Also unlike previous years the tournament was played as a straight knock-out competition over two legs apart from the final.

[2] Setanta Sports broadcast live coverage of five games, starting with the quarter-finals.

Four League of Ireland and Four IFA Premiership teams played each other in the first round over two games with the winners qualifying for the quarter-finals.

Sporting Fingal had originally been scheduled to compete in the tournament against Lisburn Distillery but withdrew on 9 February due to financial difficulties which saw them fold the following day and were replaced by UCD.

[4] Dundalk won 5−2 on aggregate Shamrock Rovers won 4−1 on aggregate The two winners of the semi-final games played each other over one game to decide who would be crowned Setanta Sports Cup winners for 2011.