ONE GLANCE AT William Buckley’s underage honours list with club and county makes Ben O’Connor’s early faith in him easier to understand.
Premier 1 Minor titles in both hurling and football for his club St Finbarr’s, along with All-Ireland titles at minor and U20 level with Cork. It was a matter of when, not if, that Buckley made the step up.
Those who watched him grow up in Togher never doubted it would happen. Luke McCarthy, who first coached Buckley in street leagues when he was four years old, remembers the obsession starting almost immediately.
“When he was four years of age, he was pucking the ball off the wall practising,” McCarthy says. “He was so dedicated to the game, more than anyone.”
Aidan Hegarty, another coach who worked closely with Buckley through his formative years at the Barrs, saw the same thing.
“Even from day one, he was an exceptional talent, skill-wise. His hurley was like part of his hand,” Hegarty says. “He was just exceptional really from a young age.
“I think a lot of people could see he just had a special talent to be honest. We were lucky I suppose, we had a very good team to be fair.”
The underage group St Finbarr’s had was strong, but there were two that stood out the most. One was Buckley. The other now lines out in Thomond Park.
“Ben [O’Connor] as a young lad was exceptionally physical, tough and hardy,” Hegarty says. “But the two would have been our standout two players, in a group of eight or 10 exceptionally good players.
“William would go looking for Ben in training every night to mark him.
“He’d be much smaller compared to Ben, who used to blow people away. But William just had that bit of doggedness. He was like a Jack Russell, he just wouldn’t back down from anybody.”
Year after year, Buckley continued to show it.
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“We won a Féile shield above in Galway, we beat Ballygunner in the final,” Hegarty says. “I’d say he got probably eight or 10 points in that final, he gave an exhibition.
There was never a game that he didn’t contribute on the scoreboard.”
It wasn’t just the scores he picked off, either. Throughout his underage career he was a leader, not just for the Barrs’ first team.
“He’d be at every single game,” says Luke McCarthy. “He was playing with the A team, but he’d be there to watch the B team.
“We played some tournament up in the Glen, I think it was U9s or U10s. And he came off the ferry from France and he was up there watching them [the second team]. So he’d have been always around the team. His dedication was second to none.”
There were moments, too, when Buckley’s ability even exceeded his own outrageous expectations.
“It was in the U14 Premier 1 Championship against Douglas, they would have always beaten us.
“I think we were about four points down going into added time down in Páirc Uí Rinn, and he got two goals to win it. I think that’s where he really shone. He was always a big game player, but that was the first time that he was able to prove that he was special.”
The quality followed as he continued to develop. Dónal O’Grady – Cork and St Finbarr’s great – first started working with Buckley when he was U13, and was immediately impressed by what he saw.
“William was a little wisp, if you like. He’d get the ball, and he’d be gone,” O’Grady says. “He had huge pace and a good head. He understood where to be at the right time.
“There was this chap there, Paul Downey, he was playing with the Barrs years ago,” O’Grady explains. “He was up in the club one day for something or another.
“This was going back when William might have been about U15 or U16, and he was talking about the club and about the prospects of fellas, and he said he was out at a match – he obviously didn’t know the names – but he said, ‘there was one lad, a small fella, left-handed player. Oh my God, he’s going to be a great player.’
“Now, I knew, he was talking about William. And you take that with a grain of salt. Lots of U15, U16 players don’t make it. But I think you knew from the get-go that William was destined to pull on the Cork jersey.
“He has shown in a few matches that if he can keep progressing at that rate, he’ll be a top-class player.”
Buckley’s league debut against Waterford last month was terrific. He hit 1-4 from play. Then 0-3 on his next appearance against Tipperary.
While he only managed 0-1 against Kilkenny from centre-forward on his third National League start, it was the other attributes – that he’s not as well known for – that came to the fore.
“I think the game last Sunday showed a bit of a different side to William’s game,” says Ger Cunningham, the former Cork goalkeeper and outgoing Barrs senior hurling manager, who guided the club to Premier Senior championship success in 2022, with Buckley involved.
“Obviously, you don’t have as much time on the ball at inter-county level. William’s main attribute is his accuracy. He’s very accurate when he gets an opportunity to score, from any angle.
“I think last Sunday, at inter-county level, when you don’t have as much time, his redistribution of the ball to guys when something wasn’t on for him, was really encouraging. He made a lot of space for guys around him.
“His reading of the game, his decision-making, William has plenty of confidence in his own ability because his skill levels are so good. He’s a wizard on the ball,” Cunningham says. “His touch is fantastic. I think the other attributes that we saw last Sunday, they’re adding to his game.”
The only gripe within the club was that his time to shine didn’t come sooner. He was briefly part of Pat Ryan’s winter panel last season, but didn’t make the final cut.
On his return to club action for the opening round of the Cork hurling league, he scored 0-8 from play in a victory over Glen Rovers, venting any frustration at not making the cut.
“He’ll always want to prove himself and prove you wrong. But he’s class, there’s no bitterness about losing,” McCarthy adds. “He’s got an excellent manner off the pitch. There’s a touch of class about him, he’s so dedicated to the game.”
It was of little surprise to see him called back into the setup last season for Cork’s championship meeting against Waterford. He had scored 1-32 (0-8 frees) in four club league games for the Barrs by that point.
He finished the club league campaign as the second highest scorer from play with 2-34, despite only featuring in six of a possible 10 games.
“What’s hilarious to see is when William runs at a player – and does the dummy and the shimmy – he’s been doing that since he was five and six,” McCarthy laughs. “You can’t stop it.
When William plays with freedom, he’s a huge asset to any team he’s ever played with.
“He’s very hard to stop. He’s that good at getting into space, and he’s that good at distributing the ball. I think the free role, coming out and just causing havoc, any position we’ve ever put him in, that role has always been the most damaging to any other team.
“[Their question] is how do you stop William Buckley?”
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Atititude, talent and 'a touch of class': the making of William Buckley
ONE GLANCE AT William Buckley’s underage honours list with club and county makes Ben O’Connor’s early faith in him easier to understand.
Premier 1 Minor titles in both hurling and football for his club St Finbarr’s, along with All-Ireland titles at minor and U20 level with Cork. It was a matter of when, not if, that Buckley made the step up.
Those who watched him grow up in Togher never doubted it would happen. Luke McCarthy, who first coached Buckley in street leagues when he was four years old, remembers the obsession starting almost immediately.
“When he was four years of age, he was pucking the ball off the wall practising,” McCarthy says. “He was so dedicated to the game, more than anyone.”
Aidan Hegarty, another coach who worked closely with Buckley through his formative years at the Barrs, saw the same thing.
“Even from day one, he was an exceptional talent, skill-wise. His hurley was like part of his hand,” Hegarty says. “He was just exceptional really from a young age.
“I think a lot of people could see he just had a special talent to be honest. We were lucky I suppose, we had a very good team to be fair.”
The underage group St Finbarr’s had was strong, but there were two that stood out the most. One was Buckley. The other now lines out in Thomond Park.
“Ben [O’Connor] as a young lad was exceptionally physical, tough and hardy,” Hegarty says. “But the two would have been our standout two players, in a group of eight or 10 exceptionally good players.
“William would go looking for Ben in training every night to mark him.
“He’d be much smaller compared to Ben, who used to blow people away. But William just had that bit of doggedness. He was like a Jack Russell, he just wouldn’t back down from anybody.”
Year after year, Buckley continued to show it.
“We won a Féile shield above in Galway, we beat Ballygunner in the final,” Hegarty says. “I’d say he got probably eight or 10 points in that final, he gave an exhibition.
It wasn’t just the scores he picked off, either. Throughout his underage career he was a leader, not just for the Barrs’ first team.
“He’d be at every single game,” says Luke McCarthy. “He was playing with the A team, but he’d be there to watch the B team.
“We played some tournament up in the Glen, I think it was U9s or U10s. And he came off the ferry from France and he was up there watching them [the second team]. So he’d have been always around the team. His dedication was second to none.”
There were moments, too, when Buckley’s ability even exceeded his own outrageous expectations.
“It was in the U14 Premier 1 Championship against Douglas, they would have always beaten us.
“I think we were about four points down going into added time down in Páirc Uí Rinn, and he got two goals to win it. I think that’s where he really shone. He was always a big game player, but that was the first time that he was able to prove that he was special.”
The quality followed as he continued to develop. Dónal O’Grady – Cork and St Finbarr’s great – first started working with Buckley when he was U13, and was immediately impressed by what he saw.
“William was a little wisp, if you like. He’d get the ball, and he’d be gone,” O’Grady says. “He had huge pace and a good head. He understood where to be at the right time.
“There was this chap there, Paul Downey, he was playing with the Barrs years ago,” O’Grady explains. “He was up in the club one day for something or another.
“This was going back when William might have been about U15 or U16, and he was talking about the club and about the prospects of fellas, and he said he was out at a match – he obviously didn’t know the names – but he said, ‘there was one lad, a small fella, left-handed player. Oh my God, he’s going to be a great player.’
“Now, I knew, he was talking about William. And you take that with a grain of salt. Lots of U15, U16 players don’t make it. But I think you knew from the get-go that William was destined to pull on the Cork jersey.
“He has shown in a few matches that if he can keep progressing at that rate, he’ll be a top-class player.”
Buckley’s league debut against Waterford last month was terrific. He hit 1-4 from play. Then 0-3 on his next appearance against Tipperary.
While he only managed 0-1 against Kilkenny from centre-forward on his third National League start, it was the other attributes – that he’s not as well known for – that came to the fore.
“I think the game last Sunday showed a bit of a different side to William’s game,” says Ger Cunningham, the former Cork goalkeeper and outgoing Barrs senior hurling manager, who guided the club to Premier Senior championship success in 2022, with Buckley involved.
“Obviously, you don’t have as much time on the ball at inter-county level. William’s main attribute is his accuracy. He’s very accurate when he gets an opportunity to score, from any angle.
“I think last Sunday, at inter-county level, when you don’t have as much time, his redistribution of the ball to guys when something wasn’t on for him, was really encouraging. He made a lot of space for guys around him.
“His reading of the game, his decision-making, William has plenty of confidence in his own ability because his skill levels are so good. He’s a wizard on the ball,” Cunningham says. “His touch is fantastic. I think the other attributes that we saw last Sunday, they’re adding to his game.”
The only gripe within the club was that his time to shine didn’t come sooner. He was briefly part of Pat Ryan’s winter panel last season, but didn’t make the final cut.
On his return to club action for the opening round of the Cork hurling league, he scored 0-8 from play in a victory over Glen Rovers, venting any frustration at not making the cut.
“He’ll always want to prove himself and prove you wrong. But he’s class, there’s no bitterness about losing,” McCarthy adds. “He’s got an excellent manner off the pitch. There’s a touch of class about him, he’s so dedicated to the game.”
It was of little surprise to see him called back into the setup last season for Cork’s championship meeting against Waterford. He had scored 1-32 (0-8 frees) in four club league games for the Barrs by that point.
He finished the club league campaign as the second highest scorer from play with 2-34, despite only featuring in six of a possible 10 games.
“What’s hilarious to see is when William runs at a player – and does the dummy and the shimmy – he’s been doing that since he was five and six,” McCarthy laughs. “You can’t stop it.
“He’s very hard to stop. He’s that good at getting into space, and he’s that good at distributing the ball. I think the free role, coming out and just causing havoc, any position we’ve ever put him in, that role has always been the most damaging to any other team.
“[Their question] is how do you stop William Buckley?”
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Cork hurling GAA Profile William Buckley