Sadler’s Peaky Blinder Irish Cup is set to kick off ...

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This season’s Sadler’s Peaky Blinder Irish Cup competition will get under way next month with 80 teams in action.

The oldest cup competition in Northern Ireland, which is open to senior and intermediate sides, will begin with 40 qualifying phase first round games on Saturday 14 August.

The winners of those matches will then join 24 other teams, who received round one byes in last night’s draw, in the second round of qualifying.

Round two qualifying matches are due to be played on 25 September, followed by round three on 30 October and fourth round ties on 27 November.

Eight teams will eventually progress from the four qualifying rounds to take their place in round one of the competition phase where they will be joined by Northern Ireland’s 24 senior clubs from the NIFL Premiership and NIFL Championship.

What was traditionally called the fifth round, but is now known as round one (competition phase), is due to be played on Saturday 8 January. Round two is scheduled for 5 February with the quarter-finals on 4/5 March, the semi-finals on 1/2 April and the final on Saturday 7 May.

Last season, due to Covid-19 restrictions, there was a truncated Irish Cup competition with all ties played within four weeks. Linfield defeated Larne in the final towards the end of May to lift the trophy for the 44^th time in their history.

The Irish FA Challenge Cup Committee is, however, hopeful that this season’s Sadler’s Peaky Blinder Irish Cup competition will be played in full.

Due to pitch renovations at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park the 2021 final and semi-finals had to be played at Mourneview Park in Lurgan, but the Irish FA is confident the decider will return to its traditional home in Belfast next year.

In the event that it is not possible to complete the qualifying phase, it will be at the discretion of the Challenge Cup Committee to determine which clubs shall be invited to join the 24 senior clubs in round one of the competition.

Please see the draw for the qualifying phase first round below.

Home Team		Away Team	Venue
Clonard	V	Bangor Amateurs	Brook Activity Centre 3G
Ards Rangers	V	Bryansburn Rangers	Drome Park
Hanover	V	Bourneview Mill	Brownstown Road Arena
Derriaghy CC	V	Albert Foundry	Seycon Park
Ambassadors	V	Ardstraw	Ashgrove Playing Fields
Dollingstown	V	Crumlin Star	Planters Park
Tullyvallen	V	Maiden City	Hillview Park
Tobermore United	V	East Belfast	Fortwilliam Park
Lurgan Town	V	PSNI	Lurgan Town Arena
Shankill United	V	Newbuildings United	Hammer Sports Complex
Seagoe	V	Ballynure OB	Tarsan Lane
Windmill Stars	V	Dungiven Celtic	Derryleckagh Playing Fields
Lisburn Distillery	V	Newcastle	Ballyskeagh
Valley Rangers	V	Portstewart	Bignian Park
Cookstown Youth	V	Killyleagh	Mid Ulster Sports Arena
Dunloy	V	Tullycarnet	McCamphill Park
Grove United	V	Newtowne	Shore Road Playing Fields
Ballynahinch United	V	Greenisland	Millbridge
Ballymoney United	V	Richhill	Riada Stadium
Rosario YC	V	Woodvale	Ulidia Playing Fields 3G
Wellington Rec	V	Donegal Celtic	Brookvale Park
Cookstown RBL	V	Banbridge Town	Cookstown High School
Wakehurst	V	Armagh City	Ballymena Showgrounds
Dromara Village	V	Dunmurry Rec	Bellsbridge
Dromore Amateurs	V	Limavady United	Ferris Park
Brantwood	V	Coagh United	Skegoneill Avenue
Craigavon City	V	Malachians	Drumgor Road
Desertmartin	V	Orangefield OB	Dromore Road
1^st Bangor	V	Lower Maze	The Drome
Banbridge Rangers	V	Moneyslane	Cheney Park
Sirocco Works	V	Bangor Swifts	Dixon Park Playing Fields
Chimney Corner	V	Rectory Rangers	Allen Park
Belfast Celtic	V	Ballymacash Rangers	Glen Road Heights
Abbey Villa	V	Shorts	Adams Park, Millisle
Islandmagee	V	Suffolk	Wilbourne Park
Holywood	V	Barn United	Spafield Park
Crumlin United	V	Saintfield United	Mill Road