The Irish Cup is the national cup knock-out competition in Northern Irish football. Inaugurated in 1881, it is the fourth-oldest national cup competition in the world. Prior to the break-away from the Irish Football Association by clubs from what would become the Irish Free State in 1921, the Irish Cup was the national cup competition for the whole of Ireland. Linfield are the current holders after beating Crusaders 4–1 in the 2012 final.
The Irish Cup is currently sponsored by JJB Sports. It was previously sponsored by Nationwide Building Society and Bass Ireland Ltd.
Read more about Irish Cup: Format, History, Records, Final Results
Famous quotes containing the words irish and/or cup:
“I hope you will not be washed away by the Irish sea.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Sisters define their rivalry in terms of competition for the gold cup of parental love. It is never perceived as a cup which runneth over, rather a finite vessel from which the more one sister drinks, the less is left for the others.”
—Elizabeth Fishel (20th century)