| 22 April 2018 | North End United | 2–0 | Cherry Orchard | Curracloe |
| 14:00 | Murphy 65' (pen.) Beary 86' | Report | Stadium: The River Field |
First round
The draw for the first round proper was made on 4 July 2018 at the Aviva Stadium, with Damien Duff as special guest. 12 non-League teams entered the draw along with the 20 teams from the League of Ireland.[7]
Fixtures took place on the week ending 12 August 2018.
| 10 August 2018 | Drogheda United | 1–0 | Shamrock Rovers | Drogheda |
| 19:45 | Lyons 23' | Report | Stadium: United Park Attendance: 1,000 (est.) Referee: Paul McLaughlin |
| 10 August 2018 | UCD | 2–0 | Pike Rovers | Belfield |
| 19:45 | Molloy 24' Davis 86' | Report | Stadium: UCD Bowl Attendance: 150 (est.) Referee: Alan Patchell |
| 10 August 2018 | Shelbourne | 4–0 | Athlone Town | Drumcondra |
| 19:45 | Kalandarishvili 40' (o.g.) Kavanagh 62'Moorhouse 84'Fitzgerald 90+1' | Report | Stadium: Tolka Park Attendance: 374 Referee: Adriano Reale |
| 10 August 2018 | Inchicore Athletic | 0–5 | St Patrick's Athletic | Inchicore |
| 19:45 | Report | Markey 55' Keegan 76', 85'Byrne 81'Madden 87' | Stadium: Richmond Park Attendance: 1,000 (est.) Referee: Ben Connolly |
| 10 August 2018 | Dundalk | 3–0 | Cobh Ramblers | Dundalk |
| 19:45 | Murray 32', 85' McGrath 52' | Report | Stadium: Oriel Park Referee: Robert Rogers |
| 10 August 2018 | Bray Wanderers | 1–3 (a.e.t.) | Finn Harps | Bray |
| 19:45 | Pender 15' | Report | Todd 64' Place 97'Borg 112' | Stadium: Carlisle Grounds Attendance: 410 Referee: Robert Harvey |
| 10 August 2018 | Wexford | 0–7 | Bohemians | Crossabeg |
| 20:00 | Report | Lunney 4' Corcoran 9', 58'Kelly 15'Ward 29'Stokes 70'Magerusan 79' | Stadium: Ferrycarrig Park Referee: Graham Kelly |
| 11 August 2018 | Blarney United | 2–12 | Derry City | Blarney |
| 17:00 | Welch 73' Carroll 74' | Report | Hale 4', 46' McEneff 7', 31'Roy 8', 20', 34', 58'McNamee 53', 83'Farren 70'McHattie 77' | Stadium: O'Shea Park Referee: Anthony Buttimer |
| 11 August 2018 | Newmarket Celtic | 1–2 | Cabinteely | Ennis |
| 18:00 | Hayes 82' | Report | Doyle 70' Clucas 74' | Stadium: Frank Healy Park Referee: Robert Hennessy |
| 11 August 2018 | Skerries Town | 1–4 | Waterford | Skerries |
| 17:00 | Snowe 53' | Report | Noel Hunt 23', 85', 89' Gavan Holohan 36' | Stadium: Skerries Rugby Club Referee: David Dunne |
| 11 August 2018 | Sligo Rovers | 0–1 | Longford Town | Sligo |
| 19:45 | Report | Hollywood 65' | Stadium: The Showgrounds Referee: Neil Doyle |
| 11 August 2018 | Maynooth University Town | 2–0 | Leeds | Maynooth |
| 17:00 | Daly 46' Duffy 90+3' | Report | Stadium: Maynooth University Astro Referee: Eddie Reilly |
| 11 August 2018 | North End United | 0–4 | Galway United | Crossabeg |
| 18:00 | Report | McCormack 9', 43', 44' Barry 14' | Stadium: Ferrycarrig Park Referee: Eoghan O'Shea |
| 11 August 2018 | Dublin Bus | 0–1 | CIÉ Ranch | Clondalkin |
| 15:00 | Report | O'Brien 90+3' | Stadium: Coldcut Road Referee: Johnny Glynn |
| 12 August 2018 | Home Farm | 1–5 | Cork City | Whitehall |
| 13:00 | Goulding 35' | Report | O'Hanlon 3' Coughlan 8', 12'McNamee 32'Sadlier 44' | Stadium: Whitehall Stadium Referee: Robert Rogers |
| 12 August 2018 | Cockhill Celtic | 0–2 | Limerick | Buncrana |
| 15:00 | Report | Brouder 48' Maguire 74' | Stadium: Charlie O'Donnell Sports Grounds Referee: Michael Connolly |
Second round
The second round draw was held on 13 August 2018, producing just one all-Premier Division tie.
All fixtures were played on the weekend ending August 26[8]
| 24 August 2018 | CIÉ Ranch | 2–6 (a.e.t.) | UCD | Newcastle |
| 19:45 | Tobin 9' (o.g.) Smith 16' | Report | Mahdy 32', 107' McClelland 89', 110'McDonald 99'O'Neill 117' | Stadium: Greenogue Attendance: 200 (est.) Referee: Robert Rogers |
| 24 August 2018 | Galway United | 0–2 | Bohemians | Galway |
| 19:45 | Report | Leahy 6' Stokes 79' | Stadium: Eamonn Deacy Park Attendance: 733 Referee: Robert Hennessy |
| 24 August 2018 | Derry City | 1–0 | St Patrick's Athletic | Derry |
| 19:45 | Delap 80' | Report | Stadium: Brandywell Stadium Attendance: 1,500 (est.) Referee: Neil Doyle |
| 24 August 2018 | Dundalk | 2–0 | Finn Harps | Dundalk |
| 19:45 | Murray 24' (pen.) Kelly 52' | Report | Stadium: Oriel Park Attendance: 1,823 Referee: Paul McLaughlin |
| 24 August 2018 | Cork City | 4–0 | Maynooth University Town | Cork |
| 19:45 | Barry 21' Sadlier 56'O’Hanlon 64' (pen.)Coughlan 71' | Report | Stadium: Turners Cross Attendance: 1,016 Referee: Sean Grant |
| 24 August 2018 | Drogheda United | 0–1 | Waterford | Drogheda |
| 19:45 | Report | Héry 4' | Stadium: United Park Attendance: 600 (est.) Referee: Robert Harvey |
| 24 August 2018 | Limerick | 2–1 | Cabinteely | Limerick |
| 19:45 | Ellis 29' Maguire 67' | Report | Knight 90' | Stadium: Markets Field Referee: Anthony Buttimer |
| 25 August 2018 | Longford Town | 2–0 | Shelbourne | Longford |
| 19:30 | McGlade 9' (pen.) O'Reilly 72' | Report | Stadium: City Calling Stadium Referee: John McLoughlin |
Quarter-finals
The draw for the quarter-finals was broadcast live on RTÉ2's Soccer Republic on 27 August 2018.
All fixtures were set to be played on the week ending 9 September 2018. The game between Derry City and Bohemians was postponed until 19 September as Derry City had four players called up to under-21 squads.[9]
The game between Longford Town and Cork City was televised live on RTÉ2.[10]
| 7 September 2018 | UCD | 2–1 | Waterford | Belfield |
| 19:45 | Davis 20' Molloy 27'Osam  67' | Report | Aborah 78' (pen.) Webster 90+2' | Stadium: UCD Bowl Attendance: 750 (estimate) Referee: John McLoughlin |
| 7 September 2018 | Limerick | 0–4 | Dundalk | Limerick |
| 19:45 | O'Sullivan 20' Maguire 59'Coleman 70' | Report | Hoban 5', 21' Mountney 36'Kelly 71' | Stadium: Markets Field Referee: Derek Tomney |
| 7 September 2018 | Longford Town | 0–7 | Cork City | Longford |
| 19:30 | Meenan  39' | Report | Morrissey 20' Sadlier 23', 64', 88'Coughlan 53'O'Hanlon 75'McNamee 89' | Stadium: City Calling Stadium Referee: Raymond Matthews |
| 19 September 2018 | Derry City | 1–3 | Bohemians | Derry |
| 19:45 | McHattie 36' Hale 42'Shiels 61'Shiels 61'Roy 62'Hale 79'Low 90' | Report | Casey 42' Corcoran 59', 90'Pender 66'Devaney 90' | Stadium: Brandywell Stadium Referee: Robert Harvey |
Semi-finals
The draw for the semi-finals was broadcast live on RTÉ2's Soccer Republic on 10 September 2018.
Both games were played the weekend ending 30 September and televised live on RTÉ2.[11] The subsequent replay between Cork City and Bohemians was also broadcast live on RTÉ2.
| 28 September 2018 | Dundalk | 1–0 | UCD | Dundalk |
| 19:45 | McEleney 41' | Report | Stadium: Oriel Park Attendance: 2,926 Referee: Robert Hennessy |
| 30 September 2018 | Bohemians | 1–1 | Cork City | Phibsborough |
| 17:45 | Corcoran 68' | Report | Sadlier 87' (pen.) | Stadium: Dalymount Park Attendance: 3,207 Referee: Rob Rogers |