Portadown 1 - Cork City 1: Cork City got off to a stuttering start in their Setanta Cup campaign with a share of the spoils at Shamrock Park last night.
John O'Flynn put the Munster men ahead midway through the first half, with Darren Kelly replying in the dying seconds of the half.
The home side dominated proceedings during the first period and Cork were in the ascendancy after the break - a draw was a fitting outcome.
City goalkeeper Michael Devine, declared fit shortly before the kick-off, was almost the villain of the piece on 15 minutes when he dropped a Keith O'Hara cross onto his goal line, but Danny Murphy booted it clear. Then he turned hero when he made a save low to his left from McCann, after Henry McStay sent the number 11 clear.
City's first chance came on 20 minutes when a poor back-header by McStay let Neale Fenn in and David Miskelly saved at his feet, but a minute later the Cork men went ahead through John O'Flynn.
Neale Fenn threaded the ball through for O'Flynn to slot home from close in, with the Portadown defence in a real mix-up.
Cork could have doubled their lead on 43 minutes when Roy O'Donovan cut through the Ports' defence, but a superb block by Darren Kelly repelled the effort.
And just as the interval whistle was due, Portadown drew level via the head of Kelly when he rose high at the far post to nod home a cross from the right by Richard Clarke from about four yards.
The second half took time to liven up and the first shot came on 62 minutes when O'Flynn whipped in one from 20 yards, but it narrowly missed Miskelly's left post.
Cork were pressing hard, and O'Callaghan should have restored their lead on 65 minutes when he ran onto a Fenn pass, but bulged the side-netting with a goal at his mercy.
Portadown nearly snatched a breakaway goal when Neill was hounded away by three defenders, and at the other end a Murphy effort from 25 yards was deflected inches over the top by a Ports' defender. Then Devine saved superbly when Clarke let fly from 20 yards.
PORTADOWN: Miskelly, McStay, O'Hara, Clarke, Convery, Kelly, Boyle, Collins, McCann, Neill, Marks. Subs: Murphy, Craig, Alderdice, Quinn Teggart, Baker, Liggett.
CORK CITY: Devine, Murphy, Bennett, Murray, O'Brien, Fenn, O'Flynn, O'Donovan, O'Callaghan, Gamble, Horgan. Subs: Woods, Softic, Behan, Guthrie, Harrington, Nolan, Lally.
Referee: Stephen Weatherall (Belfast)
