1979–80 Irish Cup
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country |  Northern Ireland |
| Teams | 16 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Linfield (32nd win) |
| Runner-up | Crusaders |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 22 |
| Goals scored | 56 (2.55 per match) |
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The 1979–80 Irish Cup was the 100th edition of Northern Ireland's premier football knock-out cup competition. It began on 2 February 1980, and concluded on 26 April 1980 with the final.
The defending champions were Cliftonville, after they had won the cup for the 8th time the previous season, defeating Portadown 3–2 in the 1978–79 final.[1] However, Portadown gained revenge by knocking the holders out in the first round with a 2–1 win. Linfield won the cup for the 32nd time, defeating Crusaders 2–0 in the final.[2]
First round
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Bangor | 2–01 | Ballymena United |
| Cliftonville | 1–2 | Portadown |
| Coleraine | 8–1 | Ballyclare Comrades |
| Crusaders | 1–0 | Stranmillis College |
| Larne | 0–22 | Glentoran |
| Linfield | 3–1 | Distillery |
| Queen's University | 0–4 | Glenavon |
| RUC | 4–0 | Ards |
1This tie required a replay, after the first game ended as a 1–1 draw.[2]
2This tie required two replays, after the first games ended as 1–1 and 0–0 draws.[2]
Quarter-finals
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Ballymena United | 3–2 | Portadown |
| Crusaders | 0–33 | Glenavon |
| Linfield | 4–0 | Glentoran |
| RUC | 1–04 | Coleraine |
3This tie required a replay, after the first game ended as a 0–0 draw.[2]
4This tie required two replays, after the first games ended as 1–1 and 0–0 draws.[2]
Semi-finals
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Crusaders | 2–15 | RUC |
| Linfield | 1–0 | Ballymena United |
5This tie required a replay, after the first game ended as a 1–1 draw.[2]
