# 1998–99 Irish Cup

The 1998–99 Irish Cup was the 119th edition of the Irish Cup, Northern Ireland's premier football knock-out cup competition. The last match was played on 20 April 1999. The final did not take place this year, for only the third time in the competition's history.
Glentoran were the defending champions after winning their 17th Irish Cup last season, with a 1–0 win over Glenavon in the 1998 final. This season they reached the sixth round, where they were defeated 2–1 by Cliftonville.
Portadown won the cup for the second time, after Cliftonville were disqualified from the competition for fielding an ineligible player in the semi-final replay against Linfield. Linfield were not permitted to replace Cliftonville in the final, so Portadown were awarded the cup without the final being played.

## Results

The following teams were given byes into the first round: 1st Bangor Old Boys, Ballynahinch United, Bangor Amateurs, Civil Service, Dromara Village, Dromore Amateurs, Drummond United, Hanover, Harland & Wolff Sports, Killymoon Rangers, Larne Tech Old Boys, Laurelvale, Magherafelt Sky Blues, Portstewart, Queen's University, Rathfriland Rangers, Seapatrick, Sirocco Works, UUJ and Wellington Recreation.

### Preliminary round

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Abbey Villa | 2–0 | Ballymacash Rangers |
| Ballycastle United | 1–2 | Downshire Young Men |
| Barn United | 2–0 | Donard Hospital |
| Bessbrook United | 3–1 | Comber Recreation |
| Bridge End United | 1–4 | Killyleagh Youth |
| East Belfast | 3–2 | Shorts |
| Islandmagee | 1–3 | Glebe Rangers |
| Lurgan Celtic | 4–0 | Annagh United |
| Malachians | 1–1 | Draperstown Celtic |
| UUC | 1–1 | Tandragee Rovers |
| Warrenpoint Town | 2–1 | Cullybackey |

#### Replays

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Draperstown Celtic | 2–0 | Malachians |
| Tandragee Rovers | 1–0 | UUC |

### First round

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Abbey Villa | 2–2 | Rathfriland Rangers |
| Bangor Amateurs | 2–3 | Magherafelt Sky Blues |
| Barn United | 0–0 | Albert Foundry |
| Bessbrook United | 0–6 | Killyleagh Youth |
| Downshire Young Men | 2–1 | Portstewart |
| Draperstown Celtic | 1–3 | Glebe Rangers |
| Drummond United | 3–0 | Civil Service |
| Dromara Village | 3–0 | Sirocco Works |
| Dromore Amateurs | 0–3 | Ballynahinch United |
| Hanover | 1–1 | Killymoon Rangers |
| Larne Tech Old Boys | 6–0 | 1st Bangor Old Boys |
| Laurelvale | 1–1 | Warrenpoint Town |
| Lurgan Celtic | 6–2 | East Belfast |
| Seapatrick | 3–2 | Queen's University |
| UUJ | 1–1 | Harland & Wolff Sports |
| Wellington Recreation | 3–1 | Tandragee Rovers |

#### Replays

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Albert Foundry | 0–3 | Barn United |
| Harland & Wolff Sports | 6–1 | UUJ |
| Killymoon Rangers | 2–1 | Hanover |
| Rathfriland Rangers | 2–1 | Abbey Villa |
| Warrenpoint Town | 5–4 | Laurelvale |

### Second round

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Barn United | 2–4 | Downshire Young Men |
| Draperstown Celtic | 2–2 | Dromara Village |
| Killyleagh Youth | 7–0 | Ballynahinch United |
| Killymoon Rangers | 0–6 | Drummond United |
| Lurgan Celtic | 6–0 | Seapatrick |
| Magherafelt Sky Blues | 1–3 | Warrenpoint Town |
| Rathfriland Rangers | 2–3 | Harland & Wolff Sports |
| Wellington Recreation | 2–2 | Larne Tech Old Boys |

#### Replays

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Albert Foundry | 0–3 | Barn United |
| Dromara Village | 3–1 | Draperstown Celtic |
| Larne Tech Old Boys | 2–1 | Wellington Recreation |

### Third round

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Dromara Village | 2–1 | Larne Tech Old Boys |
| Drummond United | 2–2 | Killyleagh Youth |
| Harland & Wolff Sports | 3–3 | Downshire Young Men |
| Warrenpoint Town | 0–1 | Lurgan Celtic |

#### Replays

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Downshire Young Men | 3–1 | Harland & Wolff Sports |
| Killyleagh Youth | 0–5 | Drummond United |

### Fourth round

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Armagh City | 0–1 | Ards Rangers |
| Ballinamallard United | 1–4 | Lurgan Celtic |
| Brantwood | 3–2 | RUC |
| Chimney Corner | 0–0 | Cookstown United |
| Crewe United | 2–3 | Downshire Young Men |
| Crumlin United | 4–1 | Coagh United |
| Donegal Celtic | 0–2 | Institute |
| Drumaness Mills | 3–2 | Dromara Village |
| Dundela | 3–0 | Dunmurry Recreation |
| FC Enkalon | 1–3 | Drummond United |
| Harland & Wolff Welders | 2–1 | Moyola Park |
| Kilmore Recreation | 0–1 | Ballymoney United |
| Tobermore United | 2–1 | Park |

#### Replay

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Cookstown United | 2–0 | Coagh United |

### Fifth round

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Ards | 1–0 | Ards Rangers |
| Ballymena United | 3–1 | Larne |
| Bangor | 0–3 | Glenavon |
| Brantwood | 3–1 | Drummond United |
| Carrick Rangers | 2–2 | Dungannon Swifts |
| Cliftonville | 6–1 | Crewe United |
| Coleraine | 1–1 | Limavady United |
| Crusaders | 1–1 | Newry Town |
| Distillery | 4–0 | Harland & Wolff Welders |
| Drumaness Mills | 0–2 | Lurgan Celtic |
| Glentoran | 3–0 | Tobermore United |
| Institute | 0–1 | Chimney Corner |
| Linfield | 6–0 | Crumlin United |
| Loughgall | 2–1 | Dundela |
| Omagh Town | 1–2 | Ballyclare Comrades |
| Portadown | 1–0 | Ballymoney United |

#### Replays

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Dungannon Swifts | 3–4 | Carrick Rangers |
| Limavady United | 0–1 | Coleraine |
| Newry Town | 2–3 | Crusaders |

### Sixth round

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Ballymena United | 3–0 | Ballyclare Comrades |
| Carrick Rangers | 2–0 | Ards |
| Cliftonville | 2–1 | Glentoran |
| Coleraine | 2–1 | Loughgall |
| Distillery | 5–0 | Brantwood |
| Glenavon | 3–0 | Crusaders |
| Linfield | 3–1 | Chimney Corner |
| Lurgan Celtic | 0–3 | Portadown |

### Quarter-finals

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Carrick Rangers | 1–2 | Cliftonville |
| Coleraine | 1–2 | Portadown |
| Distillery | 1–1 | Ballymena United |
| Linfield | 0–0 | Glenavon |

#### Replays

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Ballymena United | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Distillery |
| Glenavon | 1–2 | Linfield |

### Semi-finals

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Ballymena United | 0–2 | Portadown |
| Cliftonville | 1–1 | Linfield |

#### Replay

| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
| Linfield | 0–1 | Cliftonville |

### Final

On 29 April 1999, Cliftonville were disqualified from the competition for fielding an ineligible player in the semi-final replay against Linfield. The player in question had played for a junior club in an earlier round and was therefore ineligible. However, Linfield's protest came more than 48 hours after the tie (the usual deadline for protests), and as a result the IFA did not allow them to take Cliftonville's place in the final. Portadown were therefore awarded the cup without the final taking place.