The 2008 FAI Cup, known as the FAI Ford Cup for sponsorship reasons, was the 88th staging of the Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup. The tournament is the primary domestic cup competition for association football in the Republic of Ireland. This edition featured teams from the League of Ireland Premier Division, First Division and A Championship, as well as teams from the regional leagues of the Republic of Ireland football league system.
The FAI Cup officially kicked off on 30 March 2008, when four clubs from the Intermediate and Junior leagues battled it out in the first round for the opportunity to join 18 A Championship, Intermediate and Junior clubs in the second round. This was the second season that the competition was sponsored by Ford.
The ten winners of the second round ties were joined in the Third Round by 12 Premier Division and 10 First Division clubs.
The competition ran until late November, with the final taking place on Sunday, 23 November 2008 at the RDS.
First round Fixtures were played on the weekend of Sunday 30 March 2008.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway team1Fanad United2–0Carrigaline United2Douglas Hall4–0Castlebar Celtic
Second round Fixtures were played on the weekend of Sunday 20 April 2008.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway team1Corduff 0–11St. Mary's2Avondale United0–1Drogheda Town3Douglas Hall1–0Belgrove4Crumlin United0–0Liffeys PearsereplayLiffeys Pearse2–0Crumlin United5Salthill Devon0–1Rockmount6Killester United2–1Bangor Celtic7Swilly Rovers1–4Wayside Celtic8St. James Gate2–3Carrick United9Everton3–1Tullamore Town10Lissadel United0–2Fanad United 1Played on April 13, 2008, as Corduff FC gave up home advantage in tie due to unavailability of side on April 20.
Third round Matches played on the weekend of Sunday, 8 June 2008. The draw took place on Monday, 12 May 2008 and was made by Giovanni Trapattoni and Marco Tardelli, and televised live on RTÉ Two.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway team1Wexford Youths0–0Killester UnitedreplayKillester United1–2Wexford Youths2Galway United1–0Waterford United3Douglas Hall0–3Drogheda United4Everton0–2Carrick United5Shelbourne0–3Dundalk6Rockmount0–3Bray Wanderers7Monaghan United0–0UCDreplayUCD0–1Monaghan United8Limerick 370–2Cork City9St Patrick's Athletic2–1Longford Town10Kildare County3–0Fanad United11Athlone Town2–1Finn Harps12Derry City2–0Liffeys Pearse13Sporting Fingal2–0Cobh Ramblers14Bohemians3–0Drogheda Town15Shamrock Rovers2–1Sligo Rovers16St Mary's0–1Wayside Celtic
Fourth round Matches played on the weekend of Sunday, 17 August 2008. The draw took place on Monday, 7 July 2008 and televised live on RTÉ Two.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway team1Bray Wanderers0–0DundalkreplayDundalk1–3Bray Wanderers2Shamrock Rovers0–1Cork City3Galway United4–1Athlone Town4Carrick United1–3Sporting Fingal5Wayside Celtic1–0Monaghan United6Derry City6–0Kildare County7Bohemians1–0Drogheda United8Wexford Youths1–3St Patrick's Athletic
Quarter-finals Matches were played on the weekend of Sunday, 14 September 2008. The draw took place on Monday, 25 August 2008 and was made by Turlough O'Connor and FAI President David Flood, and televised live on RTÉ Two.
Quarter-final replays
Semi-finals Matches were played on the weekend of Sunday, 26 October 2008. The draw took place on Monday, 29 September 2008 and was made by John Ryan and David Flood, and televised live on RTÉ Two.
Final
The 2008 FAI Cup final took place on Sunday 23 November 2008 at the RDS, Dublin.
References
External links Official website Results on rte.ie