FAI Intermediate Cup Semi-Final Draw

Confirmation of the semi-final matchups for this year’s Intermediate Cup final have been released following the draw at FAI HQ in Abbotstown.

The remaining sides come steeped with success in this competition, boasting a combined total of fifteen Intermediate crowns between them. 

This year’s final will be a Leinster vs Munster clash as both semi final ties feature regional rivalries between two Leinster sides and two Munster teams.

In the all Leinster clash, holders Maynooth University Town host current Leinster Senior League Senior Division leaders Crumlin United in a mouth-watering clash in North Kildare. 

Like their Dublin opposition, Maynooth sit top of their table, just one division lower in Senior 1 Sunday and captured last years cup after a 4-1 extra time win over Firhouse Clover.

Seven points clear with games in hand over their rivals, it looks likely that Barry Prenderville’s side will achieve back to back promotions having just came up from Senior 1A last season, as well as possible back to back Intermediate titles on top of that. 

Their opponents Crumlin have been the form side in Leinster’s premier intermediate division this season, having remarkably gone sixteen games without losing in the league.

Crumlin are joint-third on the list of Intermediate Cup wins with four, just one behind Longford Town and Bluebell United who are the most successful Leinster sides in the competition’s history. 

The other game in the last four will be a matchup of Rockmount and either Avondale United or Midleton, with the latter two sides set to battle it out on the 10th of March after the original tie was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. 

Avondale are the most successful side in this competition, capturing the crown a total of seven times including a four-in-a-row from 2011 to 2014.

They’ll have to go through a Midleton side who are second from bottom in the Munster Senior League Premier Division, just two spots below them.

Midleton are yet to win the cup but are a mere two wins away from a historic date at the Aviva Stadium.

The reward for the winner of the final quarter-final clash is a home tie against fellow MSL Premier side Rockmount, who are currently challenging for the title, one point off top spot with a game in hand. 

Rockmount are three-time winners of the competition, most recently in 2008 when they defeated Douglas Hall 2-0 in Turner’s Cross. 

With a draw containing last year’s winners, Leinster’s current top side, the cups most successful team, a squad currently fighting at the wrong end of their division with the potential to make history and a club eager to reclaim past glories in this competition, it’s evident that we’ve got a thrilling run in ahead of us.