SSE AIRTRICITY LEAGUE Premier Division champions Cork City have completed the signing of versatile Irish defender Danny Kane.
A 20-year-old Dubliner who came through the ranks at Cherry Orchard, Kane moves to Cork having spent four-and-a-half years with Huddersfield Town.
After being unable to make a first-team breakthrough at the English Premier League club, he has been granted an early release from his contract, which was due to expire this summer.
Normally a central defender, Kane has started at right-back in all but one of the Republic of Ireland’s five Uefa U21 European Championship qualifiers in the past 12 months. He played on the left side of the back four in the 3-1 win away to Azerbaijan in September.
He also featured for Cork City as a holding midfielder in the second half of a 1-0 pre-season friendly win over Cobh Ramblers at St Colman’s Park earlier this month.
“I am delighted to get it over the line and sign for the best club in Ireland. I am really looking forward to getting started,” he said.
“I know Ryan Delaney well from the Ireland Under 21s and he said it was a great set-up here, which I already knew. I watched the cup final last year online and I was impressed with the standard. I’ve been very impressed with the standard in training as well.”
“I want to try and break into the starting eleven. It is going to be difficult, there are a lot of good players here. When I break into that eleven, I want to win trophies; I came here to win things.”
Kane — Ireland’s U17 international player of the year in 2014 — is the fourth new defender signed ahead of the 2018 season by Cork City, who won the first double in their history last November by defeating Dundalk on penalties in the FAI Cup final.
Centre-back Aaron Barry has made the move south from Derry City, while right-backs Tobi Adebayo-Rowling and Colm Horgan have transferred from Sligo Rovers and Galway United respectively.
City boss John Caulfield added: “Danny is an Irish Under 21 international with a great pedigree. He can play centre back, full back or as a holding midfielder and he is a very good footballer. He hasn’t played much senior football, but he is over here with an opportunity to develop himself and compete for a first team position.
“He is ambitious and wants to progress play at the highest level he can, so he will come in here and see can he break into the first team here. His attitude is fantastic, and he has blended in well here. He is another young player we have signed at a great age, with his whole career ahead of him, and the opportunity is there for him to develop and progress.”
Cork City will start their season by aiming to win their third successive President’s Cup at the expense of Dundalk at Oriel Park on Sunday, 11 February. Their Premier Division title defence will begin with a trip to face St Patrick’s Athletic the following Friday.
