The 1889 American Cup was the fifth edition of the soccer tournament organized by the American Football Association. The Fall River Rovers won their second consecutive title by defeating the Newark Caledonians in the final.
Participants
Newcomers to the tournament were the Paterson Rangers and Trenton Rovers. Absent was the Ansonia team while New York was defunct and the Kearny Rangers had amalgamated with ONT. New Jersey- Trenton, Trenton Rovers, Paterson, Paterson Rangers, Clark O.N.T., Alma, Tiffany Rovers, and, Newark Caledonian. New York- Thistles and Amateur League. New England- Fall River Olympics, Providence Athletics, Pawtucket Free Wanderers, Fall River Rovers, Fall River East Ends.
First round
The Fall River Olympics drew a first round bye. The first game between the Almas and Paterson was not completed due to the ball bursting early in the second half. Paterson refused to continue so Alma claimed the contest. However, after a meeting of the delegates it was decided that the game should be replayed because the game had started without a referee in the first place. Clark ONT was awarded their replay match as a result of Trenton Rovers failure to appear.
Providence: GK Bailey, DF G.Clegg, McDonald, MF Davina, Cook, Start, FW Thorney, Cook, Axon, Brennan, Healabourn. Pawtucket: GK Watmouth, DF H.Stuart, A.Love, MF J.Dalton, F.Finn, D.Smith, FW Hardy, Mullarkey, Murray, Sandilands, Fd.Lennox.
Rovers: GK D.Shea, FB R.Harwood, F.Bradley, HB B.Fagan, H.Waring, J.Buckley, RW R.Bell, F.Cornell, LW , C.Duff, Wild, C Duff East Ends: GK Ratcliffe , FB Woodcock, Harrington, HB Coupe, A.Bell, Foley, RW Farrell, Tobin, LW Buckley, Whitaker, C Beattie
replays
Alma- G F.Farrow, DF G.Wright, Ely Morton, MF Frank Britchford, J.Hood, Robert Paterson, RW Walter Taylor, J.Curtin, LW H.Shaw, P.Brennan, C J.Gray(c) Paterson- G Isaac Sutton, FB John W.Smallwood, George Henshall, HB Thomas Evans, William Jones, James Henshall(c), RW William McDonald, Samuel Alberson, LW Thomas Turner, Samuel Saunders, C J.W.Warburton
Caledonian- GK J.Thompson, DF J.Byrne, D.Gloak, MF W.Barr, R.McDonald, W.Hood, FW R.McWilliams, T.Hendry, R.Barr, W.Thornton, J.Heron. Tiffany- GK W.Healy, DF T.Crann, M.Flannery, MF D.McCune, E.Hinkley, J.Singleton, FW J.Jeffs, M.Downs, A.Hinkley, T.Flynn, J.Norton.
Second round
Pawtucket and Thistles drew a second round bye.
Rovers: GK Shea, DF Harwood, Fagan, MF Bradley, Waring, Lonsdale, FW Bell, Bruckshaw, Buckley, Bell, Cornell. Olympics: GK Brackell, DF Williamson, Lee, MF Tomlinson, Pilling, Brown, FW Hoctor, Corbet, Taylor, Ingham, Randall.
Alma: GK F.Farrow, DF E.Morton, G.Wright, MF J.Britchford, J.Hood, R.Patterson, FW J.Gray, P.Brennan, H.Shaw, Walter Taylor, J.Smith. Caledonian: GK J.Thompson, DF G.Gloak, J.Brown, MF W.Barr, R.McDonald, W.Stalker, FW R.McWilliams, T.Hendry, J.McCormack, J.Williamson, R.Barr.
Third round
ONT drew a bye.
Thistle- G Cameron, FB Russell, Patrick, HB Bailey, Harley, Kirk, RW Scott, Jameson, LW Walker, Barber, C Wind Caledonian- G Thompson, FB Brown, Gloak, HB Barr, McDonald, Head, RW McWilliams, Hendry, LW R.Barr, Williamson, C McCormack
Pawtucket: GK James Hardy(c), FB Harry Stuart, Alexander Love, HB James Dalton, Frank Finn, David Smith LW William Mullarkey, M.Murray, RW Robert Sandilands, Edward Lennox, C John Stuart. Rovers: GK Dennis Shay, FB Richard Harwood, Bernard Fagan(c), HB Frank Bradley, Henry Waring, Richard Lonsdale, RW Robert Bell, Thomas Bruckshaw, LW Joseph Buckley, Charles Duff, C Frank Cornell.
Semifinal
Caledonians drew a bye.
Rovers: GK D.Shay, FB R.Harwood, B.Fagan, HB F.Bradley, H.Waring, R.Lonsdale, RW R.Bell, T.Bruckshaw, LW J.Buckley, C.Duff, C F.Cornell O.N.T.: GK P.Hughes, FB Line, E.Walker, HB Pallishaw, Jos.Swithumby, Alsop, RW Connelly, Fisher, LW John Swithumby, McAuley, C Campbell