1997–98 Irish League Cup

The 1997–98 Irish League Cup (known as the Wilkinson Sword League Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 12th edition of Northern Ireland's secondary football knock-out cup competition. It concluded on 9 September 1997 with the final.

1997–98 Irish League Cup
Wilkinson Sword League Cup
Country Northern Ireland
Teams32
ChampionsLinfield (4th win)
Runners-upGlentoran
Matches played31
Goals scored120 (3.87 per match)

Crusaders were the defending champions after their first League Cup win last season; a 1–0 victory over Glentoran in the previous final. This season they went out in the quarter-finals to eventual winners Linfield, who lifted their fourth League Cup with a 1–0 victory over arch-rivals Glentoran in the final, condemning the Glens to their second successive League Cup final defeat.[1][2]

This was the last competition to feature clubs from the Irish League B Division. From the following season onwards, the competition would only be open to senior clubs in the top two divisions.

First round
Team 1  Score  Team 2
Ards 7–2 Brantwood
Ballyclare Comrades 1–2 RUC
Carrick Rangers 1–1 (4–5 p) Banbridge Town
Chimney Corner 1–0 Cliftonville
Cookstown United 0–5 Larne1
Crusaders 3–0 Armagh City
Dundela 1–4 Ballymena United
Dungannon Swifts 1–0 Distillery
Glenavon 2–0 Harland & Wolff Welders
Glentoran 5–1 Tobermore United
Limavady United 0–2 Bangor
Linfield 7–1 Ballinamallard United
Loughgall 0–1 Portadown
Moyola Park 0–3 Coleraine
Newry Town 3–1 Ballymoney United
Omagh Town 1–6 Institute

1 Larne were disqualified for fielding an ineligible player. Cookstown United were reinstated.

Second round
Team 1  Score  Team 2
Bangor 0–3 Portadown
Coleraine 3–5 Crusaders
Glenavon 1–0 Ards
Glentoran 9–2 Dungannon Swifts
Institute 5–1 Banbridge Town
Linfield 3–0 Cookstown United
Newry Town 1–1 (4–5 p) Ballymena United
RUC 1–2 Chimney Corner

Quarter-finals
Team 1  Score  Team 2
Chimney Corner 1–2 Portadown
Crusaders 0–1 Linfield
Glenavon 6–1 Ballymena United
Glentoran 3–2 Institute

Semi-finals
Team 1  Score  Team 2
Glentoran 1–0 Glenavon
Portadown 1–2 Linfield

Final
Linfield1 – 0Glentoran
Spiers  45' Report

References
  1. "Northern Ireland - List of League Cup Finals". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. rsssf.com. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  2. "Northern Ireland 1997/98". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. rsssf.com. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
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