County_Antrim_Shield
County Antrim Shield
Football tournament in Northern Ireland
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.
| Organising body | County Antrim & District F.A. |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1888 |
| Region |  Northern Ireland |
| Current champions | Larne (2023–24) |
| Most successful club(s) | Linfield (43 titles) |
| Website | County Antrim F.A. |
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]
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.
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. | |
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]
- 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.
- The senior clubs refused to compete for the competition due to a dispute with the Irish Football Association.
- Linfield were awarded the Shield after Belfast Celtic would not agree on a date for the final.
- The final was replayed after the first match was abandoned due to crowd disorder.
- Dawson Simpson (2004). The Whites: A History of Distillery FC 1880-2004. p. 20.
- Graham Hamilton (1988). 100 Years of Football: The History of the Co. Antrim FA. p. 109.
- Brodie, M. (ed.), Northern Ireland Soccer Yearbook 1988-89