| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | |
| Teams | 91 | 
| Defending champions | Linfield | 
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Glentoran (16th win) | 
| Runner-up | Glenavon | 
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 107 | 
| Goals scored | 404 (3.78 per match) | 
The 1995–96 Irish Cup was the 116th edition of the Irish Cup, Northern Ireland's premier football knock-out cup competition. It concluded on 4 May 1996 with the final.[1]
Linfield were the defending champions after winning their 35th Irish Cup last season, with a 3–1 win over Carrick Rangers in the 1995 final. This season they reached the quarter-finals, but lost to 2–0 to Crusaders. Glentoran were the eventual cup winners, defeating Glenavon 1–0 in the final to win the cup for the 16th time.[2][3]
Results
First round
The following teams were given byes into the second round: Ards Rangers, Bessbrook United, Cullybackey, Dungiven Celtic, Glebe Rangers, Larne Tech Old Boys, Laurelvale, Northern Telecom, Orangefield Old Boys, Portglenone, Saintfield United, Southend United and UUC.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | 
|---|---|---|
| 1st Bangor Old Boys | 2–2 | Abbey Villa | 
| 1st Liverpool | 4–1 | Ballymacash Rangers | 
| Armoy United | 2–6 | East Belfast | 
| Ballynahinch United | 3–0 | Rathfriland Rangers | 
| Bangor Amateurs | 2–3 | Shorts | 
| Bridgend United | 1–3 | 1st Shankill NISC | 
| Downshire Young Men | 2–0 | Cookstown Royals | 
| Dromara Village | 0–0 | Annagh United | 
| Drummond United | 0–1 | Dromore Amateurs | 
| Harland & Wolff Welders | 5–2 | Civil Service | 
| Islandmagee | 3–0 | AFC Craigavon | 
| Killymoon Rangers | 1–3 | Wellington Recreation | 
| Magherafelt Sky Blues | 0–1 | Portstewart | 
| Malachians | 4–0 | Comber Recreation | 
| Queen's University | 2–2 | Hanover | 
| Roe Valley | 2–0 | Killyleagh Youth | 
| Seapatrick | 2–2 | Barn United | 
| Sirocco Works | w/o | Richhill | 
| Tandragee Rovers | 4–2 | Donard Hospital | 
Replays
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | 
|---|---|---|
| Abbey Villa | 0–1 | 1st Bangor Old Boys | 
| Annagh United | 2–0 | Dromara Village | 
| Barn United | 3–4 | Seapatrick | 
| Hanover | 3–1 | Queen's University | 
Second round
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | 
|---|---|---|
| Annagh United | 3–2 | Portglenone | 
| Ards Rangers | 1–1 | Glebe Rangers | 
| Ballynahinch United | 0–4 | 1st Liverpool | 
| Cullybackey | 5–4 | Sirocco Works | 
| East Belfast | 1–1 | Northern Telecom | 
| Harland & Wolff Welders | 5–2 | Hanover | 
| Islandmagee | 2–2 | Dungiven Celtic | 
| Larne Tech Old Boys | 2–0 | 1st Shankill NISC | 
| Malachians | 2–2 | Bessbrook United | 
| Orangefield Old Boys | 4–2 | Saintfield United | 
| Portstewart | 3–0 | Southend United | 
| Seapatrick | 3–2 | 1st Bangor Old Boys | 
| Shorts | 2–2 | Dromore Amateurs | 
| Tandragee Rovers | 4–1 | Roe Valley | 
| UUC | 2–4 | Laurelvale | 
| Wellington Recreation | 1–1 | Downshire Young Men | 
Replays
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | 
|---|---|---|
| Bessbrook United | 3–3 (aet) (2–3 p)  | 
Malachians | 
| Downshire Young Men | 2–0 | Wellington Recreation | 
| Dromore Amateurs | 1–3 | Shorts | 
| Dungiven Celtic | 3–0 | Islandmagee | 
| Glebe Rangers | 5–6 | Ards Rangers | 
| Northern Telecom | 1–2 | East Belfast | 
Third round
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | 
|---|---|---|
| 1st Liverpool | 2–1 | Orangefield Old Boys | 
| Annagh United | 1–3 | Harland & Wolff Welders | 
| Cullybackey | 2–3 | Ards Rangers | 
| Dungiven Celtic | 3–0 | Seapatrick | 
| Laurelvale | 1–2 | East Belfast | 
| Malachians | 2–1 | Downshire Young Men | 
| Portstewart | 2–1 | Tandragee Rovers | 
| Shorts | 0–0 | Larne Tech Old Boys | 
Replay
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | 
|---|---|---|
| Larne Tech Old Boys | 3–2 | Shorts | 
Fourth round
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | 
|---|---|---|
| 1st Liverpool | 1–1 | Portstewart | 
| Ballinamallard United | 1–1 | Crumlin United | 
| Ballymoney United | 1–3 | Larne Tech Old Boys | 
| Banbridge Town | 3–3 | Loughgall | 
| British Telecom | 0–2 | Dungiven Celtic | 
| Crewe United | 2–4 | Cookstown United | 
| Drumaness Mills | 2–3 | East Belfast | 
| Dundela | 1–1 | Harland & Wolff Welders | 
| Dungannon Swifts | 2–0 | Moyola Park | 
| Dunmurry Recreation | 0–1 | Armagh City | 
| Kilmore Recreation | 3–2 | Coagh United | 
| Limavady United | 1–1 | Ards Rangers | 
| Malachians | 4–3 | FC Enkalon | 
| Park | 2–2 | Chimney Corner | 
| RUC | w/o | Donegal Celtic | 
| Tobermore United | 1–0 | Brantwood | 
Replays
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | 
|---|---|---|
| Chimney Corner | 2–0 | Park | 
| Crumlin United | 4–0 | Ballinamallard United | 
| Dundela | 3–0 | Harland & Wolff Welders | 
| Limavady United | 2–1 | Ards Rangers | 
| Loughgall | 1–4 | Banbridge Town | 
| Portstewart | 0–1 | 1st Liverpool | 
Fifth round
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | 
|---|---|---|
| Ards | 10–0 | Cookstown United | 
| Armagh City | 2–1 | Dundela | 
| Bangor | 0–4 | Portadown | 
| Chimney Corner | 0–1 | Ballymena United | 
| Crumlin United | 0–8 | Linfield | 
| Crusaders | 4–0 | Dungiven Celtic | 
| Distillery | 4–2 | Larne Tech Old Boys | 
| Dungannon Swifts | 2–4 | Omagh Town | 
| East Belfast | 4–1 | Malachians | 
| Glenavon | 12–0 | 1st Liverpool | 
| Glentoran | 4–1 | Limavady United | 
| Kilmore Recreation | 0–3 | Cliftonville | 
| Larne | 3–0 | Banbridge Town | 
| Newry Town | 2–1 | Coleraine | 
| RUC | 2–3 | Carrick Rangers | 
| Tobermore United | 2–3 | Ballyclare Comrades | 
Sixth round
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | 
|---|---|---|
| Ards | 1–0 | Larne | 
| Ballyclare Comrades | 0–1 | Crusaders | 
| Ballymena United | 4–0 | Armagh City | 
| Carrick Rangers | 1–0 | Newry Town | 
| Glenavon | 3–1 | Cliftonville | 
| Glentoran | 2–0 | Distillery | 
| Linfield | 1–0 | East Belfast | 
| Portadown | 3–1 | Omagh Town | 
Quarter-finals
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | 
|---|---|---|
| Crusaders | 2–0 | Linfield | 
| Glenavon | 3–1 | Carrick Rangers | 
| Glentoran | 1–0 | Ballymena United | 
| Portadown | 2–1 | Ards | 
Semi-finals
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | 
|---|---|---|
| Glenavon | 1–1 | Portadown | 
| Glentoran | 2–2 | Crusaders | 
Replays
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | 
|---|---|---|
| Crusaders | 1–2 | Glentoran | 
| Portadown | 1–4 | Glenavon | 
Final
References
- ↑ Gillespie, Marshall. The Northern Ireland Football Yearbook 1996/97. p. 131–136.
 - ↑ "Northern Ireland Cup Finals". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. RSSSF. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
 - ↑ "Northern Ireland 1995/96". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. RSSSF. Retrieved 2 November 2012.