Cork City welcomed Derry City to Turners Cross on Friday night hoping to make it eight wins out of eight in the league, thus matching their best ever start to a League of Ireland season.
And it was never in doubt.
You could sense the buzz around the crowd as there is a belief that this team is capable of special things this season, and the win ensured that they remained six points clear of Dundalk in second place, who won 2-0 away to Finn Harps.
The opener came in the 34th minute after some great work down the wing by Stephen Dooley, with Garry Buckley in the right place at the right time to poke it home.
Garry Buckley puts Cork City 1-0 up against Derry City pic.twitter.com/eCKXm3ppz7
— Soccer Republic (@SoccRepublic) April 7, 2017
The second was scored by Karl Sheppard after a killer ball from Gearóid Morrissey.
Karl Sheppard doubles Cork's advantage at Turner's Cross pic.twitter.com/P7sVyPuW7z
— Soccer Republic (@SoccRepublic) April 7, 2017
And it would have been weird if Seani Maguire didn't get in on the act too, so he popped up to put the game beyond doubt just after the hour mark.
Derry fail to clear their lines and Sean Maguire makes it 3-0 for Cork City pic.twitter.com/CrKvNoMwO1
— Soccer Republic (@SoccRepublic) April 7, 2017
That is 10 goals in his last 10 games for Maguire going back to the Cup Final in October, exceptional form.
The confidence is oozing out of the players as they ride this wave of momentum, and with the supporters behind them they look like a daunting prospect for any side travelling to Turners Cross.
There is, of course, a long, long way to go in the season, but you do get the feeling from watching them that there's something special about Cork City this year.
