| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John McGovern | ||
| Date of birth | 17 October 2002 | ||
| Place of birth | Newry, Northern Ireland | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Shamrock Rovers | ||
| Number | 88 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2019 | Windmill Stars | ||
| 2019 | Newry City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019–2024 | Newry City | 94 | (18) |
| 2024–2025 | Dungannon Swifts | 34 | (13) |
| 2025– | Shamrock Rovers | 4 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2019 | Northern Ireland U19 | 2 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | Northern Ireland U21 | 7 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 09:59, 10 September 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 16:36, 22 July 2025 (UTC) | |||
John McGovern (born 17 October 2002) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a striker for League of Ireland Premier Division club Shamrock Rovers.
Newry, County Down native McGovern began playing football with local club Windmill Stars, before moving to Newry City in 2019. [1]
On 31 July 2019, McGovern signed for NIFL Championship club Newry City's senior team, despite being just 16 years of age. [2] On 31 August 2019, he scored the first goal of his senior career, in a 2–2 draw at home to Knockbreda. [3] He scored 9 goals in 33 appearances to help the club win the 2021–22 NIFL Championship to win promotion to the NIFL Premiership. [4] On 24 November 2023, he played alongside his younger brother Paul, who was aged 15, for the first time, in a 3–0 defeat to Glenavon. [5] He departed his hometown club in the summer of 2024 after they were relegated to the NIFL Championship. [6]
On 12 June 2024, McGovern signed for NIFL Premiership club Dungannon Swifts on a two-year-contract. [7] On 3 May 2025, McGovern scored in the final of the 2024–25 Irish Cup as his side defeated Cliftonville on penalties after a 1–1 draw at Windsor Park. [8] He scored 20 goals in 41 appearances in all competitions in his first season with the club. [9]
On 27 May 2025, it was announced that McGovern had signed for League of Ireland Premier Division club Shamrock Rovers for an undisclosed fee, with the transfer officially going through on 1 July 2025. [10] [11] [12] He scored his first goal for the club in a 4–0 victory away to Gibraltarian side St Joseph's in the UEFA Conference League second qualifying round on 24 July 2025. [13]
In 2019, McGovern was capped twice for the Northern Ireland U19 side, before receiving 7 caps for the Northern Ireland U21 side from 2021 to 2022. [14]
He is the older brother of fellow professional footballer Paul McGovern who plays in the NIFL Premiership, with the pair previously having played together for Newry City. [5] McGovern is a former member of the Down GAA senior Gaelic football team, winning the Tailteann Cup in 2024. [15] [16] [17] He has completed a degree in Business and IT at Queen's University Belfast, graduating in 2025. [15]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup [a] | League Cup [b] | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Newry City | 2019–20 | NIFL Championship | 22 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 22 | 4 | ||
| 2021–22 | 33 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 37 | 9 | ||||
| 2022–23 | NIFL Premiership | 18 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 19 | 5 | |||
| 2023–24 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 23 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 94 | 18 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 106 | 19 | ||||
| Dungannon Swifts | 2024–25 | NIFL Premiership | 34 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | – | – | 41 | 20 | ||
| Shamrock Rovers | 2025 | LOI Premier Division | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | – | 3 [c] | 1 | – | 10 | 2 | ||
| Career total | 132 | 31 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 152 | 41 | ||