He played hurling with his school, the North Monastery, his local club Glen Rovers, and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1982 until 1986.
In 1976 Buckley was a dual county minor championship medalist as Carrigview and Mitchelstown GAA were accounted for in the finals.
Buckley subsequently joined the club's senior teams, however, he soon gave up football to concentrate on his hurling.
At the full-time whistle 'the Glen' were the champions by 4-15 to 3-13 and Buckley finally collected a county senior championship.
In 1982 Buckley made his senior championship debut, just as Cork were about to return to the big time with a new team.
Buckley started at right wing-back, however, Christy Heffernan was the hero of the day as he scored two goals in a forty second spell just before half-time.
Once again Kilkenny dominated the game, assisted by a strong wind in the first-half, and hung on in the face of a great fight-back by Cork.
Buckley continued playing with Cork for the next two years, however, he failed to regain his place on the starting fifteen.