Championship boss confident youngster can thrive in Premiership after scoring 'one of the best goals I've ever seen'

Picking the ball up near the halfway line, Convie, who had earlier put Annagh 1-0 ahead, weaved his way past a number of Welders defenders before breaking into the box and calmly sliding into the bottom corner to help Ciaran McGurgan’s side continue what has been a magical start to 2024 with a 93rd minute winner, leaving spectators with a sense of disbelief at what they’d just witnessed – including his own manager.

"The goal on Saturday...I know there are videos going around but they don't even do it justice,” said McGurgan. “It's genuinely one of the best goals I've ever seen, easily.

"It was 3-3 going into injury time, the boys are out on their feet and for him to pick the ball up and go past five or six players...at the end you've Stephen Murray standing there ready to tap into the net but he has the composure to put it in himself.

"Stephen said to him 'you're lucky you scored that!’. The video doesn't do it any justice - it was an unbelievable bit of talent from a very talented player."

The 21-year-old has been a consistent presence in Annagh’s team since arriving on loan from Dungannon Swifts in January, playing a key role as the County Armagh outfit have put together an unbeaten league run of seven matches, which has helped propel them into fifth ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Ballyclare Comrades.

Convie has already registered 50 top-flight appearances for his parent club, including scoring in a 2-1 league defeat to Loughgall earlier this season, and McGurgan is confident he can return to Stangmore Park and make a big impact.

"I think he will do really well,” he added. “This is the benefit of sending players out on loan.

"He had an injury at Dungannon and he needed a run of games in senior football to get him back up to speed. We're delighted with him.

"I always wish that players will go on to a higher level so we really hope we can send him back to Dungannon flying and he can kick on for them and become a Premiership player for them."

The January transfer window allowed McGurgan, who has only had 11 senior players available at times during this campaign due to injury, to bring in both numbers and quality.

With Premiership experience in the form of Aaron Rogers, Jackson Nesbitt, Cohen Henderson and Convie, it has helped turn Annagh’s fortunes around as they continue to look up the table with eight matches to go.

"January was very good for us...we had to get numbers in,” he said. “The numbers were so low that we needed to hit the ground running in January.

"The quality we signed was really good with James Convie, Sam Cochrane, Thomas Burns, Jackson Nesbitt, Callum Ferris, Eoin Teggart, Cohen Henderson and Aaron Rogers.

"The likes of Thomas has came from Lower Maze and then Cohen, Aaron and Sam have came from the Premiership and Championship, as has James and Eoin.

"There's a good mix of experience and youth and a big thing I've been trying to do is keep that balance right."