Pic: George Kelly
Sunday afternoon sees Shamrock Rovers face Cork City in the 2025 FAI Cup Final at the Aviva Stadium. Both sides of the fixture will be overly determined to get their hands on the coveted trophy. Rovers head into the showdown on the back of claiming their 22nd league title just six days before the game. They are more recently recovering from their landmark 1-1 draw away to AEK Athens in the UEFA Conference League.
This fixture is Cork City’s 10th appearance in the final, the most recent being in 2018. They lost that final 2-1 to Dundalk as the winners won the domestic double. This is the last time the double has been won, and Shamrock Rovers will hope to become the latest to achieve this feat.
Recent form
Shamrock Rovers are on the back of a 1-1 draw with AEK Athens on Thursday evening. Rovers led via a 21st-minute penalty from Graham Burke. The penalty was awarded after an extended VAR check, similar to the AEK Athens equaliser. The home side was awarded a penalty due to Danny Grant’s clearance attempt striking his arm. VAR checked to see if he was impeded as he attempted to clear the ball, but the result was a penalty.
Rovers have just one win in their last seven games as they dropped points came towards the latter stages of the league. Before this run, they lost just one of the 12 games beforehand, that being at the hands of Sparta Prague.
The Hoops earned a point in Greece on Thursday, and manager Stephen Bradley believed they deserved more. The squad was rotated before and during the game due to injuries, and with this final in mind. The two sides have met four times this season, and all have ended similarly. The two meetings in Tallaght Stadium ended 4-1 to Rovers, and the two in Turner’s Cross ended 1-1.
Opposition
Cork City finished the season bottom of the League of Ireland Premier Division. Their relegation was confirmed on Monday, 13 October, when they lost 2-1 to Shelbourne. They finished the league campaign winless from their final seven games, only drawing two, home to Shamrock Rovers and away to Sligo Rovers.
The Leesiders won just one of their final 10 league games, giving hope to their opposition. They finished the season on just 24 points, a total of 15 behind ninth-placed Waterford FC.
Despite the poor run of form, this side is aware of the speciality of cup fixtures. In their route to the final, they overturned Leicester Celtic, Waterford FC and most impressively, St. Patrick’s Athletic. Cork City provided a special performance in the FAI Cup Semi-Final victory over St. Patrick’s Athletic, winning 3-0. A brace for Evan McLaughlin and one from Seanie Maguire booked their spot in tomorrow’s showdown.
Team news
No official team news has been briefed from Shamrock Rovers’ official channels at the time of writing. Despite this, it can be expected that Rory Gaffney and Josh Honohan will return to the fold after missing Thursday’s outing in Greece. The Hoops have missed Aaron Greene for a spell to date; the striker has yet to feature since the 1-1 draw with Cork City on 19 September.
Cork City boss remained tight-lipped regarding his side’s set-up as they are Dublin-bound on Saturday. He did say in his interview that the squad is currently the “healthiest” it has been since his arrival. Gerard Nash and his team are likely to have a fully fit squad for the fixture despite missing players for large periods throughout the campaign.
Key battles
Shamrock Rovers talisman, Graham Burke, will look to cause more damage to opponents on Sunday. The 32-year-old started the game at AEK Athens before being withdrawn at the interval. So far, Burke has a total of 14 goals and five assists during the 2025 season across three competitions. He most recently converted from the spot in Greece that earned the draw.
Any Burke contribution in Sunday’s showdown is bound to be met with opposition by Cork City’s Fiacre Kelleher. He signed for Cork City in July and has had a positive impact on the side. He formerly played for Colchester United before making the move and will hope to quieten the Rovers’ forward line.
Cork City’s biggest contributor has been Evan McLaughlin, scoring a brace in the previous round of the FAI Cup. The 23-year-old has made 33 appearances this season and has a total of 11 goal contributions. He will attempt to cause as much disruption to the Rovers’ midfield on Sunday.
Cup final meaning
For Shamrock Rovers, they have plenty riding on winning the FAI Cup this year. They are targeting a double for the first time in 38 years. This fixture has been prioritised over the recent UEFA Conference League fixture, showcasing what it means to the club. Stephen Bradley had members of the 1987 squad at Tallaght during the week, speaking on the meaning of the trophy to the club.
Cork City will be in the League of Ireland First Division in 2026. Success on Sunday means they will have Europe, which could boast huge funds in their pursuit of returning to the top flight. Beyond this, it has been eight years since they last won the FAI Cup, two more years than Shamrock Rovers. After a poor season, they will be targeting a hugely positive finish to soften the blow of relegation.
Final word
Plenty of emotion is placed upon the FAI Cup Final in isolation. Shamrock Rovers have the additional meaning of trying to replicate history. The thoughts of Milltown are sure to be in the minds of those headed to the Aviva Stadium, whether as a member of staff or a supporter. The thought of reproducing this accomplishment in the modern era is bound to provide a sense of relief around Dublin 24.
Cork City’s Seanie Maguire places special emphasis on returning the trophy. Since last winning it in 2018, Maguire has had stints at Preston North End, Coventry City, and Carlisle United before returning to Cork in 2024. He told The Echo that winning on Sunday would “top” scoring for his country and playing for clubs in England.