On Sunday, two clubs that have been at the heart of their communities for more than 70 years will go head-to-head to bring home the FAI Intermediate Cup for the first time.
Regardless of the result, history will be made at Weavers Park, Drogheda, as Glebe North face off against Ringmahon Rangers, with both already breaking new ground by reaching their intermediate cup finals.
For Glebe it’s a chance to add their first major honour since its foundation in 1945, while Ringmahon, lifting the trophy will see them cement their place as one of the big hitters in Cork.
Glebe can take confidence from a cup run that saw them concede just once while Ringmahon put last year’s winners and rivals Rockmount to sword in the semi-final, as well as the most decorated side in the competition’s history, Avondale United, in Round 2.
Match Details
Competition: FAI Intermediate Cup Final
Fixture: Glebe North vs. Ringmahon Rangers
Date: Sunday, April 28
KO: 2.30pm
Venue: Weavers Park, Drogheda United, Drogheda
Where to watch? Live on FAITV on YouTube
Tickets: Adults €10. Under-16s are free
Match programme via the link above
Glebe North: Path to the Final
Round 1: Leinster
Bye: Glebe North
Round 2, Leinster
St. Kevin’s FC 0-3 Glebe North FC
Round 3: Leinster
Glebe North FC 3-0 Greystones United FC
Round 4: Leinster
Glebe North FC 2-0 Maynooth University Town
Quarter-Final
College Corinthians AFC 0-3 Glebe North FC
Semi-Final
Glebe North FC 2-1 (AET) Wayside Celtic
What Glebe North Manager Darius Kierans said: “Reaching the final is a fantastic moment for the club. There are so many members who have put fantastic work into Glebe North FC over the last 79 years and they’ve never gotten to a national cup final.”
What Glebe North Captain Noel Barrett said: “It’s massive (to be in the final), the club is 70 odd years old, and we’ve never made the final, we’ve probably underachieved not making it before, but look, we want to give a good account of ourselves and hopefully on the day it’s the right result.”
'To beat Rockmount in the semis was an eye opening moment' 🔴⚫
Hear from Ringmahon Rangers skipper Anthony McAlavey ahead of Sunday's final
⚽️@OfficialGlebe v @RingmahonRanger
🏆 FAI Intermediate Cup
📅 Sunday
📍Weavers Park, Drogheda
⌚️KO 2.30pm
📝 https://t.co/yF0wjuJJsz pic.twitter.com/K5oGHHYz0W— FAIreland (@FAIreland) April 26, 2024
Glebe North Squad
Goalkeeper: Aaron Kiernan
Defenders: Ciaran McCann, Roy Kierans, Ciaran Cluskey-Kelly, Killian Brennan, Craig Moore, Abdul Dele, Jack O’Neill
Midfielders: Gavin Smith, Noel Barrett, Ryan Connor, Oisin Coleman, Goran Simic, Kyle Carroll
Forwards: Reece Weldon, Ryan O’Shea, Ollie Hamzat, Ahu Obhakhan, Andrew Haran, Victor Akinbola
Technical Staff
Manager: Darius Kierans
Assistant Manager: Peter Smith
Coach: Danny Coyle
Coach: Barry Kelly
Goalkeeping Coach: Gary McCormack
Medic: Sarah Maguire
Ringmahon Rangers - Path to the Final
Round 1 – Munster
Fermoy FC 1-4 Ringmahon Rangers
Round 2 – Munster
Avondale United 1-2 Ringmahon Rangers
Round 3
Ringmahon Rangers 1-0 Hartstown-Huntstown FC
Round 4
Ayrfield United 2-3 (AET) Ringmahon Rangers
Quarter-Finals
Ringmahon Rangers 2-1 Kibarrack United
Semi-Final
Rockmount FC 0-2 Ringmahon Rangers
What Ringmahon Rangers manager Aidan Foley said: “I don’t think people realise how big this would be for the club.
“Not only have we never won at intermediate level we’ve never won at national level for a club our size, it’s something our club strives to do, so touch wood we’d be the team to go and do it.”
Ringmahon Rangers Captain Anthony McAlavey said: “To get over the line versus Rockmount was huge because it was an eye-opening moment where it felt like we are the real deal now and hopefully we can go on and win it. What they (Rockmount) have done over the last two seasons has been unbelievable, they’ve won the league in Cork and the Intermediate Cup back-to-back, so to beat them on the day we felt like we deserved to be here (in the final).”
Ringmahon Rangers Squad
Goalkeepers: Eric Grimes, Cian O’Connor
Defenders: Philip Keane, Anthony Whitehead, Adam Delurey, Christopher McCarthy, Aaron Ahern, Alan Higgins, Kyle Leahy
Midfielders: Roy Kenny, Jamie O’Sullivan, Anthony McAlavey, Roy Long
Forward: Jack Cairns, Alan Greaney, Evan Galvin, Cameron Harlson, Adam O’Callaghan, Jakub Gaup, Ethon Varian, Isa Kargbo
Technical Staff
Manager: Aidan Foley
Assistant Manager: John Naughton
Coach: Robert Ryan
Coach: Eric O’Driscoll
Coach: Derek O’Sullivan
Coach: Stephen Buckley
