FAI Cup final: who will lift Ireland’s biggest domestic cup?
On 8 November at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, the new winners of the prestigious trophy will be decided. 1xBet.ie explains how Waterford and Derry City made it to the FAI Cup final and assesses the teams’ chances of victory. The brand has also prepared a nice surprise for newcomers – by applying the 1XWIN26 promo code when registering, every new user will receive 48 EUR for a bet of 10 EUR or more.
Waterford’s path to the final
The Blues have won the FAI Cup twice in their history – in 1937 and 1980. Since their last triumph, Waterford have reached the final twice, but lost to Shamrock Rovers in 1986 (2-0) and to Longford Town in 2004 (2-1). The latter defeat was particularly painful for the supporters, as both goals were conceded just minutes before the final whistle, and the first was scored while a second ball was on the pitch, but the referee didn’t stop play. The loss was made all the more dramatic by the fact that the goal was scored by Alan Kirby, who was born in Waterford and had played for the local team for several years.
The Blues’ journey to their first final in 22 years began in the second round, where they beat Cobh Ramblers in a hard-fought match. After conceding a goal in the 3rd minute, Graham Coughlan’s side struggled to find the net for a long time. However, in the 78th minute, Evan McLaughlin equalised, and in stoppage time, captain Pádraig Amond secured a 2-1 victory. Athlone Town were defeated with the same score in the next round. Benny Couto was the hero of the day, contributing an assist and a goal.
In the quarter-finals, the Blues comfortably beat Sligo Rovers (3-0), but the semi-final against Bohemians proved to be a very tough affair. The Gypsies dominated and created regular chances. Yet, thanks to some fantastic saves from Stephen McMullan, none of their efforts found the net. Waterford brilliantly punished Bohs for their poor finishing, scoring twice in the second half. First, Noah Mawene scored with a powerful strike from outside the box, and then Tommy Lonergan finished off a perfect counterattack.
Derry City comfortably reached yet another final
The Candystripes are 6-time FAI Cup winners. Their most recent triumph came in 2022, when the team, managed by Ruaidhrí Higgins, thrashed Shelbourne 4-0. Two years later, Derry City had the chance to repeat their success, but lost 2-0 to Drogheda United.
Derry City’s run to the final has been a fairly confident one. First, the Candystripes dealt with Tolka Rovers (3-0), then beat University College Dublin (2-1) and Dundalk (4-2). Derry’s semi-final victory over Galway United was also convincing. Captain Michael Duffy’s brace in the first half secured a comfortable lead, and the team easily saw the game through to a 2-0 win.
Who’s the favourite?
Derry City’s strong performances in the previous rounds give them a better chance of success. Experts at 1xBet.ie rate the probability of a win for the Candystripes at 77/100. The odds for a draw in regular time are 11/4, while a Waterford win is offered at 14/5.
Nevertheless, there’s one thing in the Blues’ favour: they haven’t lost any of their last three encounters with Derry City (two draws, one win). Besides, their sensational semi-final victory over Bohemians should provide Graham Coughlan’s men with extra motivation to win the club’s first FAI Cup in 46 years.
Enjoy the exciting battle and support your favourites with 1xBet.ie!
18+. T&Cs apply. Gamble responsibly
TERMINUS PLATFORM IRELAND LIMITED DOES NOT SPONSOR ANY OF THE EVENTS ABOVE AND HAS NO PARTNERSHIP WITH ASSOCIATED SPORTS LEAGUES AND/OR ASSOCIATIONS.
