All you need to know about the Irish Cup final
Dungannon Swifts will meet Cliftonville in the Irish Cup final on Saturday
- Published
Clearer Water Irish Cup final: Cliftonville v Dungannon Swifts
Date: Saturday 3 May Venue: Windsor Park, Belfast Kick-off: 14:30 GMT
Coverage: Watch live on BBC Two NI, BBC iPlayer & BBC Sport NI website from 14:00 BST, also live on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster. Follow live text updates with in-play clips on BBC Sport NI website & app.
This weekend brings the annual showpiece of the domestic football calendar with the Irish Cup final to be staged at Windsor Park.
For the second season in succession, Cliftonville will take their place in the decider, this time meeting Dungannon Swifts.
With the season's last piece of silverware, as well as European football next season, on offer, BBC Sport NI looks ahead to what promises to be an intriguing final.
How to follow the game
Stephen Watson will present live coverage from Windsor Park on BBC Two NI, BBC iPlayer & BBC Sport NI website,
He will be joined by Irish Cup winners Paul Leeman and David Jeffrey with Carrick Rangers manager Stephen Baxter alongside Michael Clarke on commentary.
We are also live on Radio Ulster and BBC Sounds with David Healy, Darren Murphy, Colin Coates and Liam Beckett all part of the coverage.
You'll also be able to watch or listen on the BBC Sport website with accompanying live text commentary and in-play clips.
And all week, we'll have all your build-up covered right here on the BBC Sport NI website.
Irish Cup history
Ronan Hale's winning goal in last season's final quickly went down in Cliftonville history
Jim Magilton's side come into the 2025 final as holders having ended their long wait for the trophy in last season's showpiece.
They beat Linfield 3-1 after extra time in May 2024 with Ronan Hale scoring twice during what was his last appearance for the club before his summer switch to Ross County.
That ended a 45-year Irish Cup drought at Solitude, although the north Belfast club had previously waited even longer to get their hands on the silverware.
Along with Linfield and Distillery, Cliftonville were one of the dominant forces in the early years of the competition, winning the cup seven times between 1893-1909.
It would be another 70 years before they secured their eighth title with a 3-2 win over Portadown in 1979.
Dungannon are still chasing an elusive first Irish Cup success.
The closest the Swifts have come in the past was in 2007 when, with current manager Rodney McAree a goalscorer, they drew 2-2 with Linfield in the final but were beaten on penalties by the tournament's most successful side.
Dungannon Swifts manager Rodney McAree played in his club's last final appearance
Head to head this season
With the two sides having ended up on differing sides of the end-of-season split, Cliftonville and Dungannon have met on three occasions so far this season.
The Reds were victorious in the first two with Joe Gormley netting a second-half winner in a 1-0 win during August before the same man's hat-trick proved the key in a 4-1 win in November.
The Swifts edged the most recent meeting, however, with James Knowles and John McGovern scoring in a 2-0 win that came just three days after Cliftonville had lifted the BetMcLean Cup.
Joe Gormley has scored four times against Dungannon this season including a November hat-trick
Route to the final
Highlights: Cliftonville reached the final with victory over Ards in the last four
Fifth Round:
Cliftonville 4–0 Banbridge Rangers
Dungannon Swifts 5–0 Rathfriland Rangers
Sixth Round:
Cliftonville 3–2 Glenavon (AET)
Dungannon Swifts 2–1 Coleraine (AET)
Quarter-finals:
Carrick Rangers 1–3 Dungannon Swifts
Crusaders 1–2 Cliftonville
Semi-finals:
Ards 0–3 Cliftonville
Bangor 0–2 Dungannon Swifts
Highlights: Swifts see off Bangor to seal final spot against holders Cliftonville
What the managers say
Dungannon Swifts boss Rodney McAree: "It's been good, a real good buzz.
"Everyone is wanting to talk to you and everyone is wanting to congratulate you, which is nice.
"We haven't got the biggest support in the world but what we have is a very loyal support but I know they'll come out in their numbers.
"It would be nice to reward them with something special like the Irish Cup, like European football, but we know it's going to take a lot of hard work."
Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton: "To play Dungannon in the final, they've had a terrific season so we're well aware of their capabilities, the strengths and weaknesses of Dungannon.
"It's an Irish Cup final, it's something to really look forward to.
"We said at the start of the season we were going to go and defend it for all it's worth and now we've got to the final. It's an opportunity to win it again."