Irish Cup: Recent finals revisited - what was their significance in retrospect?
- Published
Mark McAllister was on target twice in Linfield's 2012 Irish Cup final win over Crusaders
If you are an Irish League fan, the first Saturday in May means only one thing - Irish Cup final day.
For those fortunate enough to be a supporter of one of the clubs involved it is an extra special occasion.
But even if you have no partisan involvement the annual showpiece of the season holds an irresistible attraction for followers of the local game.
With this year's Irish Cup having stalled before reaching the semi-final stage, we thought this an appropriate time to reflect retrospectively on the finals of recent seasons and try to put the outcomes and their significance in some context with the benefit of hindsight.
2012 - Crusaders 1 Linfield 4
Having beaten Crusaders 2-1 in the 2011 final, Mark McAllister scored twice as Linfield saw off Stephen Baxter's charges by an even more convincing margin to clinch a remarkable sixth league and cup double in seven seasons.
With the Blues having carved out a seemingly unassailable position under manager David Jeffrey observers were left asking who could challenge their complete dominance of club football in Northern Ireland.
Incredibly though this turned out to be Jeffrey's last major honour at the helm, albeit he added a County Antrim Shield win to equal Roy Coyle's record of 31 trophy successes at the south Belfast club.
In February 2014 Jeffrey announced that he would be resigning from his role at the end of the season after 17 years in charge.
Read the BBC match report and watch highlights of the game here.
2013 - Cliftonville 1-3 Glentoran
Andrew Waterworth shoots past Conor Devlin for Glentoran's equaliser
Glentoran secured a dramatic extra-time win at Windsor Park to deny Cliftonville a historic treble, the Reds having already won the league title and collected the League Cup.
The outcome represented a major feather in the cap of Glens manager Eddie Patterson, who had been sacked by the Solitude club two years earlier.
Joe Gormley gave Cliftonville a first-half lead, but Andy Waterworth equalised in the second half, with strikes from Jimmy Callacher and Waterworth ensuring the biggest knockout prize in domestic football made its way back to east Belfast.
The match turned out to be the last in a Glens shirt for both Waterworth and long-serving defender Sean Ward - both left to join cross-city rivals Linfield in the summer, with Callacher making a similar switch six months later.
It also marked the end of the road at the Oval for Colin Nixon, who made a final and record 794th appearance for the Glens when he came on as a substitute.
BBC match report and highlights here.
2014 - Ballymena United 1 Glenavon 2
This encounter was notable for the fact that both sides were making their first Irish Cup final appearances of the 21st century.
It was also the last decider to be played at the 'old Windsor Park' before work commenced on its renovation and transformation into an impressive all-seater 18,500-capacity National Stadium.
Glenavon's success handed manager Gary Hamilton, who supported the Lurgan Blues as a boy, his first silverware as boss at the expense of Ballymena, who remain without a cup success since 1989.
It was Glenavon's first triumph since 1997 - but three players received red cards - Gareth McKeown of Glenavon and Gary Thompson and Tony Kane of Ballymena.
It also ended the recent Belfast domination of the competition - the Mourneview Park club becoming the first 'provincial' winners since their mid-Ulster derby rivals Portadown picked up the cup in 2005.
BBC match report and highlights here
2015 - Glentoran 1-0 Portadown
Glentoran's victory over Portadown was the east Belfast club's 22nd Irish Cup triumph
Because of the ongoing redevelopment of Windsor Park, this was the first Irish Cup final to be played at the Oval for 20 years - since Linfield beat Carrick Rangers at the east Belfast venue in 1995.
In a disappointing final played in torrential rain and windswept conditions, David Scullion's second-half goal proved enough to seal a second cup triumph in three years for the Glens.
Seconds before referee Ross Dunlop had controversially adjudged that Ports midfielder Michael Gault had not been brought down by Willie Garrett.
Glentoran manager Eddie Patterson was dismissed five months later and it also proved to be the final major occasion of Ronnie McFall's tenure as Portadown boss - he resigned in March 2016 after 29 years in charge.
Likewise it was a last hurrah at a showpiece final for Portadown - at least for now - as their time in the top flight ended before the start of the 2017-18 campaign when they were hit with points deductions and fines for administrative breaches.
BBC match report and highlights here
2016 - Glenavon 2 Linfield 0
Glenavon players celebrate after winning the Irish Cup at Windsor Park
Glenavon matched the feat achieved by Glentoran 12 months earlier when they too collected the cup for the second time in three years.
Their success confirmed the Mourneview men as one of the major players in Irish League football and also marked the continued rise of the provincial clubs in challenging the established Belfast teams for the major trophies.
Coleraine would take up the mantle in finishing close runners-up to Crusaders in the league and winning the Irish Cup in 2018, while Ballymena won the 2017 League Cup, came second in the Premiership in 2019 and reached a number of other knockout finals.
The result extended Linfield's hurt though - the Blues remained without a trophy since winning the County Antrim Shield in early 2014 and minus a major trophy - the Gibson Cup or the Irish Cup - since 2012.
BBC match report and highlights here.
2017 - Linfield 3-0 Coleraine
Andrew Waterworth scored the first Irish Cup Final hat-trick in 48 years
Linfield made up for the disappointment of falling at the final hurdle the previous year as Andy Waterworth became the first player to score a hat-trick in an Irish Cup final for 48 years.
The feat completed a memorable week for the forward as his second-half treble a week earlier had seen his side beat Cliftonville 3-1 at Solitude to claim the Irish League title.
The cup win made it three trophies in the 2016-17 campaign for manager David Healy and his squad - the Gibson Cup and the County Antrim Shield having also taken up residence in the Windsor Park trophy cabinet.
The Blues had served notice that they were back in the big time and Healy was immediately rewarded post-match as he was handed an extension to his contract which would see him remain at the club until the end of the 2019-20 season.
Healy expressed hope that the treble trophy triumph would lay the foundations for a long-term revival of the club's fortunes and would help in attracting prime transfer targets once again - the likes of Andy Mitchell and David Cushley having resisted the overtures made by Northern Ireland's record goalscorer to instead sign for Glenavon and Crusaders respectively.
BBC match report and highlights here.
2018 - Cliftonville 1 Coleraine 3
Darren McCauley's stunning goal put Coleraine ahead at Windsor Park
Just one week after losing out to Crusaders in a thrilling race for the Irish League crown and consequently being denied a first title success since 1974, Coleraine rallied to secure the Irish Cup honours for the first time in 15 years.
The joy of collecting the premier knockout prize in local football was just reward for a remarkable run of form which saw the Bannsiders suffer just four defeats in 62 league and Irish Cup games. Their win over the Reds took their unbeaten run of matches in all competitions to a very impressive 28.
Perhaps the enduring image from the day was that of manager Oran Kearney running up the sideline to celebrate with his players.
This victory raised further the stock of the former Linfield player who was already held in high esteem and helped to bring him to the attention of St Mirren, who he went on to manage for nine months before returning to Ballycastle Road last summer.
For Cliftonville though only more cup woe, as their run without an Irish Cup win since 1979 was extended further.
BBC match report and highlights here.
2019 - Crusaders 3 Ballinamallard Utd 0
Ross Clarke's goal capped a 3-0 win for Crusaders at Windsor Park
Crusaders ran out comfortable winners over their lower-tier opponents but the victory was nonetheless hugely significant for the club from north Belfast, coming as it did at the conclusion of an otherwise disappointing campaign.
Having uncharacteristically failed to contend for the league title - or even second place in the table - the Crues focused their efforts on salvaging some silverware by prioritising a first Irish Cup win for 10 years.
Tough draws against Glentoran, Linfield, Ballymena United and Coleraine failed to blow the Shore Road men off course and seeing off the Mallards in the final ensured they kept intact their sequence of having qualified for European competition in each of the past eight seasons and nine of the previous 10.
With manager Stephen Baxter and many of the playing staff having turned full-time at the start of the season, making the Europa League draw assured the club of significant revenue and ultimately paved the way for a money-spinning tie against English Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers.
BBC match report and highlights here.