Competitions in football come and go, some launched in an avalanche of publicity, others flourish, fade away and die, but the County Antrim Shield, like ole man river, just keeps rolling along.

The distinctive Shield, the largest and in many ways most unique trophy in the local game, was to have been handed over last night after the Crusaders v Linfield final at the Oval before it was called off — a ritual virtually ever year since its foundation in 1888.

“No matter what some people think this is a prestigious tournament with a trophy steeped in history,” says Linfield manager David Jeffrey.

“It’s a personal favourite of mine — the first winners’ medal I collected in 1983 when we defeated Glentoran 3-1. That medal means a lot to me.”

Those words of The Special One pinpoints the story of the Senior Shield and, while it may not possess the glamour of the Irish Cup or a Premier title race, all teams want to win it.

The Irish FA had been eight years in existence when on April 9, 1888 a group of “football people” at the invitation of James Hamilton (Belfast Athletics) met at the Commercial Hotel, Donegall Street, Belfast, near the Cathedral Buildings, to discuss the formation of a divisional association for County Antrim, which now has more than 600 teams in membership.

Inspired by shrewd legislative leadership it has wielded immense influence in the corridors of power. Major contributors have been Herbie Johnstone, who possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of the Association, Billy Corry, Fred Cochrane, IFA delegate, at the 1950 World Cup in Brazil, James M Small, later the IFA general secretary, Eddie Barry, Sammy Moore, David Crawford, Stanley Forsythe, Joe McGorman, Will Scott, the Hamilton brothers, Billy senior and junior, Billy Carlisle, Jim Shaw, David Martin and the inimitable Ken Pritchard.

It is fascinating studying the Senior Shield records from inception to the present day. Inaugural winners were Distillery who outclassed YMCA 8-4 in the final, while the first shock came in 1908-09 when Glentoran II, who had qualified by winning the Steel and Sons Cup, defeated Belfast Celtic, then the Glens senior team and, finally, Cliftonville 3-0. What a remarkable feat, a romantic story underlining the intrinsic appeal of football.

Linfield’s superiority has dominated from the start, Glentoran kept in the running but Distillery’s successful run in the early seasons was not maintained. The giants of the game have all figured in the Antrim Shield — in the 1932-33 final there were no fewer than 15 internationals in the Linfield/Belfast Celtic line-ups at Solitude.

Glentoran’s side of the Thirties included centre-forward Fred Roberts, holder of the Irish domestic scoring record with 96 goals in the 1930-31 season, two more than arch rival Joe Bambrick’s total the previous campaign. Look, too, at this Celtic squad in the 1944-45 final 3-0 triumph over Linfield: Kelly, McMillan, Cullen; Walker, Vernon, Douglas, Campbell, McAlinden, Byrne, Tully, Bonnar.

Linfield’s 2-0 winning team against Larne in 1941-42 was a powerful one with four Stoke guest players — Bill Mould, Sid Peppitt, Alex Ormston and Frank Baker; George Eastham junior, was the star of the Ards team which collected the trophy for the first and only time when they eliminated Linfield 4-1 in 1955-56.

Jackie Milburn, Northern Ireland’s greatest cross-channel import, got his Shield medal in the 1958-59 defeat of Bangor, while the Blues’ famous seven trophy heroes paraded this team when in 1961-62 they overwhelmed Glentoran 5-0 at Solitude: Irvine; Gilliland, Graham; Andrews, Hatton, Parke, Stewart, Ferguson, Barr, Dickson, Braithwaite; scorers: Barr (3), Dickson (2).

From the Thirties to the Sixties the Antrim Shield always had tremendous crowd-pulling power, a competitive edge. It has had its detractors who contend it merely further complicates the fixture calendar but there is no chance of it ever fading away. That trophy with names such as Queen’s Island, the Black Watch, Linfield, Belfast Celtic, Glentoran. Distillery and many more will continue to be handed over.

Glancing through the 152 pages of the County Antrim FA’s centenary history, edited by Belfast Telegraph colleague Graham Hamilton with extensive research by Herbie Johnstone, is really a stroll down Memory Lane. Those photographs of a packed Grosvenor Park, for many years home of Shield and Steel Cup Finals, are particularly poignant. Yes, happy days.