NIFL Charity Shield explained

NIFL Charity Shield
Founded:1992
Number Of Teams:2
Current Champions:Larne (2024)
Website:NI Football League

The Northern Ireland Football League Charity Shield is the national association football super cup in Northern Ireland. It has been held on an occasional basis since its inauguration in 1992. It pits together the previous campaign's NIFL Premiership champions and Irish Cup winners, providing the opening match of the Irish League season.

Larne are the current holders, after they defeated Cliftonville 2–1 in the 2024 edition to win the competition for the first time.[1]

Sponsorship

McEwan's Lager sponsored the competition between 1992 and 1994, and Wilkinson Sword were sponsors from 1998 until 2000, both of whom also sponsored other competitions in Irish League football. The proceeds from the 2014 and 2015 editions were donated to the Northern Ireland Hospice.[2]

Format

The Shield is held in early August as a single match. In the 1992 and 1993 editions, the trophy was shared between the two competing sides for six months when both matches finished level at full-time. However, the rules were later changed to ensure an outright winner. In the 2014 edition, a penalty shoot-out was used to determine the winner when the match ended level after 90 minutes, without extra time being played.

Results

Key:

Title was shared after match finished in a draw
pens.Scores level after extra time. A penalty shootout was required to determine the winner.

YearDateWinnerScoreRunner-upVenueAttendanceRef
19928 AugustGlenavon
Glentoran
1–1Windsor Park, Belfast2,000[3]
199310 AugustBangor
Linfield
1–1Windsor Park, Belfast
19943 AugustLinfield2–0BangorWindsor Park, Belfast
19988 AugustCliftonville1–0GlentoranThe Oval, Belfast2,000[4]
19998 AugustPortadown2–1GlentoranMourneview Park, Lurgan2,000[5]
20005 AugustLinfield2–0GlentoranWindsor Park, Belfast10,500[6]
20142 AugustCliftonville 0 – 0 (4 – 2 pens.)Ballymena UnitedSolitude, Belfast[7]
20151 AugustGlentoran1–0CrusadersSolitude, Belfast[8]
201630 JulyGlenavon1–0CrusadersMourneview Park, Lurgan[9]
20175 AugustLinfield3–1ColeraineThe Oval, Belfast[10]
20226 AugustCrusaders2–0LinfieldWindsor Park, Belfast[11]
20231 JulyCrusaders2–0LarneInver Park, Larne[12]
20245 JulyLarne2–1CliftonvilleInver Park, Larne

Performance by club

TeamWinsYearsRunner-up
Linfield4 (1 shared)1993 (shared), 1994, 2000, 20172022
Crusaders22022, 20232015, 2016
Cliftonville21998, 20142024
Glentoran2 (1 shared)1992 (shared), 20151998, 1999, 2000
Glenavon2 (1 shared)1992 (shared), 2016
Larne120242023
Portadown11999
Bangor1 (shared)1993 (shared)1994
Ballymena United2014
Coleraine2017

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Larne come from behind to win Charity Shield. BBC Sport. 5 July 2024. 5 July 2024.
  2. Web site: NI FOOTBALL LEAGUE CHARITY SHIELD. 25 June 2014. nifootballleague.com. 29 June 2014.
  3. Web site: Quigley's Bolt For Lurgan Blues. Sunday Life. 9 August 1992. 60. subscription.
  4. Web site: Char Grilled...Reds Mac flying start. Sunday Life. 9 August 1998. 75. subscription.
  5. Web site: A Real "Off" Day. Ireland's Saturday Night. 7 August 1999. 1. subscription.
  6. Web site: No Charity From Blues. Ireland's Saturday Night. 5 August 2000. 1. subscription.
  7. Web site: Cliftonville beat Ballymena in Charity Shield shoot-out. 2 August 2014. BBC Sport. 6 August 2017.
  8. Web site: Glentoran beat Crusaders 1-0 in Charity Shield at Solitude. 1 August 2015. BBC Sport. 6 August 2017.
  9. Web site: Charity Shield: Ten-man Glenavon defeat Crusaders. 30 July 2016. BBC Sport. 6 August 2017.
  10. Web site: Charity Shield: Linfield defeat Bannsiders in Oval curtain-raiser. 5 August 2017. BBC Sport. 6 August 2017.
  11. Web site: Charity Shield: Crusaders beat Linfield 2-0 in season curtain-raiser at Windsor Park. 6 August 2022. BBC Sport. 6 August 2022.
  12. Web site: NIFL Charity Shield: Jarlath O'Rourke and James Teelan goals see Crusaders defeat Larne 2-0. BBC Sport. 1 July 2023. 1 July 2023.