The Irish Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the Irish Cup, is the main knockout football competition for teams in Northern Ireland. Started in 1881, it is regarded as the fourth-oldest cup competition in the world.
Before 1921 and the establishment of the Irish Free State, clubs from across the whole of Ireland took part in the competition.
However, clubs from the Republic of Ireland no longer participate in the competition after breaking away from what was then the Irish Football Association, which is now the organisation responsible for organising football in just Northern Ireland.
Football in the Republic of Ireland is now run by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI).
Format of the competition
Like most cup competitions worldwide, the Irish Cup has undergone many format changes, including the number of teams, rounds, replays, and whether ties are decided in extra-time or penalty shootouts.
All clubs that have an affiliation with the Irish Football Association are eligible to take part in the Irish Cup. However, the clubs have to have intermediate or senior status, which they acquire by having the correct criteria in regard to club facilities. One of the criteria for entry to the competition is that the club has an enclosed ground.
The Irish Cup runs from either the end of August or the start of September until May, with the first games being played in the competition being the first qualifying round.
The first qualifying round includes teams from the NIFL Premier Intermediate League (Northern Ireland’s third tier) and below, including teams from level 4 and below.
These teams play in four qualifying rounds until just eight remain. The successful teams will then join the 24 senior clubs from the first and second tiers of the Northern Irish game in the first round of the competition, with 32 clubs participating.
The first round is randomly drawn so that any team can face any opposition in the competition. Depending on the number of teams, some teams may be given a bye to the next round in the early stages of the competition. They are then drawn out first in the next round to avoid receiving multiple byes.
The team drawn first will host the game, but only if it is a senior team. If a level 3 team or below is drawn at home, the senior team will host the game.
If games cannot be decided over 90 minutes, then they are settled by extra-time and, if needed, a penalty shootout. When the competition reaches the semi-final stage, the games are generally played at the national stadium, Windsor Park, which also hosts the final.
The winners of the Irish Cup are then given a chance to represent Northern Ireland in the following season’s UEFA Conference League. However, that only applies to teams that meet the criteria for a license. If they don’t get the license, the team that finished third place in the top-flight table gets the spot in the European competition.
It is a competition with a long history
As previously talked about, the Irish Cup is amongst the oldest cup competitions in the world, having been established before the 1880/81 season. The first cup draw took place on 10th January 1881.
The first winner of the competition was Moyola Park, who defeated Cliftonville 1-0 at the Cliftonville Cricket Ground. The competition has maintained a strong reputation in Northern Ireland and is considered the second most prestigious competition in the country after the NIFL Premiership, the league’s top domestic division.
When teams from the modern-day Republic of Ireland competed, only two clubs won the competition: Shelbourne, who lifted the trophy on three occasions, and Bohemians, who claimed their only victory in 1908.
In its history, all six of Northern Ireland’s counties have been represented in the final of the competition. The latest county to be represented was County Fermanagh after Ballinamallard United reached the 2019 final.
Recent Cup Winners
| Season | Winners | Score | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | Cliftonville | 3-1 (after extra-time) | Linfield |
| 2022/23 | Crusaders | 4-0 | Ballymena United |
| 2021/22 | Crusaders | 2-1 (after extra-time) | Ballymena United |
| 2020/21 | Linfield | 2-1 | Larne |
| 2019/20 | Glentoran | 2-1 (after extra-time) | Ballymena United |
| 2018/19 | Crusaders | 3-0 | Ballinamallard United |
| 2017/18 | Coleraine | 3-1 | Cliftonville |
| 2016/17 | Linfield | 3-0 | Coleraine |
| 2015/16 | Glenavon | 2-0 | Linfield |
| 2014/15 | Glentoran | 1-0 | Portadown |
The record-breakers of the Irish Cup
Many clubs have been successful in the Irish Cup in its long history. In fact, 24 clubs have won the competition. However, the most successful team in the history of the competition is Linfield, who have lifted the trophy on 44 occasions. They have also made the most appearances in the final, having made 64 final appearances.
Linfield holds some other cup records, such as the most consecutive appearances in the final (five) from 1891 and 1895. They also have the record for the biggest victory in the final, when they recorded a 10-1 win over Bohemians.
Glentoran is the team that has won the competition on the most consecutive occasions, winning the competition four times from 1985 to 1988.
The most unfortunate team in the final of the competition is Larne, who has made six final appearances but has yet to lift the trophy.
