What you need to know about Pompey's pre-season opponents Cork City

Pompey will face Cork City as part of their pre-season preparations.
By The Newsroom
Published 2nd May 2018, 13:55 BST
Updated 2nd May 2018, 14:02 BST
Turners Cross. Picture: Cork City FCTurners Cross. Picture: Cork City FC
Turners Cross. Picture: Cork City FC

The Blues will take on the Irish outfit on Monday, July 2 and will spend six days on the Emerald Isle.Here's all you need to know about the club...

Cork City was founded in 1984, following the bankruptcy of Cork United two years earlier.

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They play their home matches at Turners Cross, a 7,365 all-seater stadium.

The Rebel Army are currently the reigning champions of the League of Ireland Premier Division.

They scooped last season's title with 76 points, finishing seven points clear of runners-up Dundalk.

Cork are currently third in the table this season on 31 points and only trail leaders Dundalk by goal difference.

The boss

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The club's current manager is John Caulfield. The New Yorker is one of Cork's greatest-ever players, netting 129 goals in 455 appearances.

Caulfield took the helm at Turners Cross in 2013 and has been a huge success.

He guided the Rebel Army to their third League of Ireland Premier Division title last season.

Cork have also clinched back-to-back FAI Cups in 2016 and 2017.

Famous players

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During their history, the Rebel Army have had a number of players who featured in the top flight of English football.

The most famous of those is Terry McDermott, who won five Division One titles and three European Cups with Liverpool.

In 1985 the England international moved to Cork from Newcastle and made seven appearances, scoring once.

After a career at Manchester United and Newcastle United, Liam O'Brien moved to Turners Cross in 1999 and scored four times in 27 appearances before joining Bohemians in 2000.

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More recently, Damien Delaney started his career at Cork City. He earned a move to Premier League side Leicester in 2000 and has played in the top flight for Crystal Palace for the past five seasons.

European history

In the 19991-92 campaign, the Rebel Army qualified for the first round of the Uefa Cup and met Bayern Munich.

They held the German giants to a famous 1-1 draw at Turners Cross in the first leg before suffering a 2-0 defeat at the Olympiastadion.

Cork also qualified for the first round of the Champions League two years later but were knocked out by Turkish outfit Galatasaray 3-1 over two legs.

The Rebel Army reached the second-qualifying stage of this campaign's Europa League but were eliminated by Cyprus side AEK Larnaca.

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