Football tournament
The Gold Cup is a defunct cup competition which involved competitors from Ireland and, from 1921 onwards, just for Northern Ireland . It was initially run by the New Irish Football Association but later, and mainly, by the Irish Football Association .
The competition was first played in the 1911–12 season after seven of the eight participating clubs left the IFA (only Linfield remained) after a dispute over money and founded the New IFA. This new organisation introduced the cup as the "New Irish Cup ". At the end of the season after many discussions, the dissident clubs returned to the IFA and the tournament was not held in 1912-13. However, it was revived by the IFA as the Gold Cup in 1913–14 season . In the seasons 1915–16 to 1918–19 season it was played in a league format. This involved a play-off between the two teams topping the table in the first of these seasons. The competition was last staged in 2000-01 .
Last year of competition [ edit ]
The last season that the Gold Cup was competed for was during the 2000-01 season . Glentoran were the victors after defeating Coleraine in the final. It was Glentoran's third Gold Cup victory in as many seasons.
The format for the Gold Cup varied throughout its history, but most commonly it was organised on a knock-out basis.
The format over the years was as follows:
Years
No. of seasons
Format
1911–12 and 1913–15
3
knock-out
1915–1919
4
league
1919–1920
1
knock-out
1920–1923
3
league
1923–1940
17
knock-out
1940–1947
7
league
1947–1976
29
knock-out
1976–1983
7
group system plus final
1983–1985
2
group system plus top-four knock-out
1985–1986
1
league followed by top-four knock-out
1986–1991
5
group system plus top-four knock-out
1991–1999
8
group system plus top-eight knock-out
1999–2001
2
knock-out
In 1915–16, there was a play-off between the top two teams.
From the late 1970s on the Gold Cup was sponsored by Hennessy , TNT (1984/85-1994/95), Sun Life (1995/96-1996/97) and Nationwide (1997/98-2000/01).[ 1]
List of Gold Cup finals [ edit ]
Key:
Scores level after 90 minutes. A replay was required.
(a.e.t. )
Scores level after extra time . A replay was required.
(a.e.t. )
Scores level after 90 minutes. Winner was decided in extra time with no penalty shootout required.
pens.
Scores level after extra time. A penalty shootout was required to determine the winner.
Season
Winner (number of titles)
Score
Runner-up
Venue
Attendance
1911–12
Belfast Celtic (1)
2–0
Glentoran
Grosvenor Park , Belfast
9,500
1913–14
Distillery (1)
0–0
Shelbourne
Shelbourne Park , Dublin
Replay
3–2
Grosvenor Park , Belfast
1914–15
Shelbourne (1)
1–0
Linfield
Solitude , Belfast
18,000
1915–16
Linfield (1)
League format
Distillery
—
—
1916–17
Glentoran (1)
Linfield
1917–18
Linfield (2)
Glentoran
1918–19
Linfield (3)
Glentoran
1919–20
Distillery (2)
3–1
Glentoran
Windsor Park , Belfast
1920–21
Linfield (4)
League format
Glenavon
—
—
1921–22
Linfield (5)
Cliftonville
1922–23
Cliftonville (1)
Linfield
1923–24
Linfield (6)
1–0
Distillery
The Oval , Belfast
1924–25
Distillery (3)
2–0
Queen's Island
Celtic Park , Belfast
1925–26
Belfast Celtic (2)
3–0
Cliftonville
Windsor Park , Belfast
15,000
1926–27
Linfield (7)
1–0
Glenavon
Celtic Park , Belfast
1927–28
Linfield (8)
3–2
Belfast Celtic
Grosvenor Park , Belfast
1928–29
Linfield (9)
3–1
Ards
The Oval , Belfast
1929–30
Distillery (4)
3–0
Bangor
Windsor Park , Belfast
1930–31
Linfield (10)
6–1
Belfast Celtic
Grosvenor Park , Belfast
1931–32
Coleraine (1)
3–0
Ballymena
Solitude , Belfast
10,000
1932–33
Cliftonville (2)
2–1
Linfield
Celtic Park , Belfast
1933–34
Portadown (1)
1–0
Glentoran
Solitude , Belfast
1934–35
Belfast Celtic (3)
4–0
Linfield
Grosvenor Park , Belfast
8,000
1935–36
Linfield (11)
3–0
Distillery
Celtic Park , Belfast
1936–37
Linfield (12)
7–2
Derry City
The Oval , Belfast
1937–38
Portadown (2)
2–0
Belfast Celtic
Grosvenor Park , Belfast
12,000
1938–39
Belfast Celtic (4)
2–1
Glenavon
The Oval , Belfast
1939–40
Belfast Celtic (5)
1–0
Linfield
Grosvenor Park , Belfast
10,000
1947–48
Belfast Celtic (6)
2–0
Distillery
Solitude , Belfast
1948–49
Linfield (13)
5–0
Glenavon
Solitude , Belfast
1949–50
Linfield (14)
3–2
Portadown
The Oval , Belfast
1950–51
Linfield (15)
5–1
Glentoran
Solitude , Belfast
1951–52
Glentoran (2)
2–1
Glenavon
Windsor Park , Belfast
15,000
1952–53
Portadown (3)
2–1
Linfield
Seaview , Belfast
1953–54
Ards (1)
2–1
Distillery
Seaview , Belfast
6,000
1954–55
Glenavon (1)
3–2
Linfield
The Oval , Belfast
1955–56
Linfield (16)
3–0
Portadown
Grosvenor Park , Belfast
1956–57
Glenavon (2)
3–1
Derry City
The Oval , Belfast
1957–58
Linfield (17)
1–0
Glenavon
Grosvenor Park , Belfast
1958–59
Coleraine (2)
1–0
Glentoran
Windsor Park , Belfast
1959–60
Linfield (18)
3–2
Portadown
Solitude , Belfast
1960–61
Glentoran (3)
4–2
Linfield
Solitude , Belfast
1961–62
Linfield (19)
4–0
Glentoran
Grosvenor Park , Belfast
1962–63
Glentoran (4)
3–1
Derry City
Windsor Park , Belfast
1963–64
Linfield (20)
2–2
Glentoran
Windsor Park , Belfast
Replay
3–2
Windsor Park , Belfast
1964–65
Derry City (1)
5–2
Crusaders
Windsor Park , Belfast
1965–66
Linfield (21)
6–0
Portadown
The Oval , Belfast
1966–67
Glentoran (5)
5–2
Crusaders
Windsor Park , Belfast
1967–68
Linfield (22)
3–2
Ards
The Oval , Belfast
1968–69
Linfield (23)
0–0
Glentoran
Windsor Park , Belfast
Replay
2–1
The Oval , Belfast
20,000
1969–70
Coleraine (3)
1–0
Glentoran
Windsor Park , Belfast
1970–71
Linfield (24)
2–1
Glentoran
The Oval , Belfast
15,000
1971–72
Portadown (4)
0–0
Ards
Mourneview Park , Lurgan
5,000
Replay
2 – 1 (a.e.t. )
Mourneview Park , Lurgan
3,500
1972–73
Linfield (25)
2–0
Portadown
Castlereagh Park , Newtownards
1973–74
Ards (2)
4–1
Bangor
The Oval , Belfast
1974–75
Ballymena United (1)
3–2
Glentoran
Windsor Park , Belfast
2,000
1975–76
Coleraine (5)
2–1
Ballymena United
Showgrounds , Ballymena
6,000
1976–77
Glentoran (6)
5–1
Linfield
Windsor Park , Belfast
10,000
1977–78
Glentoran (7)
3–1
Glenavon
Windsor Park , Belfast
1978–79
Portadown (5)
2 – 1 (a.e.t. )
Cliftonville
Windsor Park , Belfast
6,000
1979–80
Linfield (26)
2–1
Ballymena United
Windsor Park , Belfast
1980–81
Cliftonville (3)
3–1
Linfield
Windsor Park , Belfast
10,000
1981–82
Linfield (27)
1 – 1 (a.e.t. ) (5 – 4 pens. )
Ballymena United
The Oval , Belfast
1982–83
Glentoran (8)
2–0
Linfield
The Oval , Belfast
1983–84
Linfield (28)
3–1
Glentoran
Windsor Park , Belfast
1984–85
Linfield (29)
1–0
Glentoran
Windsor Park , Belfast
1985–86
Crusaders (1)
3–1
Linfield
The Oval , Belfast
1986–87
Glentoran (9)
3–2
Linfield
The Oval , Belfast
1987–88
Linfield (30)
3–0
Newry Town
The Oval , Belfast
5,000
1988–89
Linfield (31)
1–0
Portadown
The Oval , Belfast
1989–90
Linfield (32)
0 – 0 (a.e.t. )
Portadown
The Oval , Belfast
Replay
2–0
The Oval , Belfast
1990–91
Glenavon (3)
2–1
Portadown
Windsor Park , Belfast
8,000
1991–92
Glentoran (10)
1–0
Cliftonville
Windsor Park , Belfast
10,000
1992–93
Portadown (6)
1–0
Cliftonville
Windsor Park , Belfast
7,000
1993–94
Distillery (5)
3 – 2 (a.e.t. )
Bangor
Windsor Park , Belfast
750
1994–95
Glentoran (11)
1 – 1 (a.e.t. ) (3 – 0 pens. )
Crusaders
Windsor Park , Belfast
2,000
1995–96
Crusaders (2)
1–0
Linfield
The Oval , Belfast
1996–97
Linfield (33)
1–0
Glenavon
The Oval , Belfast
3,253
1997–98
Glenavon (4)
4–2
Coleraine
Windsor Park , Belfast
2,036
1998–99
Glentoran (12)
3–1
Portadown
Windsor Park , Belfast
2,670
1999–00
Glentoran (13)
4–2
Linfield
Windsor Park , Belfast
6,000
2000–01
Glentoran (14)
4–3
Coleraine
Windsor Park , Belfast
3,000
Club
Winners
Runners-up
Winning Years
Runners-up Years
Linfield
33
14
1915–16 , 1917–18 , 1918–19 , 1920–21 , 1921–22 , 1923–24 , 1926–27 , 1927–28 , 1928–29 , 1930–31 , 1935–36 , 1936–37 , 1948–49 , 1949–50 , 1950–51 , 1955–56 , 1957–58 , 1959–60 , 1961–62 , 1963–64 , 1965–66 , 1967–68 , 1968–69 , 1970–71 , 1972–73 , 1979–80 , 1981–82 , 1983–84 , 1984–85 , 1987–88 , 1988–89 , 1989–90 , 1996–97
1914–15 , 1932–33 , 1934–35 , 1939–40 , 1952–53 , 1954–55 , 1960–61 , 1976–77 , 1980–81 , 1982–83 , 1985–86 , 1986–87 , 1995–96 , 1999–00
Glentoran
14
15
1916–17 , 1951–52 , 1960–61 , 1962–63 , 1966–67 , 1976–77 , 1977–78 , 1982–83 , 1986–87 , 1991–92 , 1994–95 , 1998–99 , 1999–00 , 2000–01
1911–12 , 1917–18 , 1918–19 , 1919–20 , 1933–34 , 1950–51 , 1958–59 , 1961–62 , 1963–64 , 1968–69 , 1969–70 , 1970–71 , 1974–75 , 1983–84 , 1984–85
Portadown
6
9
1933–34 , 1937–38 , 1952–53 , 1971–72 , 1978–79 , 1992–93
1949–50 , 1955–56 , 1959–60 , 1965–66 , 1972–73 , 1988–89 , 1989–90 , 1990–91 , 1998–99
Belfast Celtic
6
3
1911–12 , 1925–26 , 1934–35 , 1938–39 , 1939–40 , 1947–48
1927–28 , 1930–31 , 1937–38
Distillery
5
6
1913–14 , 1919–20 , 1924–25 , 1929–30 , 1993–94
1915–16 , 1916–17 , 1923–24 , 1935–36 , 1947–48 , 1953–54
Glenavon
4
9
1954–55 , 1956–57 , 1990–91 , 1997–98
1920–21 , 1922–23 , 1926–27 , 1938–39 , 1948–49 , 1951–52 , 1957–58 , 1977–78 , 1996–97
Coleraine
4
2
1931–32 , 1958–59 , 1969–70 , 1975–76
1997–98, 2000–01
Cliftonville
3
5
1922–23 , 1932–33 , 1980–81
1921–22 , 1925–26 , 1978–79 , 1991–92 , 1992–93
Ards
2
3
1953–54 , 1973–74
1928–29 , 1967–68 , 1971–72
Crusaders
2
3
1985–86 , 1995–96
1964–65 , 1966–67 , 1994–95
Derry City
1
3
1964–65
1936–37 , 1956–57 , 1962–63
Ballymena United
1
3
1974–75
1975–76 , 1979–80 , 1981–82
Shelbourne
1
1
1914–15
1913–14
Bangor
0
3
—
1929–30 , 1973–74 , 1993–94
Queen's Island
0
1
—
1924–25
Ballymena
0
1
—
1931–32
Newry Town
0
1
—
1987–88
Substitute Gold Cup [ edit ]
Between the 1940/41 and 1946/47 seasons the Gold Cup was competed for by the Northern Regional League Clubs and known as the "Substitute Gold Cup".
National teams Leagues
Domestic cups
Defunct leagues Defunct cups Awards
Association football cup competitions in Ireland
All-Ireland
Northern Ireland
Republic of Ireland
International Friendly Trophies