1996–97 Irish Cup

1996–97 Irish Cup

Tournament details
Country	Northern Ireland
Teams	32
Defending champions	Glentoran
Final positions
Champions	Glenavon (5th win)
Runner-up	Cliftonville
Tournament statistics
Matches played	39
Goals scored	108 (2.77 per match)

The 1996–97 Irish Cup was the 117th edition of the Irish Cup, Northern Ireland's premier football knock-out cup competition. It concluded on 3 May 1997 with the final.

Glentoran were the defending champions after winning their 16th Irish Cup last season, with a 1–0 win over Glenavon in the 1996 final. This season Glenavon went one better by winning the cup for the 5th time, with a 1–0 win over Cliftonville in the final.

Fifth round

Team 1	Score	Team 2
Ballyclare Comrades	2–3	Cliftonville
Bangor	3–0	Ballymena United
Brantwood	0–2	Dundela
British Telecom	1–1	Crumlin United
Carrick Rangers	0–0	RUC
Coleraine	2–1	Linfield
Crusaders	4–1	Institute
Drumaness Mills	1–3	Limavady United
Dungannon Swifts	1–1	Loughgall
Enkalon	1–1	Portstewart
Glenavon	1–0	Ards
Glentoran	4–0	Distillery
Larne	0–2	Coagh United
Newry Town	0–0	Omagh Town
Park	0–4	Chimney Corner
Portadown	3–0	Dunmurry Rec.

Replays

Team 1	Score	Team 2
Crumlin United	4–1	British Telecom
Loughgall	3–1	Dungannon Swifts
Omagh Town	1–0	Newry Town
Portstewart	3–1	Enkalon
RUC	2–1	Carrick Rangers

Sixth round

Team 1	Score	Team 2
Crumlin United	1–2	Loughgall
Crusaders	1–0	Portadown
Dundela	1–2	Coagh United
Glenavon	2–0	Glentoran
Limavady United	1–1	Bangor
Omagh Town	3–2	Chimney Corner
Portstewart	0–1	Coleraine
RUC	0–3	Cliftonville

Replay

Team 1	Score	Team 2
Bangor	0–2	Limavady United

Quarter-finals

Team 1	Score	Team 2
Cliftonville	3–1	Crusaders
Glenavon	4–1	Coagh United
Loughgall	1–1	Coleraine
Omagh Town	2–2	Limavady United

Replays

Team 1	Score	Team 2
Coleraine	0–1	Loughgall
Limavady United	0–1	Omagh Town

Semi-finals

Team 1	Score	Team 2
Cliftonville	3–1	Loughgall
Glenavon	5–0	Omagh Town

Final

3 May 1997

Glenavon	1 – 0	Cliftonville
Grant 23'	Report

Windsor Park, Belfast