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 but later, and mainly, by the Irish Football Association .
The competition was first played in the 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 in . In the seasons to 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 .
Last year of competition [ ]
The last season that the Gold Cup was competed for was during the . Glentoran were the victors after defeating Coleraine in the final. It was Glentoran's third Gold Cup victory in as many seasons.
Format [ ]
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
1911–1912 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
1976–1985
9
group system plus final
1985–1986
1
league followed by top-four knock-out
1986–1999
13
group system plus final
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]
Finals results [ ]
Season
Winner
Score
Runner-up
Venue
Attendance
1911–12
Belfast Celtic
2–0
Glentoran
Grosvenor Park , Belfast
9,500
1912–13
Tournament not held
1913–14 Replay
Distillery
0–0
Shelbourne
Shelbourne Park , Dublin
Distillery
3–2
Shelbourne
Grosvenor Park , Belfast
1914–15
Shelbourne
1–0
Linfield
Solitude , Belfast
1915–16
Linfield
2–0
Distillery
The Oval , Belfast
1916–17
Glentoran
League format
Linfield
1917–18
Linfield
Glentoran
1918–19
Linfield
Glentoran
1919–20
Distillery
3-1
Glentoran
Windsor Park , Belfast
1920–21
Linfield
League format
Glenavon
1921–22
Linfield
Cliftonville
1922–23
Cliftonville
Linfield
1923–24
Linfield
1–0
Distillery
The Oval , Belfast
1924–25
Distillery
2–0
Queen's Island
Celtic Park , Belfast
1925–26
Belfast Celtic
3–0
Cliftonville
Windsor Park , Belfast
1926–27
Linfield
1–0
Glenavon
Celtic Park , Belfast
1927–28
Linfield
3–2
Belfast Celtic
Grosvenor Park , Belfast
1928–29
Linfield
3–1
Ards
The Oval , Belfast
1929–30
Distillery
3–0
Bangor
Windsor Park , Belfast
1930–31
Linfield
6–1
Belfast Celtic
Grosvenor Park , Belfast
1931–32
Coleraine
3–0
Ballymena
Solitude , Belfast
10,000
1932–33
Cliftonville
2–1
Linfield
Celtic Park , Belfast
1933–34
Portadown
1–0
Glentoran
Solitude , Belfast
1934–35
Belfast Celtic
4–0
Linfield
Grosvenor Park , Belfast
8,000
1935–36
Linfield
3–0
Distillery
Celtic Park , Belfast
1936–37
Linfield
7–2
Derry City
The Oval , Belfast
1937–38
Portadown
2–0
Belfast Celtic
Grosvenor Park , Belfast
1938–39
Belfast Celtic
2–1
Glenavon
The Oval , Belfast
1939–40
Belfast Celtic
1–0
Linfield
Grosvenor Park , Belfast
1947–48
Belfast Celtic
2–0
Distillery
Solitude , Belfast
1948–49
Linfield
5–0
Glenavon
Solitude , Belfast
1949–50
Linfield
3–2
Portadown
The Oval , Belfast
1950–51
Linfield
5–1
Glentoran
Solitude , Belfast
1951–52
Glentoran
2–1
Glenavon
Windsor Park , Belfast
15,000
1952–53
Portadown
2–1
Linfield
Seaview , Belfast
1953–54
Ards
2–1
Distillery
Seaview , Belfast
6,000
1954–55
Glenavon
3–2
Linfield
The Oval , Belfast
1955–56
Linfield
3–0
Portadown
Grosvenor Park , Belfast
1956–57
Glenavon
3–1
Derry City
The Oval , Belfast
1957–58
Linfield
1–0
Glenavon
Grosvenor Park , Belfast
1958–59
Coleraine
1–0
Glentoran
Windsor Park , Belfast
1959–60
Linfield
3–2
Portadown
Solitude , Belfast
1960–61
Glentoran
4–2
Linfield
Solitude , Belfast
1961–62
Linfield
4–0
Glentoran
Grosvenor Park , Belfast
1962–63
Glentoran
3–1
Derry City
Windsor Park , Belfast
1963–64 Replay
Linfield
2–2
Glentoran
Windsor Park , Belfast
Linfield
3–2
Glentoran
Windsor Park , Belfast
1964–65
Derry City
5–2
Crusaders
Windsor Park , Belfast
1965–66
Linfield
6–0
Portadown
The Oval , Belfast
1966–67
Glentoran
5–2
Crusaders
Windsor Park , Belfast
1967–68
Linfield
3–2
Ards
The Oval , Belfast
1968–69 Replay
Linfield
0–0
Glentoran
Windsor Park , Belfast
Linfield
2–1
Glentoran
The Oval , Belfast
20,000
1969–70
Coleraine
1–0
Glentoran
Windsor Park , Belfast
1970–71
Linfield
2–1
Glentoran
The Oval , Belfast
15,000
1971–72
Portadown
4–1
Ards
Mourneview Park , Lurgan
5,000
1972–73
Linfield
3–0
Portadown
Castlereagh Park , Newtownards
1973–74
Ards
4–1
Bangor
The Oval , Belfast
1974–75
Ballymena United
3–2
Glentoran
Windsor Park , Belfast
2,000
1975–76
Coleraine
2–1
Ballymena United
Showgrounds , Ballymena
6,000
1976–77
Glentoran
5–1
Linfield
Windsor Park , Belfast
10,000
1977–78
Glentoran
3–1
Glenavon
Windsor Park , Belfast
1978–79
Portadown
2–1
Cliftonville
Windsor Park , Belfast
6,000
1979–80
Linfield
2–1
Ballymena United
Windsor Park , Belfast
1980–81
Cliftonville
3–1
Linfield
Windsor Park , Belfast
10,000
1981–82
Linfield
0–0 (5–4 pens)
Ballymena United
The Oval , Belfast
1982–83
Glentoran
2–0
Linfield
The Oval , Belfast
1983–84
Linfield
3–1
Glentoran
Windsor Park , Belfast
1984–85
Linfield
3–1
Glentoran
Windsor Park , Belfast
1985–86
Crusaders
3–1
Linfield
The Oval , Belfast
1986–87
Glentoran
3–2
Linfield
The Oval , Belfast
1987–88
Linfield
3–0
Newry Town
The Oval , Belfast
5,000
1988–89
Linfield
1–0
Portadown
Windsor Park , Belfast
1989–90 Replay
Linfield
0–0
Portadown
The Oval , Belfast
Linfield
2–0
Portadown
The Oval , Belfast
1990–91
Glenavon
2–1
Portadown
Windsor Park , Belfast
8,000
1991–92
Glentoran
1–0
Cliftonville
Windsor Park , Belfast
10,000
1992–93
Portadown
1–0
Cliftonville
Windsor Park , Belfast
7,000
1993–94
Distillery
4–3 (aet)
Bangor
Windsor Park , Belfast
750
1994–95
Glentoran
1–1 (3–0 pens)
Crusaders
Windsor Park , Belfast
2,000
1995–96
Crusaders
1–0
Linfield
The Oval , Belfast
1996–97
Linfield
1–0
Glenavon
The Oval , Belfast
3,253
1997–98
Glenavon
4–2
Coleraine
Windsor Park , Belfast
2,036
1998–99
Glentoran
3–1
Portadown
Windsor Park , Belfast
2,670
1999–00
Glentoran
4–2
Linfield
Windsor Park , Belfast
6,000
2000–01
Glentoran
4–3
Coleraine
Windsor Park , Belfast
3,000
Performance by club [ ]
Club
Winners
Winning years
Linfield
33
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
Glentoran
14
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
Belfast Celtic
6
1911–12, 1925–26, 1934–35, 1938–39, 1939–40, 1947–48
Portadown
6
1933–34, 1937–38, 1952–53, 1971–72, 1978–79, 1992–93
Distillery
5
1913–14, 1919–20, 1924–25, 1929–30, 1993–94
Coleraine
4
1931–32, 1958–59, 1969–70, 1975–76
Glenavon
4
1954–55, 1956–57, 1990–91, 1997–98
Cliftonville
3
1922–23, 1932–33, 1980–81
Ards
2
1953–54, 1973–74
Crusaders
2
1985–86, 1995–96
Ballymena United
1
1974–75
Derry City
1
1964–65
Shelbourne
1
1914–15
Substitute Gold Cup [ ]
Between the season 1940/41 - 1946/47 the Gold Cup was competed for by the Northern Regional League Clubs and known as the "Substitute Gold Cup".
References [ ]
Association football cup competitions in Ireland
All-Ireland
Northern Ireland
Republic of Ireland
International Friendly Trophies
External links [ ]