1996–97 Gold Cup

The 1996–97 Gold Cup was the 78th edition of the Gold Cup, a cup competition in Northern Irish football.^[1]

1996–97 Gold Cup

Tournament details
Country	Northern Ireland
Teams	16
Defending champions	Crusaders
Final positions
Champions	Linfield (33rd win)
Runners-up	Glenavon
Tournament statistics
Matches played	31
Goals scored	89 (2.87 per match)
← 1995–96 1997–98 →

The tournament was won by Linfield for the 33rd time, defeating Glenavon 1–0 in the final at The Oval.^[2][3]

Group standings

Section A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Result
1	Portadown	3	2	1	0	4	1	+3	7	Advance to quarter-final
2	Bangor	3	2	0	1	5	1	+4	6
3	Coleraine	3	1	1	1	4	1	+3	4
4	Newry Town	3	0	0	3	1	11	−10	0

Source: Irish League Archive

Section B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Result
1	Crusaders	3	3	0	0	8	2	+6	9	Advance to quarter-final
2	Ballymena United	3	2	0	1	6	3	+3	6
3	Larne	3	0	1	2	3	7	−4	1
4	Ards	3	0	1	2	3	8	−5	1

Source: Irish League Archive

Section C

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Result
1	Omagh Town	3	2	0	1	3	2	+1	6	Advance to quarter-final
2	Glentoran	3	1	1	1	6	3	+3	4
3	Cliftonville	3	1	1	1	5	5	0	4
4	Carrick Rangers	3	1	0	2	4	8	−4	3

Source: Irish League Archive

Section D

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Result
1	Linfield	3	2	1	0	4	1	+3	7	Advance to quarter-final
2	Glenavon	3	2	0	1	11	1	+10	6
3	Distillery	3	0	2	1	2	9	−7	2
4	Ballyclare Comrades	3	0	1	2	3	9	−6	1

Source: Irish League Archive

Quarter-finals

Team 1	Score	Team 2
Ballymena United	0–0 (a.e.t.) (3–1 p)	Portadown
Bangor	0–2	Linfield
Glentoran	2–3	Crusaders
Omagh Town	2–3	Glenavon

Semi-finals

Team 1	Score	Team 2
Glenavon	2–0	Crusaders
Linfield	2–0	Ballymena United

Final

12 November 1996

Linfield	1–0	Glenavon
Barker 74'

The Oval, Belfast

Referee: Leslie Irvine (Limavady)