County Antrim Shield
Organising bodyCounty Antrim & District F.A.
Founded1888
RegionNorthern Ireland Northern Ireland
Current championsLarne (2023–24)
Most successful club(s)Linfield (43 titles)
WebsiteCounty Antrim F.A.

The County Antrim & District Football Association Senior Shield (more commonly known as the County Antrim Shield) is a football competition in Northern Ireland. The competition is open to senior teams who are members of the North East Ulster Football Association (also known as the County Antrim & District Football Association) (membership of which extends geographically beyond County Antrim itself), often plus intermediate teams who qualify via the Steel & Sons Cup, depending on the numbers required.[1] For the 2010–11 and 2011-12 seasons, only the winners took part.

The current Shield champions are Larne, who beat Glentoran 2–1 in the 2023–24 final, winning the trophy for a fourth successive year.[2]

History

The County Antrim & District Football Association was founded on April 23, 1888 by the clubs Ballyclare, Beechmount, Belfast Athletic, Clarence, Cliftonville, Distillery, Linfield, Mountcollyer, Oldpark, Whiteabbey and YMCA. The County Antrim FA has organised the competition for the County Antrim Shield annually ever since. Originally only clubs from County Antrim (to which most but not all of Belfast belonged) could enter; in 1896 it was extended to incorporate clubs from south east Belfast (in particular Glentoran and Ulster), which belonged to County Down (other clubs from County Down to have entered later on include Ards, Bangor and Newry City). Glenavon from Lurgan (County Armagh) first entered in 1912. In 1971/72 and 1972/73, the final was played over 2 legs.[2]

During the later 1980s and early 1990s, the North East Ulster F.A. invited senior clubs from outside its jurisdiction to participate. Hence the Shield has been won by Newry Town (later Newry City) and Glenavon, neither of which are members of the North East Ulster Football Association.[3]

The Shield has been regularly sponsored since the late 1980s. The 2014–15 competition was sponsored by Toals Bookmakers.

Final results

Key:

Scores level after 90 minutes. A replay was required.
(a.e.t.) Scores level after extra time. A replay was required.
(a.e.t.) Scores level after 90 minutes. Winner was decided in extra time with no penalty shootout required.
(a.e.t.) (g.g.) Scores level after 90 minutes. Winner was decided in extra time by golden goal.
(a.e.t.) pens. Scores level after extra time. A penalty shootout was required to determine the winner.
pens. Scores level after 90 minutes. A penalty shootout was required to determine the winner.
Two-legged final. Aggregate score across two legs determined the winner with a penalty shootout required if score was level.


# Season Winner
(number of titles) 		Score Runner-up Venue
1 1888–89 Distillery (1) 8 – 4 YMCA Ulster Cricket Ground, Belfast
1889–90 Shield not awarded[n 1]
2 1890–91 Black Watch (1) 4 – 2 Oldpark Solitude, Belfast
3 1891–92 Cliftonville (1) 2 – 1 Lancashire Fusiliers Solitude, Belfast
4 1892–93 Distillery (2) 2 – 1 Celtic Grosvenor Park, Belfast
5 1893–94 Cliftonville (2) 2 – 1 Celtic Grosvenor Park, Belfast
6 1894–95 Celtic (1) 3 – 1 Distillery Solitude, Belfast
7 1895–96 Distillery (3) 5 – 0 Linfield Solitude, Belfast
8 1896–97 Distillery (4) 2 – 2 Linfield Solitude, Belfast
Replay 3 – 1 Solitude, Belfast
9 1897–98 Cliftonville (3) 2 – 0 Linfield Grosvenor Park, Belfast
10 1898–99 Linfield (1) 1 – 1 Linfield Swifts Solitude, Belfast
Replay 4 – 0 Solitude, Belfast
11 1899–1900 Distillery (5) 0 – 0 Linfield Solitude, Belfast
Replay 2 – 0 Solitude, Belfast
12 1900–01 Glentoran (1) 2 – 1 Cliftonville Myrtlefield, Belfast
13 1901–02 Glentoran (2) 2 – 1 Distillery Solitude, Belfast
14 1902–03 Distillery (6) 1 – 1 Linfield Solitude, Belfast
Replay 4 – 1 Solitude, Belfast
15 1903–04 Linfield (2) 4 – 1 Belfast Celtic Solitude, Belfast
16 1904–05 Distillery (7) 2 – 0 Linfield Solitude, Belfast
17 1905–06 Linfield (3) 1 – 1 Distillery Solitude, Belfast
Replay 2 – 0 Windsor Park, Belfast
18 1906–07 Linfield (4) 2 – 0 Glentoran Solitude, Belfast
19 1907–08 Linfield (5) 3 – 0 Distillery Solitude, Belfast
20 1908–09 Glentoran II (1) 3 – 0 Cliftonville Celtic Park, Belfast
21 1909–10 Belfast Celtic (2) 3 – 1 Glentoran Solitude, Belfast
22 1910–11 Glentoran (3) 2 – 0 Cliftonville Celtic Park, Belfast
1911–12 Tournament not held[n 2]
23 1912–13 Linfield (6) 0 – 0 Cliftonville Celtic Park, Belfast
Replay 0 – 0 Grosvenor Park, Belfast
2nd replay 1 – 0 (a.e.t.) The Oval, Belfast
24 1913–14 Linfield (7) 3 – 2 Glentoran Grosvenor Park, Belfast
25 1914–15 Distillery (8) 1 – 0 Glentoran Windsor Park, Belfast
26 1915–16 Glentoran (4) 1 – 0 Distillery Solitude, Belfast
27 1916–17 Linfield (8) 3 – 0 Glentoran Celtic Park, Belfast
28 1917–18 Glentoran (5) 2 – 0 Linfield Grosvenor Park, Belfast
29 1918–19 Distillery (9) 0 – 0 Belfast Celtic The Oval, Belfast
Replay 1 – 0 Windsor Park, Belfast
30 1919–20 Distillery (10) 0 – 0 Belfast Celtic Windsor Park, Belfast
Replay 2 – 0 Solitude, Belfast
31 1920–21 Glentoran (6) 1 – 1 Distillery Solitude, Belfast
Replay 0 – 0 Windsor Park, Belfast
2nd replay 0 – 0 Solitude, Belfast
3rd replay 2 – 0 Windsor Park, Belfast
32 1921–22 Linfield (9) 1 – 1 Distillery The Oval, Belfast
Replay 4 – 1 Solitude, Belfast
33 1922–23 Linfield (10) 4 – 1 Glentoran Solitude, Belfast
34 1923–24 Queen's Island (1) 3 – 0 Distillery Windsor Park, Belfast
35 1924–25 Glentoran (7) 2 – 1 Belfast Celtic Solitude, Belfast
36 1925–26 Cliftonville (4) 5 – 1 Glentoran Windsor Park, Belfast
37 1926–27 Belfast Celtic (3) 3 – 2 Dunmurry Solitude, Belfast
38 1927–28 Linfield (11) 1 – 1 Ards Solitude, Belfast
Replay 4 – 1 Solitude, Belfast
39 1928–29 Linfield (12) 2 – 1 Broadway United Grosvenor Park, Belfast
40 1929–30 Linfield (13) 3 – 1 Glentoran Solitude, Belfast
41 1930–31 Glentoran (8) 2 – 1 Cliftonville Grosvenor Park, Belfast
42 1931–32 Linfield (14) 5 – 1 Belfast Celtic The Oval, Belfast
43 1932–33 Linfield (15) 1 – 1 Belfast Celtic Solitude, Belfast
Replay 1 – 1 Solitude, Belfast
2nd replay 3 – 1 Solitude, Belfast
44 1933–34 Linfield (16) 7 – 1 Ards Grosvenor Park, Belfast
45 1934–35 Linfield (17) 4 – 2 Belfast Celtic II Solitude, Belfast
46 1935–36 Belfast Celtic (4) 1 – 0 Belfast Celtic II Windsor Park, Belfast
47 1936–37 Belfast Celtic (5) 2 – 2 Glentoran Grosvenor Park, Belfast
Replay 1 – 0 Grosvenor Park, Belfast
48 1937–38 Linfield (18) 3 – 2 Ballymena United Grosvenor Park, Belfast
49 1938–39 Belfast Celtic (6) 2 – 1 Glentoran Grosvenor Park, Belfast
50 1939–40 Glentoran (9) 4 – 0 Linfield Solitude, Belfast
51 1940–41 Glentoran (10) 1 – 0 Distillery Windsor Park, Belfast
52 1941–42 Linfield (19) 2 – 0 Larne Grosvenor Park, Belfast
53 1942–43 Belfast Celtic (7) 0 – 0 Linfield Solitude, Belfast
Replay 2 – 2 Solitude, Belfast
2nd replay 2 – 1 Solitude, Belfast
54 1943–44 Glentoran (11) 3 – 0 Belfast Celtic Solitude, Belfast
55 1944–45 Belfast Celtic (8) 0 – 0 Linfield Grosvenor Park, Belfast
Replay 1 – 0 Solitude, Belfast
56 1945–46 Distillery (11) 1 – 1 Bangor Reserves Windsor Park, Belfast
Replay 3 – 0 Windsor Park, Belfast
1946–47 Linfield (20) Walkover[n 3] Belfast Celtic
57 1947–48 Ballymena United (1) 2 – 1 Linfield Celtic Park, Belfast
58 1948–49 Linfield Swifts (1) 2 – 2 Bangor Grosvenor Park, Belfast
Replay 3 – 3 Grosvenor Park, Belfast
2nd replay 4 – 1 Grosvenor Park, Belfast
59 1949–50 Glentoran (12) 2 – 0 Linfield Solitude, Belfast
60 1950–51 Ballymena United (2) 2 – 2 Cliftonville Windsor Park, Belfast
Replay 3 – 0 Windsor Park, Belfast
61 1951–52 Glentoran (13) 3 – 0 Brantwood Solitude, Belfast
62 1952–53 Linfield (21) 2 – 2 Distillery Solitude, Belfast
Replay 4 – 4 (a.e.t) Solitude, Belfast
2nd replay 2 – 1 Solitude, Belfast
63 1953–54 Distillery (12) 1 – 0 Ballymena United Solitude, Belfast
64 1954–55 Linfield (22) 3 – 0 Crusaders Solitude, Belfast
65 1955–56 Ards (1) 4 – 1 Linfield The Oval, Belfast
66 1956–57 Glentoran (14) 0 – 0 Distillery Solitude, Belfast
Replay 4 – 0 Solitude, Belfast
67 1957–58 Linfield (23) 3 – 1 Distillery Solitude, Belfast
68 1958–59 Linfield (24) 3 – 1 Bangor Solitude, Belfast
69 1959–60 Crusaders (1) 2 – 2 Linfield Solitude, Belfast
Replay 2 – 0 Solitude, Belfast
70 1960–61 Linfield (25) 2 – 1 Glentoran Solitude, Belfast
71 1961–62 Linfield (26) 5 – 0 Glentoran Solitude, Belfast
72 1962–63 Linfield (27) 4 – 0 Bangor Solitude, Belfast
73 1963–64 Distillery (13) 2 – 1 Glentoran Solitude, Belfast
74 1964–65 Crusaders (2) 6 – 0 Larne The Oval, Belfast
75 1965–66 Linfield (28) 4 – 0 Ballymena United Solitude, Belfast
76 1966–67 Linfield (29) 5 – 3 Crusaders The Oval, Belfast
77 1967–68 Glentoran (15) 3 – 3 Linfield Solitude, Belfast
Replay 3 – 0 Solitude, Belfast
78 1968–69 Crusaders (3) 2 – 1 Linfield Solitude, Belfast
79 1969–70 Bangor (1) 1 – 1 Ards Solitude, Belfast
Replay 1 – 1 Solitude, Belfast
2nd replay 1 – 1 (a.e.t.) Solitude, Belfast
3rd replay 3 – 2 Solitude, Belfast
80 1970–71 Glentoran (16) 2 – 1 Crusaders Solitude, Belfast
81 1971–72 Ards (2) 3 – 0 Crusaders Castlereagh Park, Newtownards
0 – 3 (3 – 3 agg.) (5 – 4 pens.) Seaview, Belfast
82 1972–73 Linfield (30) 4 – 1 Bangor Windsor Park, Belfast
5 – 0 (9 – 1 agg.) Clandeboye Park, Bangor
83 1973–74 Crusaders (4) 2 – 1 Larne Inver Park, Larne
84 1974–75 Bangor (2) 2 – 1 Glentoran The Oval, Belfast
85 1975–76 Ballymena United (3) 4 – 0 Distillery Inver Park, Larne
86 1976–77 Linfield (31) 3 – 1 Glentoran Windsor Park, Belfast
87 1977–78 Glentoran (17) 1 – 0 Crusaders Windsor Park, Belfast
88 1978–79 Cliftonville (5) 0 – 0 (a.e.t.) (3 – 1 pens.) Crusaders Seaview, Belfast
89 1979–80 Ballymena United (4) 0 – 0 (a.e.t.) (3 – 1 pens.) Crusaders The Oval, Belfast
90 1980–81 Linfield (32) 4 – 1 Glentoran Windsor Park, Belfast
91 1981–82 Linfield (33) 1 – 0 Distillery Seaview, Belfast
92 1982–83 Linfield (34) 4 – 1 Glentoran Windsor Park, Belfast
93 1983–84 Linfield (35) 3 – 1 Crusaders Seaview, Belfast
94 1984–85 Glentoran (18) 2 – 1 Crusaders The Oval, Belfast
95 1985–86 Distillery (14) 3 – 1 Ballymena United The Oval, Belfast
96 1986–87 Glentoran (19) 3 – 0 Glenavon The Oval, Belfast
97 1987–88 Newry Town (1) 2 – 1 Ballymena United The Oval, Belfast
98 1988–89 Bangor (3) 2 – 1 (a.e.t.) Glentoran Seaview, Belfast
99 1989–90 Glentoran (20) 0 – 0 (a.e.t.) (6 – 5 pens.) Linfield The Oval, Belfast
100 1990–91 Glenavon (1) 4 – 3 Newry Town New Grosvenor Stadium, Ballyskeagh
101 1991–92 Crusaders (5) 2 – 1 Glenavon The Oval, Belfast
102 1992–93 Carrick Rangers (1) 1 – 1 (a.e.t.) Glentoran Windsor Park, Belfast
Replay 2 – 1 Windsor Park, Belfast
103 1993–94 Ards (3) 4 – 2 Crusaders The Oval, Belfast
104 1994–95 Linfield (36) 4 – 0 Glenavon The Oval, Belfast
105 1995–96 Glenavon (2) 3 – 0 Crusaders The Oval, Belfast
106 1996–97 Cliftonville (6) 0 – 0[n 4] Ballymena United Windsor Park, Belfast
0 – 0 (a.e.t.) (5 – 4 pens.) Windsor Park, Belfast
107 1997–98 Linfield (37) 1 – 0 (a.e.t.) (g.g.) Crusaders The Oval, Belfast
108 1998–99 Glentoran (21) 2 – 0 Cliftonville Windsor Park, Belfast
109 1999–2000 Glentoran (22) 2 – 1 Bangor Castlereagh Park, Newtownards
110 2000–01 Linfield (38) 2 – 1 Glentoran Windsor Park, Belfast
111 2001–02 Glentoran (23) 2 – 0 Linfield The Oval, Belfast
112 2002–03 Glentoran (24) 3 – 0 Ballymena United The Oval, Belfast
113 2003–04 Linfield (39) 2 – 0 Ards The Oval, Belfast
114 2004–05 Linfield (40) 2 – 1 (a.e.t.) Crusaders The Oval, Belfast
115 2005–06 Linfield (41) 2 – 1 Ballymena United Seaview, Belfast
116 2006–07 Cliftonville (7) 2 – 1 Lisburn Distillery The Oval, Belfast
117 2007–08 Glentoran (25) 2 – 1 Crusaders Windsor Park, Belfast
118 2008–09 Cliftonville (8) 2 – 1 Linfield Windsor Park, Belfast
119 2009–10 Crusaders (6) 3 – 2 (a.e.t.) Linfield Windsor Park, Belfast
120 2010–11 Glentoran (26) 3 – 1 Linfield Windsor Park, Belfast
121 2011–12 Cliftonville (9) 2 – 1 Glentoran The Oval, Belfast
122 2012–13 Ballymena United (5) 1 – 1 (a.e.t.) (4 – 3 pens.) Linfield The Oval, Belfast
123 2013–14 Linfield (42) 0 – 0 (a.e.t.) (4 – 1 pens.) Crusaders The Showgrounds, Ballymena
124 2014–15 Cliftonville (10) 1 – 0 Bangor Solitude, Belfast
125 2015–16 Ballymena United (6) 3 – 2 Linfield Windsor Park, Belfast
126 2016–17 Linfield (43) 3 – 1 Crusaders The Showgrounds, Ballymena
127 2017–18 Crusaders (7) 4 – 2 Ballymena United The Showgrounds, Ballymena
128 2018–19 Crusaders (8) 4 – 3 Linfield Seaview, Belfast
129 2019–20 Cliftonville (11) 2 – 1 Ballymena United Windsor Park, Belfast
130 2020–21 Larne (1) 0 – 0 (4 – 3 pens.) Glentoran Seaview, Belfast
131 2021–22 Larne (2) 1 – 0 Linfield Seaview, Belfast
132 2022–23 Larne (3) 0 – 0 (4 – 3 pens.) Linfield Seaview, Belfast
133 2023–24 Larne (4) 2 – 1 Glentoran Seaview, Belfast

Performance by club

Club Winners Runners-up Winning Years Runners-up Years
Linfield 43 26 1898–99, 1903–04, 1905–06, 1906–07, 1907–08, 1912–13, 1913–14, 1916–17, 1921–22, 1922–23, 1927–28, 1928–29, 1929–30, 1931–32, 1932–33, 1933–34, 1934–35, 1937–38, 1941–42, 1946–47, 1952–53, 1954–55, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1972–73, 1976–77, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1994–95, 1997–98, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2013–14, 2016–17 1895–96, 1896–97, 1897–98, 1899–1900, 1902–03, 1904–05, 1917–18, 1939–40, 1942–43, 1944–45, 1947–48, 1949–50, 1955–56, 1959–60, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1989–90, 2001–02, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2015–16, 2018–19, 2021–22, 2022–23
Glentoran 26 23 1900–01, 1901–02, 1910–11, 1915–16, 1917–18, 1920–21, 1924–25, 1930–31, 1939–40, 1940–41, 1943–44, 1949–50, 1951–52, 1956–57, 1967–68, 1970–71, 1977–78, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1989–90, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2007–08, 2010–11 1906–07, 1909–10, 1913–14, 1914–15, 1916–17, 1922–23, 1925–26, 1929–30, 1936–37, 1938–39, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1963–64, 1974–75, 1976–77, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1988–89, 1992–93, 2000–01, 2011–12, 2020–21, 2023–24
Lisburn Distillery 14 16 1888–89, 1892–93, 1895–96, 1896–97, 1899–1900, 1902–03, 1904–05, 1914–15, 1918–19, 1919–20, 1945–46, 1953–54, 1963–64, 1985–86 1889–90, 1894–95, 1901–02, 1905–06, 1907–08, 1915–16, 1920–21, 1921–22, 1923–24, 1940–41, 1952–53, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1975–76, 1981–82, 2006–07
Cliftonville 11 7 1891–92, 1893–94, 1897–98, 1925–26, 1978–79, 1996–97, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2019–20 1900–01, 1908–09, 1910–11, 1912–13, 1930–31, 1950–51, 1998–99
Crusaders 8 16 1959–60, 1964–65, 1968–69, 1973–74, 1991–92, 2009–10, 2017–18, 2018–19 1954–55, 1966–67, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1997–98, 2004–05, 2007–08, 2013–14, 2016–17
Belfast Celtic 8 10 1894–95, 1909–10, 1926–27, 1935–36, 1936–37, 1938–39, 1942–43, 1944–45 1892–93, 1893–94, 1903–04, 1918–19, 1919–20, 1924–25, 1931–32, 1932–33, 1943–44, 1946–47
Ballymena United 6 10 1947–48, 1950–51, 1975–76, 1979–80, 2012–13, 2015–16 1937–38, 1953–54, 1965–66, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1996–97, 2002–03, 2005–06, 2017–18, 2019–20
Larne 4 3 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24 1941–42, 1964–65, 1973–74
Bangor 3 6 1969–70, 1974–75, 1988–89 1948–49, 1958–59, 1962–63, 1972–73, 1999–2000, 2014–15
Ards 3 4 1955–56, 1971–72, 1993–94 1927–28, 1933–34, 1969–70, 2003–04
Glenavon 2 3 1990–91, 1995–96 1986–87, 1991–92, 1994–95
Linfield Swifts 1 1 1948–49 1898–99
Newry Town 1 1 1987–88 1990–91
Black Watch 1 0 1890–91 –
Glentoran II 1 0 1908–09 –
Queen's Island 1 0 1923–24 –
Carrick Rangers 1 0 1992–93 –
Belfast Celtic II 0 2 – 1934–35, 1935–36
YMCA 0 1 – 1888–89
Oldpark 0 1 – 1890–91
Lancashire Fusiliers 0 1 – 1891–92
Linfield Swifts 0 1 – 1898–99
Dunmurry 0 1 – 1926–27
Broadway United 0 1 – 1928–29
Bangor Reserves 0 1 – 1945–46
Brantwood 0 1 – 1951–52

Centenary Chalice

To mark the centenary of the County Antrim F.A., a Centenary Chalice was played for in 1987–88. Glentoran won it, defeating Ballymena United 4–2 in the final.[4]

Notes

  1. ^ Linfield were leading the final 5–3 when the match was abandoned due to crowd trouble and awarding of the Shield was withheld. Linfield resigned from the County Antrim FA in protest.
  2. ^ The senior clubs refused to compete for the competition due to a dispute with the Irish Football Association.
  3. ^ Linfield were awarded the Shield after Belfast Celtic would not agree on a date for the final.
  4. ^ The final was replayed after the first match was abandoned due to crowd disorder.

References

  1. ^ Dawson Simpson (2004). The Whites: A History of Distillery FC 1880-2004. p. 20.
  2. ^ a b "Northern Ireland - List of County Antrim Shield Winners". RSSSF.
  3. ^ Graham Hamilton (1988). 100 Years of Football: The History of the Co. Antrim FA. p. 109.
  4. ^ Brodie, M. (ed.), Northern Ireland Soccer Yearbook 1988-89

External links

County Antrim Shield
Association football in Northern Ireland
Association football cup competitions in Ireland
Categories