2019–20 Irish Cup
2019–20 Irish football Cup / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2019–20 Irish Cup (known as the Sadler’s Peaky Blinder Irish Cup for sponsorship purposes)[1] was the 140th edition of the Irish Cup, the premier knock-out cup competition in Northern Irish football since its inauguration in 1881.[1] The competition began on 17 August 2019, and concluded with the final at Windsor Park on 31 July 2020. The final was the first football match in the United Kingdom to host fans since the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom led to a pause in the season in March, with 250 fans from each team permitted at the final.[2]
Tournament details | |
---|---|
Country | Northern Ireland |
Dates | 17 Aug 2019 – 31 Jul 2020 |
Teams | 125 |
Defending champions | Crusaders |
Final positions | |
Champions | Glentoran (23rd win) |
Runner-up | Ballymena United |
Tournament statistics | |
Matches played | 122 |
Goals scored | 539 (4.42 per match) |
Crusaders were the defending champions, having defeated NIFL Championship side Ballinamallard United 3–0 in the 2019 final to lift the cup for the fourth time overall; their first since winning the 2009 final ten years earlier.[3]
Glentoran were the champions, taking their tally to 23 Irish Cup wins overall; their first for five years. They defeated Ballymena United 2–1 after extra time in the delayed final to qualify for the 2020–21 UEFA Europa League preliminary round.