Pompey rule as Delaney returns

Kevin Galvin

Cork City 1 Portsmouth FC 4

After 18 years, nine international caps, and 128 appearances in England’s top flight, Damien Delaney made his return to Cork City, as they suffered a 4-1 defeat to visiting Portsmouth FC at Turner’s Cross yesterday evening.

When the Blackrock native left Leeside at the turn of the millenium, he was a raw talent, picked up for just £68k. Last night he returned the star attraction, having been captain of Premier League side Crystal Palace for the last three years.

And a few gorgeous early touches had the expectant home crowd crooning less than 10 minutes into the game.

(It was) great for Damien to get a run out because he needs to get back into the pace of the game here” said City boss John Caulfield. “Obviously we’ll be looking to get him involved as soon as possible, but we’ll have to see and weigh it up tomorrow (whether he plays on Friday against Shamrock Rovers).

However not the perfect start, as the League 1 side — save for the occasional City skirmish — dominated this encounter from pillar to post, and at times looked like they were toying with their League of Ireland opponents, taking the lead after 20 minutes, as Gareth Evans’ inswinging corner was powered home by the head of Christian Burgess.

And moments later the visitors doubled their advantage, Pittman with a delicious scoop to feed the onrushing Jamal Lowe, who rolled the ball past a stranded Cherrie with ease, just inside the left-hand upright.

“Champions League? You’re having a laugh!” the strong visiting support began to taunt.

The Leesiders did get one back as Josh O’Hanlon bundled over John Kavanagh’s low cross at the second time of asking, but the single-goal deficit would last just five minutes, as a mistake by Danny Kane on the halfway line allowed Oliver Hawkins to cleverly play in Conor Chaplin with a tidy reverse ball to smash home.

Delaney took his bow just over an hour to an encouraging applause from the home support, but the biggest cheer was reserved for former captain Johnny Dunleavy, making his first appearance since a devastating cruciate ligament injury sustained over 12 months ago.

Still time for Chaplin to grab his second, rifling a shot with his left foot into the far corner of the net, leaving City ‘keeper Cherrie rooted to the spot.

CORK CITY: P Cherrie (A Cantwell 82); D Kane, C McCarthy (C Kennedy 46), D Delaney (C Murphy 60), A Barry; P Phillips, G Buckley (R Hurley 68); J Kavanagh (J Dunleavy 68), S Beattie (A Campion 46), S Daly-Butz (R O’Sullivan 82); J O’Hanlon (A Byrne).

PORTSMOUTH 1st Half: C McGillivay; N Thompson, C Burgess, M Clarke, L Brown; G Evans, T Naylor, D Rose, R Curtis; J Lowe; B Pittman.

PORTSMOUTH 2nd Half: L McGee; J Dandy, M Casey, J Whatmough, B Haustrup; A May, F Reid; D Smith, C Chaplin, L Dennis; O Hawkins.

Referee: G Kelly (Cork).