BANGOR V GLENAVON, A LOOK AHEAD

On Saturday 21^st February 2026 Glenavon faces Bangor at Clandeboye Park in its next Sports Direct Premiership fixture.

The Seasiders have had an excellent first season back in the top division and have achieved nine wins and five draws in their 29 matches. That includes impressive victories against Cliftonville (3-1), Dungannon Swifts (2-1), Portadown (4-1) and Coleraine (2-1). Bangor’s squad includes former Mourneview favourites Gareth Deane, Robbie Garrett, Mark Haughey, Harry Lynch, Tiernan Mulvenna and Jack O’Mahony.

Michael O’Connor expects the trip to North Down to be difficult. “Lee Feeney has done a great job,” he said. “He has recruited well. He has brought in players who you know are going to produce consistent performances. They have not conceded very many goals, and they carry a real threat up front. It will be a tough match.”

O’Connor has been impressed by Bangor’s level of commitment. “They have a squad which gives everything in every game,” he continued. “Cushnie and Arthurs are a handful up front and in midfield they have Mulvenna who is prepared to run in behind without the ball. Their style of play is very effective. They got a good point last week against Crusaders. They have demonstrated that they can be successful against top six clubs as well as the weaker sides.”

Although Glenavon lost 2-1 when the teams met at Mourneview Park in early December, Michael takes some encouragement from his charges’ performance that afternoon. “I thought that we played really well,” he added. “We had a bad twenty minutes in the first half after Peter Campbell had to go off but apart from that we were on top for most of the 90 minutes.”

But, to take anything from this fixture, Glenavon must end its sequence of depressing defeats away from home. “That’s something we need to put right,” said the Belfast man. “The fans have followed us in numbers at every away trip but every time they have left disappointed. We need to start putting smiles on their faces. We have produced some decent displays but have not always turned possession into goals. Hopefully, we can start to do that.”

O’Connor was pleased with the team’s form during the first thirty minutes of last weekend’s 3-0 reverse against Linfield but accepts that it, in the end, struggled to deal with the threat posed by Isaac Baird and Matthew Fitzpatrick. “I thought that we started the match really well and created a couple of chances,” he explained. “Peter [Campbell] tested their keeper with a decent low shot and then was too high with another effort. But Fitzy, in particular, showed his ability. I said beforehand that he is the best striker in the league and his performance demonstrated that. Isaac, too, did well. He has taken a while to settle in at Windsor Park but in the last three or four games he has begun to show what a good player he is.”

Michael reports that he has a nearly fully fit squad. “Stephen Mallon took a full part in training on Thursday night and is available again,” he said. “Oran O’Kane also trained on Thursday. If there is no adverse reaction, he hopes to do two full sessions next week. Unfortunately, Ben Wilson is still quite a long way from making a return. He has a brace on his ankle. But we still hope that he will be back before the end of the season.”

Niall Quinn returns to the squad after missing the Linfield fixture due to suspension.

Other Glenavon teams in action:

(Free Admission to all games)

• Monday 23^rd February 2026 – Glenavon Reserves v Cliftonville Olympic, Mourneview Park, 1945 k.o.
• Wednesday 25^th February 2026 – Warrenpoint Town U-18s v Glenavon U-18s, Milltown, 2000 k.o.
• Saturday 21^st February 2026 – Glenavon U-16s v Glentoran U-16s, St, Patrick’s High School, Banbridge, 1115 k.o.