COLERAINE V GLENAVON, A LOOK AHEAD

On Friday 23^rd January 2026 Glenavon faces Coleraine at the Ballycastle Road Showgrounds in its next Sports Direct Premiership fixture.

The Bannsiders are in second place in the Premiership table with 48 points from 25 matches. However, they have lost three of their last five league fixtures and are eight points behind the runaway leader, Larne. After substantial investment, Coleraine fans will be disappointed that they have failed to mount a sustained challenge for the Gibson Cup. Nonetheless, the North West club remains a formidable opponent.

Coleraine’s January signings include Mark Coyle (Shelbourne), Mark Connolly (Derry City), Ben Wylie (Portadown) and James Akintunde (FC Haka).

Michael O’Connor, who was part of the coaching staff during Dean Shiels’ spell in charge at the North Coast club, anticipates a challenging 90 minutes. “It will be very tough,” he conceded. “They were strong before the transfer window, but they have added even more quality. It is a difficult place to go. We will need to be at our best. We will also need a few breaks to go our way. But it is a match we are looking forward to.”

When reminded about Glenavon’s 5-1 defeat on its last visit to the Showgrounds, O’Connor joked that the main lesson from that performance was not to put Harry Murphy in goal! He was referring to the central defender replacing Mark Byrne after the Newry man was sent off late in the second half. “But being serious, I thought that we did really well for 42 minutes,” he said. “Bridel [Bosakani] had a great chance to put us in front just before that. Then they scored either side of half time. It knocked the stuffing out of us. They added three late goals – two of them when we were down to ten men. There weren’t four goals between the teams.”

Michael does not intend to adopt a wholly defensive approach. “We will probably play the way we did last time for the first 30 or 35 minutes and try to frustrate them and maybe hit them on the break,” he revealed. “But we are not going there just to sit in and let them have all the possession and do what they want. When the play opens up, we will attack them.”

O’Connor feels that discipline holds the key to a positive result. “Everyone in our team will have a specific role,” he added. “It is all about doing that job well, not jumping out of position and not leaving gaps for the likes of Joel Cooper and Matthew Shevlin to exploit. We have worked on it in training this week. Hopefully, the eleven players selected stay disciplined and do what they have been asked to do.”

Michael feels that, over the last four league matches, Glenavon has not gained the points it has deserved. “You can go right back to the Bangor game,” he continued. “Then the Portadown match, the Dungannon game and last Saturday’s match against Glentoran. Every time we have been the better team for long periods but haven’t scored the first goal and have ended up losing narrowly.”

The Belfast men thought that Glenavon was on top during much of the first half against Glentoran. “We started well and were very good for the opening 15-20 minutes,” he added. “Then, they got behind us for the only time in the entire 45 minutes, put a cross in and unfortunately Niall [Quinn] scored the o.g. The second goal was a bit of a sucker punch. After we put the ball into their box, it was partially cleared and six or seven seconds later it was in the back of our net. Obviously, we did not defend well enough in that situation. But, to the boys’ credit, they had a real go, pulled a goal back and kept the match alive. Perhaps we might have created more in the last 15-20 minutes. But we were up against a good team and more than matched them for the whole game.”

During the closing stages Jordan McMullan appeared to score an equaliser, but his effort was disallowed because the cross had gone out of play. “The referee’s assistant obviously thought that the ball had drifted out,” O’Connor continued. “I could not tell from my position but afterwards I spoke to someone who had a much better view. He thought that it had stayed in. Listen, it is one of those things. But, at present, we are not getting too many breaks.”

Michael and his coaching staff are working hard to keep the players’ morale strong. “We remind them all the time that they have ability,” he said. “They wouldn’t be here if they hadn’t. To be fair to the boys, they have not dropped their heads and have had a really good attitude in training and in games. The way they fought right to the end last Saturday demonstrates what a positive mentality they have. We might be bottom of the table, but no one has given up.”

O’Connor revealed that 21 players trained on Wednesday night.

Both Nathaniel Ferris and Charlie Lindsay, who were unavailable last weekend, return to the squad for the trip to the North Coast. “Nathaniel will give us lots of energy up front,” he added. “He will make defenders run back towards their own goal and he will get chances. Charlie is technically very good. He will find space and pick up the ball in dangerous areas. It is a boost to have both lads back.”

Kyle McCleland, Luke Cartwright, Luke McGerrigan and Josh Kee played for the Under-20s against Ballymena United Reserves on Monday night.

Unfortunately, Conor Falls, Jordan McMullan and Ben Wilson sustained injuries last Saturday. “Conor took a whack on the finger, Jordy hurt his knee and Ben has a gash on his ankle,” the Blues’ boss explained. “Conor is touch and go, Jordan trained and should be okay, and Ben also trained but didn’t complete the session on Wednesday so is doubtful.”

Kris Lowe trained on the Saturday of the postponed Ballymena fixture but suffered a slight adverse reaction. It is hoped that he will be fit to train again very soon. Oran O’Kane is making excellent progress. He plans to start running next week. Peter Campbell has had no difficulties since returning to the first team.

Michael Harkin serves the second game of his three match suspension.

When Glenavon played Coleraine at Mourneview Park in August, the Bannsiders won 2-1. In the clubs’ second meeting, referred to above, Rudhari Higgins’s men won 5-1.

Other Glenavon teams in action:

(Free Admission to all games)

• Monday 26^th January 2026 – Glenavon Reserves v Coleraine Reserves, Mourneview Park, 1945 k.o.
• Friday 23^rd January 2026 – Glenavon U-18s v Ballymena United U-18s, Saint Patrick’s 3G, Banbridge, 2030 k.o.