GLENAVON V PORTADOWN, A LOOK AHEAD

On Saturday 28^th February 2026 Glenavon faces Portadown at Mourneview Park in its thirty-first Sports Direct Premiership fixture.

The Ports are currently eighth in the league table with 11 wins and one draw from 28 fixtures. Those victories include impressive home successes against Linfield (2-0) and Larne (2-1). Last Saturday Niall Currie’s men defeated Dungannon Swifts (1-0) at Shamrock Park.

In January Portadown added Josh Carson (Ballymena United), Jack Scott (Coleraine), Gideon Tetteh (Athlone Town) and Adhamh Towe (Loughgall) to its squad. However, it lost Ryan Mayse (Dergview), Jamie Rea (Newry City) and Ben Wylie (Coleraine).

Michael O’Connor is expecting a tough 90 minutes. “It is a local derby. Often form does not count for a lot,” he said. “They have beaten us twice this season at their place, but we felt that we deserved something out of the match on Boxing Day. We are on the up after two excellent performances and results away from home, but they took six points out of six against Larne and Dungannon Swifts. Hopefully, we can hit the levels we have done recently. If we do that, we can win the match.”

The Belfast man was delighted with his side’s display in Tuesday’s exciting 2-2 draw with Ballymena United at the Showgrounds/ “I thought that we were really good from the start to the finish,” he reflected. “We edged the first half and completely controlled most of the second. The goal which we conceded just before the break was a bit soft, but we showed character to bounce back and equalise more or less immediately. During the last 25 minutes there was only one team in it. Apart from the goal, after half time I don’t think they had a shot.”

Michael was disappointed not to leave North Antrim with the three points. “It seemed as if we had lost in our dressing room after the match,” he continued. “The boys were very frustrated. That is a good thing. It shows the change in our mentality. A point away to Ballymena is a decent result but the players didn’t think that. Yes, we feel that we deserved more than we got, but it was really important that we didn’t lose. The draw moves us one point closer to Crusaders, but it also builds on the win at Bangor and sets us up well for the Portadown game.”

Although the team conceded two goals, Michael felt that the defensive display was good. “Barney [McKeown] and Murph were solid in the middle, John Mountney gave us experience at right back and Paddy Burns, at left back, has lifted his game to a new level recently. Mount’s felt his hamstring a little in the second half, so we took him off and brought Jordan McMullan on. Jordan did really well too in the last 20-25 minutes.”

O’Connor paid a special tribute to captain McKeown for his disciplined display. “Barney played for 65-70 minutes on a yellow card,” he continued. “That wasn’t easy. It was particularly hard because of the style of the player he was marking. The lad likes to pin and make a nuisance of himself. But Barney followed on from his performance at Bangor and was outstanding again.”

The Blues’ boss was also pleased with the efforts of Nathaniel Ferris and Conor Falls in attack. “Both of them worked their socks off,” he added. “Obviously big Ferris got a goal, but Falls’s hold up play and link play was superb. They were excellent together. Before January we didn’t have any centre forwards. We had to improvise by playing Paul McGovern up top. Now that we have lads who can play up there it gives us so many more options.”

Michael spoke about Peter Campbell’s adaptability and willingness to take on a new role. “Peter is a winger,” he said. “But the way we have lined up in the last two games he has had to play more inside. He has been superb. Against Ballymena he was a livewire. Most of our good attacking moves came through him. He carries a threat every time he gets forward.”

The Belfast man was also impressed with Luke McGerrigan and Paul McGovern’s contributions during the 2-2 draw at the Showgrounds. “Luke is still a teenager and a newcomer at this level, but you wouldn’t think that watching him,” he said. “He has the maturity of a 24- or 25-year-old. Apart from what he gives us when he is in possession, his work rate when we don’t have the ball is phenomenal. Paul [McGovern] has been playing a more advanced role in which he had the freedom to go beyond the centre forwards. You know what you are going to get with him. He has been outstanding since I came in.”

O’Connor reckons that the new formation he has adopted has many advantages. “It allows us to have two strikers,” he said. “We can still, with the diamond formation, play through the thirds but we also have the option of going long. Out of possession we effectively have a back five with Sean Carlin sitting in front of the defence.”

Michael praised Sean for his contribution. “Sean is playing as a single six which is difficult the way that we set up, but he has taken to it really well,” he added. “He was one of our best players at both Bangor and Ballymena. He is doing the dirty work which allows the McGerrigans, the McGoverns and the Campbell to get forward and do their stuff.”

The Bues’ boss reports that John Mountney is an injury doubt. He will be assessed at lunchtime on Saturday.  Oran O’Kane has trained well this week and is very close to making a comeback. Ben Wilson did some running but is still a number of weeks away from a return.

Portadown defeated Glenavon 3-1 and 1-0 in the two previous Mid Ulster derbies at Shamrock Park.

The match sponsor for Saturday’s fixture is former director Mr. Ken Cardwell.

The match ball sponsor is the Leather Restoration Company. This Portadown-based business is a highly reputable restorer of leather items.

The McCracken’s Brewery “Player of the Match” sponsors are Mr. Gareth and Mrs. Elaine Lough.

The matchday charity is Kidney Care UK, in memory of Amy Smith who received a kidney from one of our own, Glenavon Stalwart  Stephen Topping. Amy sadly passed away late last year . The charity provides practical, emotional and financial support to people living with chronic kidney disease. Please give generously.

Other Glenavon teams in action:

(Free Admission to all games)

• Monday 2^nd March 2026 – Glenavon Reserves v Crusaders Reserves, Mourneview Park, 1945 k.o.
• Friday 27^th February 2026 – Cookstown Youth U-18s v Glenavon U-18s, Mid Ulster Youth Cup Quarter final, Mid Ulster Sports Arena, Cookstown, 1945 k.o.