2012–13 Irish Cup
| Country |
 Northern Ireland
|
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|---|---|---|---|
| Teams | 119 | ||
| Champions | Glentoran (21st win) | ||
| Runners-up | Cliftonville | ||
| Matches played | 121 | ||
| Goals scored | 480 (3.97 per match) | ||
|
|||
The 2012–13 Irish Cup was the 133rd edition of the premier knock-out cup competition in Northern Irish football since its introduction in 1881. The competition began on 15 September 2012 with the first round and ended on 4 May 2013 with the final. The cup was sponsored by JJB Sports until October 2012, when the company went into administration. The competition remained without a principal sponsor, but the final was known as the Marie Curie Irish Cup final, after the IFA awarded the naming rights for the final to the charity Marie Curie Cancer Care.
Linfield were the defending champions, after defeating Crusaders 4–1 in the 2012 final to win the cup for the sixth time in seven seasons. However, in a tie that was a repeat of the previous two finals, they were knocked out in the fifth round by Crusaders, who inflicted Linfield's first defeat in the competition in four years.
The eventual winners were Glentoran, coming from a goal behind to defeat Cliftonville 3–1 after extra time to win their first Irish Cup in nine years. Glentoran qualified for the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League first qualifying round.
119 clubs took part in this season's competition, an increase on the 116 clubs that took part the previous season. Clubs from level 4 and below on the Northern Ireland football league system entered in the first round, and played against other lower league clubs in the first three rounds. Depending on the number of participants, some clubs may be given a bye into the second round. Nine clubs were given a bye this season.
28 of the 30 IFA Championship clubs that started the season entered in the fourth round. Newry City folded after the start of the season and, of the remaining 29 clubs, PSNI did not enter on time. The IFA Championship clubs were joined in the fourth round by the lower league clubs that progressed through the first three rounds.
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