| ROUND ONE - Wedneday, 30th March, 1988 - Seaview |
| CRUSADERS 0 |
| - |
| BALLYMENA UNITED 3 |
| (Scott '29; McDonald '31; Greer '68 - own goal) |
| Team: McGaughey, Nicholl, Smyth, Garrett, Heron, S. Young, Conville, Scott (sub Boyd 85), McDonald, Dougherty (sub Pyper 70), Simpson. |
| Match Description: A comfortable win for Ballymena United at Seaview as Jim Scott opened the scoring after 29 minutes when he beat a handful of defenders before cracking in a great shot from 20 yards. Mickey McDonald fired in from a Michael Smyth free-kick two minutes later to double the lead. In the second half Crusaders were condemned to defeat when defender Peter Greer turned the ball into his own net on 68 minutes. |
| QUARTER-FINAL - Wednesday, 20th April, 1988 - Solitude |
| CLIFTONVILLE 0 |
| - |
| BALLYMENA UNITED 0 |
| - |
| Ballymena United won 6-5 on penalties |
Team: McGaughey, Hamilton, Smyth, Garrett, Donnelly, S. Young, Conville, Scott (sub Boyd 78), Pyper, Dougherty (sub McDonald 74), Simpson. |
| Match Description: 120 minutes of normal football couldn't separate the two sides at Solitude, despite Ballymena United being on top for most of the second half and also injury time with United's Brian Donnelly going closest after 81 minutes. The Sky Blues had a 100% record in the shoot-out as Alan Boyd, Michael Smyth, Ricky Simpson, Stevie Conville and Billy Pyper all converted their kicks to send it to sudden death. Brian Donnelly scored the from the spot, and Cliftonville's Tommy Breslin missed to send Ballymena into the semi-finals. |
| SEMI-FINAL - Tuesday, 26th April, 1988 - New Grosvenor Park |
| DISTILLERY 0 |
| - |
| BALLYMENA UNITED 2 |
| (Pyper '43, '87) |
| Team: ... |
| Match Description: Distillery had most of the play in the first half and were shell-shocked when Ballymena took the lead just before half time when Billy Pyper struck the opening goal. Despite more pressure from the Whites, the Sky Blues sealed a place in the Chalice final when Pyper again struck three minutes from time. |
| FINAL - Saturday, 7th May, 1988 - Windsor Park - Attendance: Unknown |
| GLENTORAN 4 |
| (Mullan '8, '23, '45; Caskey '34) |
| BALLYMENA UNITED 2 |
| (Pyper '62, '77) |
| Glentoran Team: ... |
| Ballymena United Team: Grant, Scott, Smyth, Garrett, Donnelly, Young, Conville, Hamilton, Pyper (sub Quinn 79), Dougherty, Simpson. Sub (not used): Donaghy. |
| Referee: Alan Snoddy (Carryduff) |
| Match Description: A relentless first half showing against a dire United side was enough for Glentoran to win this one-off trophy to commemorate 100 years of the County Antrim FA. Gerry Mullan opened the scoring on eight minutes when he nipped in to head Jim Cleary's free-kick home. On 23 minutes the Glens broke free again and Norman McGreevy played Mullan through to finish from close range. Mullan turned provider as he played through Billy Caskey for number three on 34 minutes and the former United favourite completed his hat-trick on the stroke of half-time. Ballymena forward Billy Pyper grabbed two consolation goals in the second half, but it wasn't enough after the first half massacre. |
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