1958 FAI Cup final

1958 FAI Cup Final

Event	1957–58 FAI Cup
Dundalk Shamrock Rovers 1 0
Date	20 April 1958
Venue	Dalymount Park, Dublin
Referee	D.H. Howell (Birmingham)
Attendance	27,000
← 1957 1958 →

The 1958 FAI Cup Final was the final match of the 1957–58 FAI Cup, a knock-out association football competition contested annually by clubs affiliated with the Football Association of Ireland. It took place on Sunday 20 April 1958 at Dalymount Park in Dublin, and was contested by Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers. Dundalk won 1–0 to win their fourth FAI Cup.

The two sides' four previous meetings that season had seen two heavy defeats for Dundalk, followed by two victories. Shamrock Rovers had finished as runners-up in the 1957–58 League of Ireland, and had already won that season's Shield, Dublin City Cup and Leinster Senior Cup. Rovers were already dominating the Cup's "roll of honour", having won 13 finals to that point – most recently two years earlier. On their way to the final they had defeated non-League Chapelizod (4–1), Sligo Rovers (3–2 in a replay), and St Patrick's Athletic (1–0).^[1]

Dundalk had finished eighth in the League and seventh in the Shield, during what was a lean time in the club's history.^[2] They were playing in their seventh FAI Cup final, having won the previous three - most recently in 1952, which was also the last time they had won a trophy to that point. To reach the final they had defeated Cork Hibernians (1–0), Limerick in the next round (3–0 in a replay following a 0–0 draw), and Shelbourne in the semi-final (1–0).^[3]

Shamrock Rovers were heavy favourites heading into the final, although some pundits felt Dundalk's recent victories had unsettled Rovers, and noted how Dundalk had belied their poor league form by making their way to the final without conceding a goal in any of the previous rounds.^[4] The match itself was evenly contested, although Rovers hit the woodwork once in each half. But they looked vulnerable from long balls up the middle of the pitch, and it was from one of these that inside-right Hubie Gannon benefited. The former Rovers player raced between the two Rovers centre backs and reached the ball before the advancing Rovers keeper, Christy O'Callaghan, to head home. Within minutes Rovers won a penalty, but Liam Hennessy missed the spot-kick, and the Rovers challenge faded. The surprise outcome of the match was summed up by the Irish Press headline, "The team that did not have an earthly chance wins the F.A.I. Cup Final".^[5] In the process of scoring what turned out to be the winner, Gannon broke his jaw and missed the celebrations, having to spend a week in hospital.^[6]

20 April 1958

15:30

Dundalk	1–0[7]	Shamrock Rovers
Hubie Gannon 72'	Report

Dalymount Park, Dublin

Attendance: 27,000^[5]

Referee: D.H. Howell (Birmingham)

Dundalk

Shamrock Rovers

Ted McNeill Joe Ralph Ken Finn Leo McDonagh Johnny Robinson Shay Noonan Niall McGahon Hubert Gannon Vincent Gilmore George Toner Tommy Kerr

Christy O'Callaghan Mickey Burke Gerry Mackey Ronnie Nolan Tommy Farrell Liam Hennessy Maxie McCann Sean Carroll Paddy Ambrose Paddy Coad Liam Tuohy

Bibliography

• Murphy, Jim (2003). The History of Dundalk F.C.: The First 100 Years. Dundalgan Press. ASIN B0042SO3R2.
• MacSweeney, Niall (1985). A Record of League of Ireland Football 1921/2 - 1984/5. Association of Football Statisticians. ASIN B008H2CBJQ.
• Ryan, Sean; Dunne, Noel (24 October 1975). The Bass Book of Irish Soccer. Mercier Press. ISBN 9780853424505.

Citations