Portavogie Rangers will advance directly to the second round of the 2026/27 Clearer Water Irish Cup after receiving a bye in the opening-round draw.
The Irish Football Association confirmed that 126 clubs have entered this season’s competition. A total of 34 first-round ties will be played on Saturday the 8th of August, with Portavogie among 18 clubs handed a bye into the next stage.
This season features a revised competition structure, with regional intermediate clubs entering in the first round and Northern Amateur Football League National Conference clubs joining the tournament in round two. Senior clubs will enter at the sixth-round stage in January.
Portavogie Rangers will therefore join the 34 first-round winners, the other 17 clubs that received byes and 12 National Conference sides in the second round.
The second-round fixtures are scheduled to take place on Saturday the 12th of September.
Receiving a bye means we avoid an opening fixture on the 8th of August, but attention will now turn towards the second-round draw as the club prepares to begin another journey in one of world football’s oldest national cup competitions.
Everyone at Portavogie Rangers looks forward to discovering our second-round opponents and representing the club and village on the national stage.
Further fixture and match information will be announced through the club’s official channels once confirmed.
