A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country |  Northern Ireland |
| Teams | 125 |
| Defending champions | Glenavon |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Glentoran (22nd win) |
| Runner-up | Portadown |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 124 |
| Goals scored | 511 (4.12 per match) |
The 2014–15 Irish Cup was the 135th edition of the Irish Cup, the premier knock-out cup competition in Northern Irish football since its introduction in 1881. The competition began on 23 August 2014 with the first round, and concluded on 2 May 2015 with the final. For the first time since 1995, the Oval was chosen as the final venue following the discovery of damage to a stand at Windsor Park during the stadium's redevelopment.[1]
Glenavon were the defending champions, following their 2–1 win over Ballymena United in the 2014 final.[2] However, this season they were eliminated in the sixth round after a shock 2–0 defeat to second-tier side Harland & Wolff Welders.[3]
Glentoran were the eventual cup winners for the second time in three seasons and the 22nd time overall by defeating Portadown 1–0 in the final,[4] and subsequently qualified for the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League first qualifying round.
Format and schedule
125 clubs entered this season's competition, an increase of six clubs compared with the 2013–14 total of 119 clubs. Initially there had been 128 entrants, however three clubs – Draperstown Celtic, Lisanally Rangers and Mountjoy United – all withdrew after the first round draw had been made, with Lisanally Rangers later dissolving.[5]
80 regional league clubs from tiers 4–7 in the Northern Ireland football league system entered the competition in the first round. A further 4 clubs proceeded directly into the second round; one club received a bye (necessitated by the number of participants), while the other 3 clubs had no first round matches after their opponents withdrew from the competition. These clubs contested the first three rounds, with the 11 surviving clubs joining the 29 NIFL Championship clubs in the fourth round.
The 12 NIFL Premiership clubs then entered the competition in the fifth round, along with the 20 winners from the fourth round matches. In a major change to the rules from previous seasons, replays were abolished. All ties level after 90 minutes used extra time to determine the winner, with a penalty shoot-out to follow if necessary.
| Round | Draw date | First match date | Fixtures | Clubs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First round | 29 July 2014 | 23 August 2014 | 40 | 125 → 85 |
| Second round | 1 September 2014 | 4 October 2014 | 22 | 85 → 63 |
| Third round | 6 October 2014 | 8 November 2014 | 11 | 63 → 52 |
| Fourth round | 10 November 2014 | 6 December 2014 | 20 | 52 → 32 |
| Fifth round | 17 December 2014 | 10 January 2015 | 16 | 32 → 16 |
| Sixth round | 10 January 2015 | 7 February 2015 | 8 | 16 → 8 |
| Quarter-finals | 7 February 2015 | 28 February 2015 | 4 | 8 → 4 |
| Semi-finals | 28 February 2015 | 21 March 2015 | 2 | 4 → 2 |
| Final | 2 May 2015 | 1 | 2 → 1 |
Results
The league tier of each club at the time of entering the competition is listed in parentheses.
First round
The draw for the first round was made on 29 July 2014 with the matches played on 23 August 2014. Markethill Swifts received a bye into the second round. After the draw was made, Draperstown Celtic, Lisanally Rangers and Mountjoy United withdrew, and their first round opponents subsequently proceeded to the second round.[6]
Note: All entrants at this stage were at regional level (tiers 4–7).
Source: irishfa.com
Second round
The draw for the second round took place on 1 September 2014, with the matches played on 4 October 2014. The 40 winners from the first round matches entered this round, along with Abbey Villa, Banbridge Rangers, Holywood and Markethill Swifts.[6]
Note: All entrants at this stage were at regional level (tiers 4–7).
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Bangor Old Boys (6) | 2–0 | Colin Valley (7) |
| Abbey Villa (4) | 2–0 | Ardstraw (4) |
| Ardglass (4) | 2–4 | Ards Rangers (4) |
| Ballynahinch Olympic (6) | 2–2 (aet) (2–3 p) |
Immaculata (4) |
| Ballywalter Recreation (6) | 4–5 | Shankill United (4) |
| Banbridge Rangers (4) | 4–3 (aet) | Shorts (7) |
| Bloomfield (6) | 2–3 | St Mary's (4) |
| Brantwood (4) | 4–2 | Bangor Amateurs (7) |
| Crumlin United (5) | 7–0 | Broomhill (4) |
| Derriaghy Cricket Club (4) | 3–2 | Holywood (7) |
| Desertmartin (4) | 1–3 | Newtowne (4) |
| Dunmurry Recreation (5) | 0–2 | Oxford United Stars (4) |
| Hanover (5) | 4–4 (aet) (5–3 p) |
Magherafelt Sky Blues (4) |
| Killyleagh Youth (4) | 0–3 | Drumaness Mills (4) |
| Malachians (4) | 1–4 (aet) | Crumlin Star (4) |
| Markethill Swifts (5) | 1–5 | East Belfast (6) |
| Newry City (4) | 1–0 | Donard Hospital (7) |
| Rathfern Rangers (6) | 2–5 | Albert Foundry (4) |
| Rathfriland Rangers (5) | 3–0 | Dunloy (4) |
| Sirocco Works (6) | 1–1 (aet) (1–3 p) |
Lisburn Rangers (5) |
| Tandragee Rovers (4) | 5–1 | Ballymacash Rangers (4) |
| UUJ (5) | 2–0 | Wellington Recreation (6) |
Source: irishfa.com
Third round
The draw for the third round took place on 6 October 2014, with the matches played on 8, 15 and 29 November 2014. The 22 winners from the second round entered this round.[6]
Note: All entrants at this stage were at regional level (tiers 4–7).