2017 Scottish Challenge Cup final
Official match day programme
Event2016–17 Scottish Challenge Cup
Date25 March 2017
VenueFir Park, Motherwell
RefereeNick Walsh
Attendance8,089
WeatherSunny

The 2017 Scottish Challenge Cup final, also known as the Irn-Bru Cup final for sponsorship reasons, is a football match that took place on 25 March 2017 at Fir Park, between Dundee United and St Mirren.[1] It was the 26th final of the Scottish Challenge Cup since it was first organised in 1990 to celebrate the centenary of the now defunct Scottish Football League and the fourth since the Scottish Professional Football League was formed. Both teams progressed through four elimination rounds to reach the final. The match was won by Dundee United 21, marking their first win in the tournament since its inception and their first silverware since the 2009–10 Scottish Cup.[2][3]

Route to the final

The competition is a knock-out tournament and was contested by 52 teams from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2016-17.[4] Those participating were the 30 clubs that played in the 2016–17 Championship, League One and League Two of the Scottish Professional Football League along with the top four teams from the 2015–16 Highland and Lowland Leagues (East Stirlingshire, who were relegated from the SPFL, took the place of the Lowland League champions Edinburgh City, who promoted in their place). The top two teams from the 2015–16 Welsh Premier League and 2015–16 NIFL Premiership and the U20s squads of the teams competing in the 2016–17 Premiership were also invited to compete.[4] For the first three rounds, the draw was divided into two geographical regions – north and south. These draws were seeded to avoid U20s teams and Highland and Lowland League sides from being drawn against each other.[5] From round four onwards, the draw was regionalised to keep Welsh and Northern Irish teams apart.

As both clubs play in the Championship, they received a bye to the third round.

Dundee United

Round Opposition Score
Third round Peterhead (h) 3–2 (a.e.t.)
Fourth round Stranraer (a) 1–0
Quarter-final Dunfermline Athletic (a) 1–0
Semi-final Queen of the South (a) 3–2

St Mirren

Round Opposition Score
Third round Albion Rovers (a) 4–3 (a.e.t.)
Fourth round Hibernian (a) 2–1
Quarter-final Ayr United (h) 2–1
Semi-final Wales The New Saints (h) 4–1

Match details

Dundee United2–1St Mirren
Andreu 37'
Mikkelsen 75'
SPFL report Loy 38'
Attendance: 8,089
Referee: Nick Walsh
Dundee United
St Mirren
Dundee United:
GK1Scotland Cammy Bell (c)
RB8Scotland Stewart Murdoch
CB14France William Edjenguélé
CB4Scotland Mark Durnan
LB24Scotland Jamie Robson
CM16Scotland Charlie Telfer
CM14Republic of Ireland Willo Flood Yellow card
RW22Scotland Ali Coote downward-facing red arrow 89'
AM19France Tony Andreu
LW23Netherlands Nick van der Velden downward-facing red arrow 58'
CF9Scotland Simon Murray Yellow card downward-facing red arrow 80'
Substitutes:
GK21Germany Luis Zwick
DF3Scotland Paul Dixon
DF5Scotland Coll Donaldson upward-facing green arrow 89'
DF6Scotland Lewis Toshney
DF20Netherlands Frank van der Struijk
MF11England Alex Nicholls upward-facing green arrow 80'
FW18Denmark Thomas Mikkelsen upward-facing green arrow 58'
Manager:
Scotland Ray McKinnon
St Mirren:
GK21Wales Billy O'Brien
RB3Scotland Gary Irvine
CB6Scotland Gary MacKenzie
CB15Scotland Jack Baird
LB44England Adam Eckersley
RM42Scotland Kyle Magennis downward-facing red arrow 84'
CM10Scotland Stevie Mallan Yellow card
CM22Scotland Stephen McGinn (c)
LM17Scotland Lewis Morgan
CF16Scotland Rory Loy Yellow card
CF9England John Sutton
Substitutes:
GK1Scotland Jamie Langfield
DF2Cyprus Stelios Demetriou
DF4Scotland Andy Webster
MF23Norway Pål Fjelde
MF35Scotland Darren Whyte
MF36Scotland Connor O'Keefe upward-facing green arrow 84'
FW50Scotland Ryan Watters
Manager:
Scotland Jack Ross

Match rules

  • 90 minutes.
  • 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary.
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level.
  • Seven named substitutes.
  • Maximum of three substitutions.

References

  1. "Fir Park to host IRN-BRU Cup Final". www.spfl.co.uk. Scottish Professional Football League. 22 February 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
  2. "Dundee United 2 St. Mirren 1". BBC Sport. 25 March 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  3. "Dundee United 2 St Mirren 1 as Thomas Mikkelsen is the hero as Terrors win Irn-Bru Cup - 3 things we learned". Daily Record. 25 March 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  4. 1 2 "Northern Irish and Welsh sides to join top flight U20s in Challenge Cup". www.stv.tv/sport. STV. 8 June 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
  5. "IRN-BRU Cup - First Round Draw". spfl.co.uk. SPFL. 22 June 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2017.

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