Scottish FA Cup
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The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup, usually known as the Scottish Cup, is the national football cup competition of Scotland. The trophy awarded to the winners has the distinction of being the oldest national trophy in the world.



History
--------------------------------------------------------------------    The Scottish Cup started in the 1873-74 season, and was contested by 16 teams. The trophy was first awarded to Queen's Park when they beat Clydesdale 2–0 in the final in front of a crowd of 3,000 people. While the FA Cup is the oldest cup competition in the world, the trophy awarded to the Scottish Cup winners is the oldest trophy, being minted in 1885.

The Scottish War Emergency Cup was a temporary competition held at the start of the World War II, due to the suspension of the Scottish Cup by the SFA. It was held between February and May in 1940, the competition involved all sixteen League clubs still operating, Cowdenbeath later withdrew which meant Dunfermline Athletic received a bye in the first round. Rangers beat Dundee United 1–0 in the Final.

Old Firm dominance The Old Firm (Celtic and Rangers, both of Glasgow) are the dominant force in Scottish football. They are the only two clubs to have won the Scottish Premier League since its inception in 1998, and their authority also extends over the Scottish Cup.

The 2006 final was played on 13 May 2006 at Hampden Park and was contested by Hearts and Gretna. This was the first final in nine years that an Old Firm side had not been involved in, and the first ever to feature a team from the third tier of the Scottish League system.

Cup shocks The Scottish Cup produces occasional "giant-killings" where a team from a low division defeats a team from a higher division. Some famous cup shocks include 1938, when Second Division East Fife were the victors in the final against Kilmarnock and thus won the cup. Another instance was in 1967, when Berwick Rangers defeated Rangers 1–0.

In 2000 First Division Inverness Caledonian Thistle beat Celtic 3–1 at Celtic Park. The Sun recorded it thus:“ Super Caley Go Ballistic Celtic Are Atrocious ”

In 2008, First Division Queen of the South beat Aberdeen 4–3 at Hampden Park in a semi-final where Queen of the South took the lead three times and Aberdeen equalised three times before Queen of the South scored the winner to send them to their first ever Scottish Cup final.

Format
-------------------------------------------------------------------- Scottish Cup Format
   The competition format is that of a single elimination knockout. Teams are drawn against each other randomly. The team who is drawn first from each tie is the home team. If the first match finishes in a draw, a replay is played at the stadium of the second team drawn. In the replay, if the scores are still level at full time, extra time is played and (if necessary) penalties are used to decide the winner of the tie.

   The semi-final matches are played at neutral stadiums, usually the national stadium Hampden Park. and the final itself is traditionally played at Hampden. Celtic Park staged the finals in 1993 and 1998 and Ibrox staged the final in 1997 while Hampden was being redeveloped. The final and semi-final do not have replays and are played to a finish. Extra time is played and penalties are used if necessary. Two finals (1990 and 2006) have been decided by penalties.