Setanta Sports Cup

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The Setanta Sports Cup was a competition organized by both Irish Football Associations between 2005 and 2014 for the most successful men's teams from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland . The competition was named after the main sponsor, Irish sports television network Setanta Sports .

Competition mode

The Setanta Cup tournament was held at the end of the Northern Irish and the beginning of the Irish season between February and April (2005 March to May). For the first edition in 2005, the respective champions and runners-up as well as the cup winners were qualified, so a total of six teams; for the second edition in 2006, the field of participants was expanded to include the two league cup winners. Should a team meet several conditions that entitle them to participate, it is planned to fill the field of participants with the third or fourth of the league of the same association. The teams from the north and the republic are divided equally between two groups by drawing lots; In these, the clubs play against each other in league mode with home and away games. Since the second edition in 2006, the respective group leaders have been playing in a home game against the second of the other group for a place in the final. In this the winner of the Setanta Sports Cup will be played out. The two finals so far took place in Tolka Park in Dublin .

Previous winners

While in the first final with Linfield FC , a Northern Irish club was able to prevail with a 2-0 win against Shelbourne FC from the Republic; In the second event, only three out of four semi-finalists and both finalists were teams from the Republic. In this, the Irish cup winner Drogheda United was able to defeat the Irish champions Cork City with a goal in the 112th minute with 1-0. In 2007, the two previous champions Drogheda United and Linfield met each other. After a 1-1 draw in regular time and a goalless overtime, Drogheda United defended the trophy 4-3 on penalties. In the final of 2008, which took place on November 1st, Cork City was able to prevail in a thrilling final against Glentoran 2-1 after Cork City was still 0-1 behind at halftime. The season-spanning 2009 and 2010 competition was won by the Bohemians Dublin after a close 1-0 victory over city rivals St Patrick's Athletic in the final on May 15, 2010.

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