Friday 26th August 2022
Kick Off 7.45pm
Tomorrow night we work to extend our winning run with a visit to Shamrock Park.
Having just scraped survival last season via winning the Promotion/ Relegation Playoff against near neighbours Annagh United, the Portadown squad has undergone a major overhaul over the summer. Manager Paul Doolin has moved on an incredible nineteen squad members and (to date) made eleven new signings. Many of these arrivals have been from non-league clubs in England, with Annagh United Central Defender Lee Upton, young Cliftonville goalkeeper Ruadhan McKenna and our own striker Jordan Jenkins (on a season’s loan deal) the local Irish League recruits.
The changes have thus far failed to yield an upturn in results, with defeats away to Linfield and Crusaders sandwiching a 0-2 home loss to Coleraine. The Ports have scored just once in those three games and will have to do without the player who scored it for this game, with Jordan Jenkins not eligible to face his parent club. New left back Jason Akiotu could be a doubt for the game, having limped off in the second half of Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat at Seaview. Midfielder Mark Russell had to deputise for the reminder of the game and may be called on to fill in again, which may see Jonah Mitchell or Luke Wilson promoted from the bench to take his place in midfield. With Jenkins ruled out, young forward Jack Evans or winger Billy Steadman are the likely contenders to take his place.
Last season’s fixture at Shamrock Park ended in a 1-1 in February of this year. Glentoran were forced to play for 57 minutes with ten men after Paddy McClean was shown a straight red card. It had looked set to end well when, after a spell of sustained pressure, Conor McMenamin put us ahead with four minutes left, only for midfielder Oisin Conaty to fire home from a Greg Hall cross in injury time to claim a share of the points. Overall Glentoran have secured three wins and that one draw in our last four visits to Mid Ulster. The last win for Portadown was in December 2015; a topsy turvy goal fest that saw Ronnie McFall’s side overcome Alan Kernaghan’s Glens 5-3.
Mick McDermott: “Another away game and another Friday night: games are coming fast at this early stage of the season.
We can see that Portadown have had a difficult start to the season but that can’t distract us:. We know that in this league we have to expect a tough game and therefore we must perform well if we want to take three points.
We have no injury concerns after our previous game at Dungannon so we head to Portadown with the aim of pushing for a win and giving our fantastic traveling support a great start to their weekend.”
