QUARTER-FINAL - Tuesday, 8th December, 1998 - Drumahoe Riverside Stadium

INSTITUTE 1

(Beck - og '5)

BALLYMENA UNITED 2

(Loughery '13; Hunter '20)

Team: Beck, Carlisle, Calderwood, McDowell, Parker, Bustard (Allen), McGreevy, Percy, Hunter, Storey, Loughery (sub O'Connell (sub Muir)).

Match Description: First Division Institute took a suprise lead when Robbie Beck sliced Davy Calderwood's backpass into his own net after only five minutes. However the Sky Blues were in front come 20 minutes, when goals from Dessie Loughery and Glenn Hunter sent Ballymena through to the semi-final stage.

SEMI-FINAL - Tuesday, 13th April, 1999 - Ballymena Showgrounds BALLYMENA UNITED 2 (Patton '44; Hunter '88) OMAGH TOWN 1 (Wilson '60) Team: McKinney, Carlisle, Boyd, Allen, McConnell, Parker, Hanna, Muir (sub Bustard), Patton, Hunter, Knell (sub McGreevy). Sub (not used): Calderwood. Match Description: Barry Patton opened the scoring after 44 minutes, against already relegated Omagh. It was all square on the hour when Frankie Wilson's tame shot took a deflection off John McConnell before beating McKinney in the United goal. Glenn Hunter sealed the win two minutes from time from the penalty spot to send the Sky Blues into the final of the Irish News Cup, and exert revenge for the final defeat the previous year.

FINAL - Thursday, 29th April, 1999 - Finn Park - Attendance: Unknown FINN HARPS 2 (McGrenaghan '41; Harkin '55) BALLYMENA UNITED 0 - Finn Harps Team: Cullen, Scanlon, R. Boyle, D. Boyle, J. Boyle (sub McGlynn), O'Brien, Mohan (sub McMenamin), McGrenaghan, Speak, Minnock (sub McLoughlin), Harkin. Ballymena United Team: McKinney, Carlisle, Calderwood, Parker, Muir, Bustard, Hanna, Tennyson (sub McGreevy), Patton, Hunter, Stevenson (sub Drummond). Sub (not used): Loughery. Referee: George McKay (Strabane) Match Description: A weakened United side finished their 1998/99 campaign with defeat in the final of the Irish News Cup for the second year running. Finn Harps with ex-United star Johnny Speak dominated and scored just either side of half-time. Paddy McGrenaghan opened the scoring on 41 minutes, whilst Fergal Harkin got the second on 55 minutes. Ballymena were managed by Shay Hamill as Alan Fraser was sacked just days before the cross-border final, Dessie Loughery also walked out before kick off in what was due to be his farewell appearance.