# 1997–98 Irish Cup

The 1997–98 Irish Cup was the 118th edition of the Irish Cup, Northern Ireland's premier football knock-out cup competition. It concluded on 2 May 1998 with the final.
Glenavon were the defending champions after winning their 5th Irish Cup last season, with a 1–0 win over Cliftonville in the 1997 final. This season Glenavon reached the final again for the third year in a row, but were defeated 1–0 after extra time by Glentoran, who won the cup for the 17th time. This was a repeat of the 1995–96 final two years earlier that also ended 1–0 to the Glens.

## Results
### First round

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Abbey Villa | 3–1 | Civil Service |
| AFC Craigavon | 1–3 | Annagh United |
| Ards Rangers | 2–0 | Donard Hospital |
| Ballycastle United | 0–1 | Islandmagee |
| Ballymacash Rangers | 1–4 | Northern Telecom |
| Ballynahinch United | 1–5 | 1st Bangor Old Boys |
| Barn United | 0–2 | Rathfriland Rangers |
| Bessbrook United | 1–3 | Wellington Recreation |
| Bridge End United | 2–4 | Orangefield Old Boys |
| Cullybackey | 2–4 | Armoy United |
| Downshire Young Men | 3–1 | Portstewart |
| Dungiven Celtic | 4–2 | Saintfield United |
| Glebe Rangers | 5–0 | Laurelvale |
| Killyleagh Youth | 0–0 | Dromara Village |
| Malachians | 5–1 | UUC |
| Portglenone | 1–0 | Bangor Amateurs |
| Queen's University | 4–4 | Mountnorris |
| Roe Valley | 3–2 | Harland & Wolff Sport |
| Seapatrick | 1–6 | Albert Foundry |
| Shorts | 0–0 | Dromore Amateurs |
| Sirocco Works | 0–5 | Drummond United |
| Tandragee Rovers | 5–5 | East Belfast |
| UUJ | 3–4 | Comber Recreation |
| Warrenpoint Town | 2–1 | Larne Tech Old Boys |

#### Replays

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Dromara Village | 1–5 | Killyleagh Youth |
| Dromore Amateurs | 1–0 | Shorts |
| East Belfast | 9–0 | Tandragee Rovers |
| Mountnorris | 5–3 | Queen's University |

### Second round

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Albert Foundry | 2–0 | Abbey Villa |
| Annagh United | 2–1 | Downshire Young Men |
| Ards Rangers | 2–1 | Mountnorris |
| Armoy United | 0–2 | Portglenone |
| Dromore Amateurs | 3–1 | East Belfast |
| Drummond United | 1–3 | Comber Recreation |
| Dungiven Celtic | 2–0 | Islandmagee |
| Killyleagh Youth | 8–0 | Wellington Recreation |
| Malachians | 3–1 | Glebe Rangers |
| Rathfriland Rangers | 1–1 | 1st Bangor Old Boys |
| Roe Valley | 3–0 | Orangefield Old Boys |
| Warrenpoint Town | 3–9 | Northern Telecom |

#### Replay

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 1st Bangor Old Boys | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (4–2 p) | Rathfriland Rangers |

### Third round

The following teams were given byes into the third round (A): Albert Foundry, Comber Recration, Dromore Amateurs and Roe Valley.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 1st Bangor Old Boys | 4–4 | Portglenone |
| Annagh United | 1–2 | Northern Telecom |
| Ards Rangers | 6–1 | Dungiven Celtic |
| Killyleagh Youth | 6–1 | Malachians |

#### Replay

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Portglenone | 3–4 | 1st Bangor Old Boys |

### Third round (A)

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| 1st Bangor Old Boys | 0–2 | Ards Rangers |
| Albert Foundry | 3–2 | Comber Recreation |
| Dromore Amateurs | 1–6 | Killyleagh Youth |
| Northern Telecom | 7–2 | Roe Valley |

### Fourth round

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Ballymoney United | 2–1 | Kilmore Recreation |
| Banbridge Town | 1–3 | RUC |
| British Telecom | 1–7 | Armagh City |
| Chimney Corner | 6–0 | Coagh United |
| Crumlin United | 3–0 | Crewe United |
| Donegal Celtic | 1–1 | Killyleagh Youth |
| Drumaness Mills | 0–0 | Brantwood |
| Dundela | 7–1 | Moyola Park |
| Dunmurry Recreation | 3–1 | Cookstown United |
| FC Enkalon | 1–2 | Ballinamallard United |
| Institute | 5–1 | Northern Telecom |
| Tobermore United | 6–0 | Albert Foundry |

#### Replays

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Brantwood | 2–4 | Drumaness Mills |
| Killyleagh Youth | 2–0 | Donegal Celtic |

### Fifth round

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Ards | 0–2 | Institute |
| Ballyclare Comrades | 5–1 | Ballymoney United |
| Ballymena United | 1–1 | Glentoran |
| Carrick Rangers | 2–3 | Armagh City |
| Cliftonville | 0–2 | Glenavon |
| Coleraine | 3–1 | Chimney Corner |
| Crusaders | 1–0 | Bangor |
| Distillery | 2–0 | RUC |
| Drumaness Mills | 0–0 | Killyleagh Youth |
| Dungannon Swifts | 6–2 | Ballinamallard United |
| Dunmurry Rec. | 0–4 | Ards Rangers |
| Larne | 1–2 | Portadown |
| Linfield | 1–0 | Tobermore United |
| Loughgall | 4–0 | Crumlin United |
| Newry Town | 1–0 | Dundela |
| Omagh Town | 3–0 | Limavady United |

#### Replays

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Glentoran | 2–1 | Ballymena United |
| Killyleagh Youth | 2–0 | Drumaness Mills |

### Sixth round

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Armagh City | 0–0 | Ards Rangers |
| Crusaders | 2–1 | Killyleagh Youth |
| Dungannon Swifts | 0–1 | Institute |
| Glenavon | 0–0 | Ballyclare Comrades |
| Glentoran | 3–2 | Coleraine |
| Linfield | 2–1 | Newry Town |
| Loughgall | 1–2 | Distillery |
| Portadown | 2–0 | Omagh Town |

#### Replays

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Armagh City | 3–1 | Ards Rangers |
| Ballyclare Comrades | 0–4 | Glenavon |

### Quarter-finals

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Armagh City | 1–3 | Glentoran |
| Crusaders | 4–0 | Institute |
| Linfield | 3–0 | Portadown |
| Distillery | 0–2 | Glenavon |

### Semi-finals

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Crusaders | 1–3 | Glenavon |
| Glentoran | 2–1 | Linfield |