Seagulls suffer a spanking in their final Premier encounter
the drive and kept it in his grasp.
Buckley and Sadlier then both threatened to double City’s lead before Conor Kenna spurned a rare chance for Bray but the Seagulls skipper could only nudge Sean Harding’s cross into the gloves of Mark McNulty.
One finally became two a minute shy of the half hour mark. Left-back Shane Griffin stormed forward down the wing and drove into the penalty area before calmly feeding it to Morrissey to dispatch it to the net.
City’s third would follow on 34 minutes and it was the pick of the bunch as Sadlier fired a rocket past Moran from distance that beautifully thudded in off the post.
Just like against Bohemians seven days earlier, Wanderers would find themselves trailing by four goals by half-time. Griffin was again involved in the set-up although this time his role was less active; his cross was batted away by Moran but only as far as McNamee who buried his shot to the roof of the net.
With two goals already to his name, Sadlier wrapped up his hat-trick just two minutes into the second period as he drilled home Griffin’s cut-back.
The visitors slightly rained on Cork’s parade as they pulled a goal back by the 49th minute. Jake Ellis scampered onto a ball over the top and got the better of McNulty meaning that Bray’s youngest ever goalscorer has the same number of league goals as Roberto Firmino (two) at the time of writing.
There was to be no miraculous comeback for the relegated Seagulls though and they were
Mixed Fourball winners: Des Hinchin, Marie Quinn. fortunate not to ship a sixth as Graham Cummins nodded against the crossbar from close-range when he should have scored.
Evan Moran then came to the rescue for Bray when he spread himself well to deny Cian Murphy who had been set through oneon-one by Sadlier.
No more punishment came the way of Gary Cronin’s men and one couldn’t help but think of a certain Simpsons meme (‘stop, stop - they’re already dead!’) as the goals flew in at Turner’s Cross. Cork City must now plan for an FAI Cup final but Bray Wanderers face a tougher task; a squad overhaul which will give them the fresh start they crave in the 2019 First Division.
1. Mark McNulty;
8. Conor McCormack, 3. Alan Bennett, 29. Sean McLoughlin, 20. Shane Griffin; 6. Gearoid Morrissey, 26. Garry Buckley; 11. Kieran Sadlier, 25. Barry McNamee, 10. Steven Beattie; 9. Graham Cummins. Subs: Cian Murphy for Buckley (H/T); Aaron Barry for Morrissey (55); Conor McCarthy for Beattie (56). Not used: Peter Cherrie, Jimmy Keohane, Damien Delaney, Ronan Coughlan.
29. Evan Moran; 25. Cian Walsh, 4. Conor Kenna, 5. Sean Heaney, 3. Kevin Lynch; 31. Sean Harding, 6. Paul O’Conor, 8. John Sullivan, 22. Darragh Noone; 24. Jake Ellis, 9. Ger Pender. Subs: Jake Kelly for Ellis (70); Cian Maher for Harding (75); Rhys Gorman for Noone (85). Not used: Mark O’Connor, Dylan Hayes, Darragh Gibbons, Jamie Crilly.
Sean Grant. Turner’s Cross, Cork.
Cork City: Bray Wanderers: Referee: Venue: