With 15 minutes remaining in the match, substitute Karl Sheppard skipped past a couple of his markers down the right-hand side and whipped in a hopeful cross. Initially, Garry Buckley had second thoughts about making the run but with the manager’s i
With 15 minutes remaining in the match, substitute Karl Sheppard skipped past a couple of his markers down the right-hand side and whipped in a hopeful cross.
Initially, Garry Buckley had second thoughts about making the run but with the manager’s instructions echoing in his mind he surged forward.
He was soon rewarded as he got on the end of Sheppard’s delivery and calmly headed the ball home at the back post to make it Cork City 4 Bray Wanderers 0, netting his first goal in three months in the process.
“John (Caulfield) is almost harping on to me about getting to that back post,” admitted Buckley moments after full time.
“I wasn’t even going to go that time, I said my legs are a bit sore, but I made the gamble and it paid off.
“To be fair to Shep, he did very well down the wing. He skinned one or two fellas and put a good ball in and I got good contact on it.
“It’s my job, playing as an attacking midfielder, to score goals so hopefully this is the start of something.
“That was my first goal since the Waterford game at home so like I said hopefully this will kick me on.
“I always get chances in most games so I took one tonight and hopefully now I can start kicking on because in my position I always score goals but I need to add more to my game.”
With Dundalk winning and Waterford losing, the Champions knew a win at Turner’s Cross against the bottom side would see the gap to the Lilywhites remain at two points while also opening up a five-point lead over their Munster rivals in third, having played a game less than both.
Goals from Sean McLoughlin and Graham Cummins, both following Buckley’s strike, ensured the scoreline reflected the gulf in quality between the two teams on Friday night.
But Buckley, who also picked up the man of the match award, insisted afterwards that the opening goal from Jimmy Keohane after just four minutes was crucial in his side securing the comfortable victory.
“I suppose it was a good game. We started it well, we said before the game that we needed an early goal because the crowd are going to come and expect us to win against the bottom team,” added the 24-year-old.
“But it doesn’t happen like that. Every game is tough but we knew if we made a good start we would do well so we got a good goal jimmy (Keohane) made a good move and that set us up for the rest of the game.
“We knew once we got the first goal, we knew we were going to keep a clean sheet, it’s what we do most weeks so once we kept it solid we knew we’d get chances and we took them so it was pleasing.”
