Cork City made it four wins out of four in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division as they defeated Waterford 3-0 in the Munster Derby at Turner’s Cross.
Goals from Garry Buckley, Graham Cummins and Kieran Sadlier was enough to earn City the victory that sees them remain just two points behind Dundalk in the race for the title although they still have a game in hand.
Waterford made one change to the side that humbled Derry City 4-0 at the Regional Sports Centre last Friday evening with John Martin replacing Derek Daly in midfield.
And they ought to have taken the lead after just five minutes as the magnificent Bastien Hery sent Ismahil Akinade through on goal with a superb defence-splitting pass but the striker sent his weak effort straight at Mark McNulty.
City also made just the one change to the side that defeated St Pat’s 3-1 at Richmond Park last time out as Barry McNamee took the starting berth from Karl Sheppard.
Kieran Sadlier, fresh from scoring twice in that match including an incredible effort from his own penalty area, almost grabbed another goal of the season contender just shy of the quarter of an hour mark.
The winger cut in from the left before firing an ambitious effort towards goal but Waterford keeper Lawrence Vigouroux, playing his last match for the club before his loan deal from Swindon Town ends, did well to tip the ball over his crossbar.
McNamee went even closer to edging City into the lead with 27 minutes on the clock but he was unfortunate to see his powerful shot from distance cannon off the upright.
Graham Cummins twice threatened as the half progressed but he couldn’t beat the visiting shot-stopper with either of his attempts.
But deep into injury time at the end of the first half, the Champions ended the stalemate as Garry Buckley netted his fourth goal in four games as he bundled the ball home from close range after Barry McNamee’s hopeful free deflected into his path.
The Leesiders looked in complete control of proceedings in the second period and they duly doubled their advantage with 15 minutes remaining.
The recently introduced Karl Sheppard picked out the run of Graham Cummins in the middle and the striker was on hand to head in his tenth league goal of the season from a few yards.
The duo were also involved in City’s third moments later as Cummins nodded Sheppard’s cross to the back post into the path of Kieran Sadlier and he drilled the ball into the bottom left corner.
Sheppard went close to netting late on but he was unlucky to see his shot strike the inside of the far left post before Sadlier almost missed when bearing down on goal.
But it was of little consequence as City march on and now sit 11 points clear of their second-placed opponents having played a game fewer.
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Colm Horgan, Alan Bennett, Sean McLoughlin, Shane Griffin; Conor McCormack (Steven Beattie 78), Jimmy Keohane; Barry McNamee (Karl Sheppard 65), Garry Buckley, Kieran Sadlier; Graham Cummins (Josh O’Hanlon 82).
Waterford: Lawrence Vigouroux; Rory Feely, Kenny Browne, David Webster, Dylan Barrett; Bastien Hery, Gavan Holohan, Faysel Kasmi (Dean Walsh 78), John Martin; Courtney Duffus, Ismahil Akinade.
