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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Michael Scully

Cork City announce Liam Buckley and interim team to remain in situ for rest of the season

Cork City's interim management team - led by Liam Buckley - will remain in situ until the end of the season.

Colin Healy stepped down from the hot-seat in early May and the Leesiders enjoyed an upsurge in fortunes before the summer break.

City won four of their last five games coming into the mid-season hiatus, although they have lost two in a row either side of the break, to Dundalk and Derry City.

READ MORE: 'We're Cork City, we want to be back where we should be' - interim boss Richie Holland

Buckley, as Sporting Director, has helped the club back into the mix to avoid a relegation play-off and this announcement comes ahead of Friday night's six-pointer against Drogheda United at Turner's Cross.

The former Shamrock Rovers, St Pat's and Sligo Rovers boss has overall responsibility for football matters.

The management team also comprises assistant manager Richie Holland, head of academy Liam Kearney, first team coach Declan Coleman and goalkeeping coach Anthony Fennelly.

Speaking this afternoon, Buckley outlined the reason why the interim team is remaining in place.

“That search (for a new manager), we’ve gone through quite a few applications," said the 63-year-old, who had asked Healy to stay on.

"We’ve spoken to one or two seriously and it didn’t work out. We’re still looking.

"I’m still looking along with other members of the board, but it’s just further down the line now.

"While that was all going on, we picked up a few results and from the board’s point of view, we had a chat and we made a decision that myself and the lads would see it through to the end of the season and see where we go from there.

"Hopefully we can pick enough points to move up the table and get a Cup run."

When Buckley joined Cork he envisaged a two or three day week but he admits that he is now working a full and busy week in the changed role.

"Yeah, it hasn't been easy I'd say," he admitted.

"At the moment I'm still residing in Dublin, I use a hotel down here, the Cork Airport Hotel, and it's great, but the amount of time has gone through the roof.

"But that said, that's secondary. What comes first is that we want to make sure we get the best out of the group that we have and if we do, I want to see us up the table.

"When I came in at the start, I’ll be straight, I wouldn’t have known much about a lot of the players in Cork, I know a lot more now.

"So from where we’re at, I want to see it through to the end of the season now we’ve made that commitment to it.

"The player recruitment aspect to what I was originally going to be doing was two or three days a week, it was just to help out in that area. Now it's every day of the week.

"It’s morphed into this scenario that I didn’t see coming.

"I do get up and down to Dublin every so often but it's busy. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I love the job, I love what I do.

"I love the players playing well and I love the staff enjoying the training and getting the best out of people, and that's what's happening."

Cork City owner Dermot Usher said: “Everyone at the club has been pleased with recent results and performances.

"It has been a real team effort with everyone pulling in the same direction, and we have been very happy with how it is going.

"We have an excellent management team, headed by Liam Buckley, and we are confident that this approach will continue to bear fruit for the club.

"We have therefore decided that the current management team will remain in place until the end of the season.

"We look forward now to Friday night’s game at home to Drogheda United and, hopefully, another big crowd at Turner’s Cross as we aim to keep our good form going."

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