City Cup (Northern Ireland)

{{Infobox football tournament

| name = City Cup

| organiser = Irish Football Association

| current =

| founded = 1894

| abolished = 1976

| region = {{nowrap|Northern Ireland (1921–1976)}}
Ireland (1895–1921)

| number of teams =

| champion =

| most successful club = Linfield (24 titles)

}}

The City Cup was a football cup competition which involved teams from Northern Ireland (and prior to 1921, teams from Ireland). The tournament ran from 1894 and ceased to exist in 1976. The physical trophy the teams played for was called the Dunville Cup and this trophy is now presented to the winners of the Northern Ireland Football League Cup, which began in 1987.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishleaguearchive.org/northern-ireland|title=Irish League Archive Region=Northern Ireland City Cup|publisher=Irish League Archive|accessdate=18 March 2023}}

History

A cup tournament consisting solely of Belfast clubs had been mooted as early as 1892,{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0002549/18921021/014/0003?browse=true|title=Another Cup Competition|work=Ulster Football and Cycling News|date=21 October 1892|page=3}} although it was not until two years later that the competition was organised.{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002549/18940706/025/0006|title=Notes|work=Ulster Football and Cycling News|date=6 July 1894|page=6}} While the City Cup began as a competition for Belfast clubs only, from 1905 to 1911 Dublin-based club Shelbourne also participated. In the 1911–12 season, all eight Irish League clubs participated (Derry Celtic and Glenavon joining the five Belfast teams and Shelbourne). In the 1912–13 season, when the League expanded to ten clubs, only seven participated (the five Belfast teams plus Glenavon and Shelbourne. From 1913 until its demise in 1976, all clubs who were members of the Irish League competed for the City Cup (excluding the war years).

During 1915 to 1919, the City Cup was known as the Belfast City Cup and reverted to being a Belfast-only competition and is not recognised as an "official" competition for this period but as a wartime competition; during 1940 to 1947, it was not played at all.

Format

The format for the City Cup varied throughout its history, but most commonly it was organised on a league basis, by which each participating club played each other and the team with the most points won the cup.

The format over the years was as follows:

class="wikitable"
Years !No. of seasons !Format
align=center \|1894–1915, 1919–40, 1947–69 \|64 \|league
align=center \|1969–70 \|1 \|group system plus final
align=center \|1970–71 \|1 \|league
align=center \|1971–76 \|5 \|group system plus final

class="wikitable"

Years

!No. of seasons

!Format

align=center

|1894–1915, 1919–40, 1947–69

|64

|league

align=center

|1969–70

|group system plus final

align=center

|1970–71

|league

align=center

|1971–76

|group system plus final

List of winners and runner-ups

=League format=

class="toccolours" border="1" cellpadding="2" style="border-collapse: collapse; text-align: center; margin: 4 left;"

style="background: #efefef;"

!Season

!Winner

!Runner-up

align=center

|1894–95

|Linfield (1)

|Cliftonville

align=center

|1895–96

|Linfield (2)

|Distillery

align=center

|1896–97

|Glentoran (1)

|Cliftonville

align=center

|1897–98

|Linfield (3)

|Belfast Celtic

align=center

|1898–99

|Glentoran (2)

|Linfield

align=center

|1899–1900

|Linfield (4)

|Distillery

align=center

|1900–01

|Linfield (5)

|Cliftonville

align=center

|1901–02

|Linfield (6)

|Glentoran

align=center

|1902–03

|Linfield (7)

|Belfast Celtic

align=center

|1903–04

|Linfield (8)

|Distillery

align=center

|1904–05

|Distillery (1)

|Glentoran

align=center

|1905–06

|Belfast Celtic (1)

|Cliftonville

align=center

|1906–07

|Belfast Celtic (2)

|Cliftonville

align=center

|1907–08

|Linfield (9)

|Glentoran

align=center

|1908–09

|Shelbourne (1)

|Glentoran

align=center

|1909–10

|Linfield (10)

|Distillery

align=center

|1910–11

|Glentoran (3)

|Belfast Celtic

align=center

|1911–12

|Glentoran (4)

|Distillery

align=center

|1912–13

|Distillery (2)

|Glenavon

align=center

|1913–14

|Glentoran (5)

|Linfield

align=center

|1914–15

|Glentoran (6)

|Linfield

align=center

|1919–20

|Linfield (11)

|Belfast Celtic

align=center

|1920–21

|Glenavon (1)

|Glentoran

align=center

|1921–22

|Linfield (12)

|Glentoran

align=center

|1922–23

|Queen’s Island (1)

|Distillery

align=center

|1923–24

|Queen’s Island (2)

|Glentoran

align=center

|1924–25

|Queen’s Island (3)

|Glentoran

align=center

|1925–26

|Belfast Celtic (3)

|Queen’s Island

align=center

|1926–27

|Linfield (13)

|Belfast Celtic

align=center

|1927–28

|Belfast Celtic (4)

|Linfield

align=center

|1928–29

|Linfield (14)

|Ballymena

align=center

|1929–30

|Belfast Celtic (5)

|Glentoran

align=center

|1930–31

|Belfast Celtic (6)

|Linfield

align=center

|1931–32

|Glentoran (7)

|Belfast Celtic

align=center

|1932–33

|Belfast Celtic (7)

|Linfield

align=center

|1933–34

|Distillery (3)

|Belfast Celtic

align=center

|1934–35

|Derry City (1)

|Linfield

align=center

|1935–36

|Linfield (15)

|Portadown

align=center

|1936–37

|Derry City (2)

|Linfield

align=center

|1937–38

|Linfield (16)

|Derry City

align=center

|1938–39

|Portadown (1)

|Linfield

align=center

|1939–40

|Belfast Celtic (8)

|Derry City

align=center

|1947–48

|Belfast Celtic (9)

|Glentoran

align=center

|1948–49

|Belfast Celtic (10)

|Linfield

align=center

|1949–50

|Linfield (17)

|Derry City

align=center

|1950–51

|Glentoran (8)

|Linfield

align=center

|1951–52

|Linfield (18)

|Glentoran

align=center

|1952–53

|Glentoran (9)

|Linfield

align=center

|1953–54

|Coleraine (1)

|Glentoran

align=center

|1954–55

|Glenavon (2)

|Distillery

align=center

|1955–56

|Glenavon (3)

|Coleraine

align=center

|1956–57

|Glentoran (10)

|Distillery

align=center

|1957–58

|Linfield (19)

|Glentoran

align=center

|1958–59

|Linfield (20)

|Glenavon

align=center

|1959–60

|Distillery (4)

|Glenavon

align=center

|1960–61

|Glenavon (4)

|Ballymena United

align=center

|1961–62

|Linfield (21)

|Portadown

align=center

|1962–63

|Distillery (5)

|Linfield

align=center

|1963–64

|Linfield (22)

|Glentoran

align=center

|1964–65

|Glentoran (11)

|Derry City

align=center

|1965–66

|Glenavon (5)

|Crusaders

align=center

|1966–67

|Glentoran (12)

|Linfield

align=center

|1967–68

|Linfield (23)

|Crusaders

align=center

|1968–69

|Coleraine (2)

|Derry City

align=center

|1970–71

|Bangor (1)

|Distillery

=Finals=

Key:

class="toccolours" border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 50%; margin: left;"

style="background:#cedff2; text-align: center;"|pens.

|Scores level after extra time. A penalty shootout was required to determine the winner.

class="toccolours" border="1" cellpadding="2" style="border-collapse: collapse; text-align: center; width: 70%; margin: 4 left;"

style="background: #efefef;"

!Season

!Winner

!Score

!Runner-up

!Venue

!Attendance

align=center

|1969–70

|Glentoran (13)

|2–1

|Bangor

|Windsor Park, Belfast

align=center

|1971–72

|Ballymena United (1)

|1–0

|Ards

|The Oval, Belfast

align=center

|1972–73

|Glentoran (14)

|2–0

|Coleraine

|Ballymena Showgrounds, Ballymena

align=center

|1973–74

|Linfield (24)

|style="background:#cedff2;"|{{0}} 2 – 2 {{aet}} (3 – 1 pens.)

|Coleraine

|Ballymena Showgrounds, Ballymena

align=center

|1974–75

|Glentoran (15)

|3–1

|Linfield

|Windsor Park, Belfast

align=center

|1975–76

|Bangor (2)

|style="background:#cedff2;"|{{0}} 0 – 0 {{aet}} (3 – 1 pens.)

|Coleraine

|Seaview, Belfast

Performance by club

class="wikitable"
Club ! Winners ! Runners-up ! Winning Years ! Runners-up Years
Linfield \| 24 \| 15 \| 1894–95, 1895–96, 1897–98, 1899–1900, 1900–01, 1901–02, 1902–03, 1903–04, 1907–08, 1909–10, 1919–20, 1921–22, 1926–27, 1928–29, 1935–36, 1937–38, 1949–50, 1951–52, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1961–62, 1963–64, 1967–68, 1973–74 \| 1898–99, 1913–14, 1914–15, 1927–28, 1930–31, 1932–33, 1934–35, 1936–37, 1938–39, 1948–49, 1950–51, 1952–53, 1962–63, 1966–67, 1974–75
Glentoran \| 15 \| 14 \| 1896–97, 1898–99, 1910–11, 1911–12, 1913–14, 1914–15, 1931–32, 1950–51, 1952–53, 1956–57, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1969–70, 1972–73, 1974–75 \| 1901–02, 1904–05, 1907–08, 1908–09, 1920–21, 1921–22, 1923–24, 1924–25, 1929–30, 1947–48, 1951–52, 1953–54, 1957–58, 1963–64
Belfast Celtic \| 10 \| 7 \| 1905–06, 1906–07, 1925–26, 1927–28, 1929–30, 1930–31, 1932–33, 1939–40, 1947–48, 1948–49 \| 1897–98, 1902–03, 1910–11, 1919–20, 1926–27, 1931–32, 1933–34
Distillery \| 5 \| 9 \| 1904–05, 1912–13, 1933–34, 1959–60, 1962–63 \| 1895–96, 1899–00, 1903–04, 1909–10, 1911–12, 1922–23, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1970–71
Glenavon \| 5 \| 3 \| 1920–21, 1954–55, 1955–56, 1960–61, 1965–66 \| 1912–13, 1958–59, 1959–60
Queen’s Island \| 3 \| 1 \| 1922–23, 1923–24, 1924–25 \| 1925–26
Derry City \| 2 \| 5 \| 1934–35, 1936–37 \| 1937–38, 1939–40, 1949–50, 1964–65, 1968–69
Coleraine \| 2 \| 4 \| 1953–54, 1968–69 \| 1955–56, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1975–76
Bangor \| 2 \| 1 \| 1970–71, 1975–76 \| 1969–70
Portadown \| 1 \| 2 \| 1938–39 \| 1935–36, 1961–62
Ballymena United \| 1 \| 1 \| 1971–72 \| 1960–61
Shelbourne \| 1 \| 0 \| 1908–09 \| —
Cliftonville \| 0 \| 5 \| — \| 1894–95, 1896–97, 1900–01, 1905–06, 1906–07
Crusaders \| 0 \| 2 \| — \| 1965–66, 1967–68
Ballymena \| 0 \| 1 \| — \| 1928–29
Ards \| 0 \| 1 \| — \| 1971–72

class="wikitable"

Club

! Winners

! Runners-up

! Winning Years

! Runners-up Years

Linfield

| 24

| 15

| 1894–95, 1895–96, 1897–98, 1899–1900, 1900–01, 1901–02, 1902–03, 1903–04, 1907–08, 1909–10, 1919–20, 1921–22, 1926–27, 1928–29, 1935–36, 1937–38, 1949–50, 1951–52, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1961–62, 1963–64, 1967–68, 1973–74

| 1898–99, 1913–14, 1914–15, 1927–28, 1930–31, 1932–33, 1934–35, 1936–37, 1938–39, 1948–49, 1950–51, 1952–53, 1962–63, 1966–67, 1974–75

Glentoran

| 15

| 14

| 1896–97, 1898–99, 1910–11, 1911–12, 1913–14, 1914–15, 1931–32, 1950–51, 1952–53, 1956–57, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1969–70, 1972–73, 1974–75

| 1901–02, 1904–05, 1907–08, 1908–09, 1920–21, 1921–22, 1923–24, 1924–25, 1929–30, 1947–48, 1951–52, 1953–54, 1957–58, 1963–64

Belfast Celtic

| 10

| 7

| 1905–06, 1906–07, 1925–26, 1927–28, 1929–30, 1930–31, 1932–33, 1939–40, 1947–48, 1948–49

| 1897–98, 1902–03, 1910–11, 1919–20, 1926–27, 1931–32, 1933–34

Distillery

| 5

| 9

| 1904–05, 1912–13, 1933–34, 1959–60, 1962–63

| 1895–96, 1899–00, 1903–04, 1909–10, 1911–12, 1922–23, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1970–71

Glenavon

| 5

| 3

| 1920–21, 1954–55, 1955–56, 1960–61, 1965–66

| 1912–13, 1958–59, 1959–60

Queen’s Island

| 3

| 1

| 1922–23, 1923–24, 1924–25

| 1925–26

Derry City

| 2

| 5

| 1934–35, 1936–37

| 1937–38, 1939–40, 1949–50, 1964–65, 1968–69

Coleraine

| 2

| 4

| 1953–54, 1968–69

| 1955–56, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1975–76

Bangor

| 2

| 1

| 1970–71, 1975–76

| 1969–70

Portadown

| 1

| 2

| 1

| 1

| 0

| 1908–09

| —

Cliftonville

| 0

| 5

| —

| 1894–95, 1896–97, 1900–01, 1905–06, 1906–07

Crusaders

| 0

| 2

| —

| 1965–66, 1967–68

Ballymena

| 0

| 1

| —

| 1928–29

Ards

| 0

| 1

| —

| 1971–72

Belfast City Cup

Due to World War I, from the 1915–16 to 1918–19 seasons the City Cup was competed for by Ulster-based clubs only and was known as the "Belfast City Cup".

Key:

class="toccolours" border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 40%; margin: left;"

style="background:#FBCEB1; text-align: center;"|{{&}}

|Title was shared after test match finished in a draw

class="toccolours" border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 40%; margin: left;"

style="background: #efefef;"

!Season

!Winner (number of titles)

!Score

!Runner-up

align=center

|1915–16{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001631/19160306/070/0004|title=Belfast City Cup Table|work=Belfast Telegraph|date=6 March 1916|page=4|url-access=subscription}}

|Glentoran (1)

|rowspan="4"|League format

|Belfast United

align=center

|1916–17{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000038/19170129/038/0002|title=Belfast City Cup Table|work=Belfast News Letter|date=29 January 1917|page=2|url-access=subscription}}{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000038/19170512/046/0002|title=City Cup Competition, Glentoran v Linfield|work=Belfast News Letter|date=12 May 1917|page=2|url-access=subscription}}

|Glentoran (2)

|Linfield

align=center

|1917–18{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004162/19180302/032/0003|title=Belfast City Cup Competition|work=Ireland's Saturday Night|date=2 March 1918|page=3|url-access=subscription}}

|Linfield (1)

|Glentoran

align=center

|1918–19{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001631/19190520/101/0005|title=City Cup Test Match, Scenes at Windsor Park|work=Belfast Telegraph|date=20 May 1919|page=5|url-access=subscription}}

| style="background:#FBCEB1;|Belfast Celtic (1)
Glentoran (3)

|—

=Performance by club=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Club ! Winners ! Runners-up ! Winning Years ! Runners-up Years
Glentoran \| 3 (1 shared) \| 1 \|align=left\| 1915–16, 1916–17, 1918–19 (shared) \|align=left\| 1917–18
Linfield \| 1 \| 1 \|align=left\| 1917–18 \|align=left\| 1916–17
Belfast Celtic \| 1 (shared) \| 0 \|align=left\| 1918–19 (shared) \|align=left\| —
Belfast United \| 0 \| 1 \|align=left\| — \|align=left\| 1915–16

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

Club

! Winners

! Runners-up

! Winning Years

! Runners-up Years

Glentoran

| 3 (1 shared)

| 1

|align=left| 1915–16, 1916–17, 1918–19 (shared)

|align=left| 1917–18

Linfield

| 1

|align=left| 1917–18

|align=left| 1916–17

Belfast Celtic

| 1 (shared)

| 0

|align=left| 1918–19 (shared)

|align=left| —

Belfast United

| 0

| 1

|align=left| —

|align=left| 1915–16

References

External links

[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesn/nilcitycuphist.html Northern Ireland - List of City Cup Winners]
[https://www.irishleaguearchive.org/northern-ireland Irish League Archive - City Cup]

Category:Defunct association football cup competitions in Northern Ireland

Category:Defunct all-Ireland association football cup competitions

Category:Former All-Ireland association football competitions