Linfield won the first edition of the Setanta Cup and €150,000 to boot, with two first half goals. The first from Glenn Ferguson in the 26th minute and the second from Peter Thompson in the 37th minute. This is a consolation to losing the Irish league title to their eternal Belfast rivals Glentoran, whom they beat twice during the league stage of the competition.

On the night the better team were victorious. Shelbourne were reduced to 9 men with Jason Byrne (off the ball incident) and Alan Moore being dismissed for dissent.

The Linfield part-timers outplayed the professional side from Dublin and thoroughly beat them. The pivot in the Linfield team was Glenn Ferguson who scored the first and laid on the second goal for the Blues.