1998–99 Irish Cup

The 1998–99 Irish Cup was the 119th edition of the Irish Cup, Northern Ireland's premier football knock-out cup competition. The last match was played on 20 April 1999. The final did not take place this year, for only the third time in the competition's history.

1998–99 Irish Cup
Country Northern Ireland
Teams32
ChampionsPortadown (2nd win)
Runners-upN/A
Matches played36
Goals scored108 (3 per match)

Glentoran were the defending champions after winning their 17th Irish Cup last season, with a 1–0 win over Glenavon in the 1998 final. This season they reached the sixth round, where they were defeated 2–1 by Cliftonville.

Portadown won the cup for the second time, after Cliftonville were disqualified from the competition for fielding an ineligible player in the semi-final replay against Linfield. Linfield were not permitted to replace Cliftonville in the final, so Portadown were awarded the cup without the final being played.[1][2]

Fifth round
Team 1  Score  Team 2
Ards 1–0 Ards Rangers
Ballymena United 3–1 Larne
Bangor 0–3 Glenavon
Brantwood 3–1 Drummond United
Carrick Rangers 2–2 Dungannon Swifts
Cliftonville 6–1 Crewe United
Coleraine 1–1 Limavady United
Crusaders 1–1 Newry Town
Distillery 4–0 Harland & Wolff Welders
Drumaness Mills 0–2 Lurgan Celtic
Glentoran 3–0 Tobermore United
Institute 0–1 Chimney Corner
Linfield 6–0 Crumlin United
Loughgall 2–1 Dundela
Omagh Town 1–2 Ballyclare Comrades
Portadown 1–0 Ballymoney United

Replays
Team 1  Score  Team 2
Dungannon Swifts 3–4 Carrick Rangers
Limavady United 0–1 Coleraine
Newry Town 2–3 Crusaders


Sixth round
Team 1  Score  Team 2
Ballymena United 3–0 Ballyclare Comrades
Carrick Rangers 2–0 Ards
Cliftonville 2–1 Glentoran
Coleraine 2–1 Loughgall
Distillery 5–0 Brantwood
Glenavon 3–0 Crusaders
Linfield 3–1 Chimney Corner
Lurgan Celtic 0–3 Portadown


Quarter-finals
Team 1  Score  Team 2
Carrick Rangers 1–2 Cliftonville
Coleraine 1–2 Portadown
Distillery 1–1 Ballymena United
Linfield 0–0 Glenavon

Replays
Team 1  Score  Team 2
Ballymena United 2–1 (aet) Distillery
Glenavon 1–2 Linfield


Semi-finals
Team 1  Score  Team 2
Ballymena United 0–2 Portadown
Cliftonville 1–1 Linfield

Replay
Team 1  Score  Team 2
Linfield 0–1 Cliftonville


Final

On 29 April 1999, Cliftonville were disqualified from the competition for fielding an ineligible player in the semi-final replay against Linfield. The player in question had played for a junior club in an earlier round and was therefore ineligible. However, Linfield's protest came more than 48 hours after the tie (the usual deadline for protests), and as a result the IFA did not allow them to take Cliftonville's place in the final. Portadown were therefore awarded the cup without the final taking place.[2]

References
  1. "Northern Ireland Cup Finals". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. RSSSF. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  2. "Northern Ireland 1998/99". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. RSSSF. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
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