Floodlit Cup (Northern Ireland)
Organising body | Irish Football Association |
---|---|
Founded | 1987 |
Abolished | 1998 |
Region | Northern Ireland |
Most successful club(s) | Portadown (3 titles) |
The Floodlit Cup (more commonly known as the Budweiser Floodlit Cup, Budweiser Cup or Coca-Cola Cup for sponsorship reasons) was an annual
History
By the mid-1980s all Irish League clubs had installed floodlighting at their grounds, largely through grants awarded by the
Budweiser remained sponsor of the Floodlit Cup until 1994/95 with
Format
- 1987/88
Open to all 14 Irish League clubs. Played on a single match, straight knock-out basis with extra-time and a penalty shoot-out if required. Semi-finals and final played on a neutral ground. Top two teams from the previous season’s Irish League given a bye to the second round.
- 1988/89 to 1989/90
Entrants increased to 16 with the inclusion of B Division teams, Omagh Town and Ballyclare Comrades (who were due to join an expanded Irish League in 1990/91). First round played on a two legged, home and away basis using the away goal rule, followed by extra-time and penalties if the aggregate score was level. Quarter-final and semi-final matches played as a single match with extra-time and penalties, with semis and final again at a neutral venue. Final match open to a replay if scores remained level after extra-time.
- 1990/91 to 1994/95
Reverted to original straight knock-out format but with sixteen teams.
- 1995/96 to 1996/97
The Irish League split into two divisions for the 1995/96 season and Coca-Cola took over the sponsorship of the Floodlit Cup. The competition remained open to the 16 Irish League clubs (8 Premier Division and 8 First Division) and reverted to a two legged first round format, with the draw seeded so Premier League teams met First Division teams. From the quarter-finals on the format remained the same as in previous years.
- 1997/98 (final year)
The Irish League had expanded again, to 18 teams (10 Premier and 8 First Division), for the final season of the Coca-Cola Floodlit Cup. A preliminary round was introduced, played on a single match basis, to bring the field down to 16 teams with the remainder of the competition played out as it had been in 1987/88 and from 1990/91 to 1994/95.
List of finals
Key:
( a.e.t. )
|
Scores level after extra time. A replay was required. |
Season | Winner (number of titles) |
Score | Runner-up | Venue | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1987–88 | Glentoran (1) | 1–0 | Coleraine | Windsor Park, Belfast | |
1988–89 | Glenavon (1) | a.e.t. )
|
1 – 1 (Linfield | The Oval, Belfast | |
Replay | 6–1 | The Oval, Belfast | |||
1989–90 | Glentoran (2) | 4–2 | Linfield | The Oval, Belfast | |
1990–91 | Portadown (1) | 2–0 | Glenavon | Windsor Park, Belfast | |
1991–92 | Omagh Town (1) | 3–1 | Linfield | The Oval, Belfast | |
1992–93 | Portadown (2) | 3–1 | Ballymena United | Windsor Park, Belfast | |
1993–94 | Linfield (1) | 3–0 | Ards | The Oval, Belfast | |
1994–95 | Portadown (3) | 4–0 | Distillery | Mourneview Park, Lurgan | |
1995–96 | Cliftonville (1) | 3–1 | Glentoran | Windsor Park, Belfast | |
1996–97 | Glenavon (2) | 1–0 | Glentoran | Windsor Park, Belfast | |
1997–98 | Linfield (2) | 2–0 | Cliftonville | Windsor Park, Belfast |
Performance by club
Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning Years | Runners-up Years |
---|---|---|---|---|
Portadown | 3 | 0 | 1990–91, 1992–93, 1994–95 | — |
Linfield | 2 | 3 | 1993–94, 1997–98 | 1988–89, 1989–90, 1991–92 |
Glentoran | 2 | 2 | 1987–88, 1989–90 | 1995–96, 1996–97 |
Glenavon | 2 | 1 | 1988–89, 1996–97 | 1990–91 |
Cliftonville | 1 | 1 | 1995–96 | 1997–98 |
Omagh Town | 1 | 0 | 1991–92 | — |
Coleraine | 0 | 1 | — | 1987–88 |
Ballymena United | 0 | 1 | — | 1992–93 |
Ards | 0 | 1 | — | 1993–94 |
Distillery | 0 | 1 | — | 1994–95 |