HISTORY MAKERS PHILIP O’ROURKE LOOKS BACK AT THE FIRST DOMESTIC CUP FINAL IN A HANDFUL OF COUNTRIES - AND CHARTS THE VARYING FORTUNES OF THE!PARTICIPANTS...

So close: The Royal Engineers team who competed in the first English FA Cup final, losing 1-0 to the Wanderers, and, Inset, Shamrock Rovers celebrate in 2019 THE domestic cup competition is a chance for the unthinkable to happen. For so-called smaller clubs to beat one of the heavyweights in a one-off match. It is different to the league, which is contested over a nine-month period and where consistency is key. Not so ...