Sports Direct Irish Premiership

Mourneview Park, Lurgan

Saturday 28^th February 2026

Glenavon recovered from a shaky start to dominate the Mid-Ulster derby and move three points closer to Crusaders at the bottom of the league table.

Paddy Burns (24 mins), Conor Falls (27 mins) and Paul McGovern (73 mins) scored the goals.

Blues’ boss Michael O’Connor named an unchanged team for the second successive match.

Portadown, eyeing a place in the Premiership’s top six, made a positive start. In the 7^th minu James Teelan burst clear of the home side’s defence and picked out Eamon Fyfe with a telling cross. The centre forward had only Carney to beat but shot well wide.

When McGovern crossed from the right, Harry Murphy got his foot to the ball but was unable to divert it goalwards.

Ferris broke on the right and weaved his way into the penalty area. However, when McGovern let fly his shot was blocked.

Glenavon was awarded a free kick on the left side of the penalty area when Shea McCartan upended Luke McGerrigan. Peter Campbell took the kick. Paddy Burns, in excellent form of late, stole a march on Jack Scott to head the ball gleefully past Alex Moore.

Three minutes later the home side doubled its advantage. McGovern played a delightful short pass to Campbell who attempted to pick out Ferris. Steven McCullough got his foot to the ball ahead of the Magheralin man, but Conor Falls was on hand to shoot into an empty net from 15 yards.

Burns shot over from 20 yards as O’Connor’s men took a stranglehold on proceedings.

Early in the second half McGovern had a go from Peter Campbell’s corner. His weak shot was saved easily.

When Lee Chapman crossed from the right, McCullough side footed the ball against the base of a post.

After the excellent Sean Carlin, assisted by Nathaniel Ferris, won the ball in midfield, Luke McGerrigan made a penetrating run before sliding the ball into McGovern’s path. The Newry teenager skipped past Lewis MacKinnon before coolly beating Moore with a right foot shot.

In a rare Portadown attack, substitute Josh Carson shot narrowly wide.

The visitors, growing increasingly frustrated, committed a series of fouls which were penalised with yellow cards. In the final minute Luke Wilson received a straight red card for an over-the-top challenge on the brilliant McGovern.

In the final seconds Harry Murphy headed wide from Stephen Mallon’s pinpoint cross. He probably should have done better.

GLENAVON: Carney, Mountney, Burns, McKeown, Murphy, Carlin, McGerrigan, McGovern, Ferris, Falls, Campbell, SUBS: McMullan for Mountney (12 mins), Cartwright (not used), Mallon for Campbell (74 mins), Lowe for McMullan (82 mins), Gilmore (not used), Lindsay (not used), N. Quinn for McGerrigan (82 mins).

Yellow Card: McGovern (30’).

PORTADOWN: Moore, Chapman, McCullough, MacKinnon, Altintop, Wilson, Scott, Towe, Fyfe, Teelan, McCartan, SUBS: Francey (not used), Ismala for MacKinnon (82 mins), Tetteh for Teelan (67 mins), Obhakhan for Fyfe (67 mins), Annett for Scott (half time), B. Quinn (not used), Carson for McCartan (67 mins).

Yellow Cards: Towe (55’), Altintop (61’), McCartan (62’), Carson (68’), Isamala (90+4’).

Red Card: Wilson (89’).

REFEREE: Christopher Morrison.