The head coach delivered his verdict after his team secured a commanding 4-0 victory over Exeter in League One.
It enabled the Bluebirds to strengthen their push for an immediate return to the Championship, with an emphatic display that leaves them 11 points clear of the teams chasing outside the automatic promotion spots.
Barry-Murphy said the result was particularly satisfying because his squad maintained their commitment to the team’s philosophy, even after recent frustrating results.
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“It was a brilliant performance from the very start of the game,” Barry-Murphy said.
“We were clear in our intent, backed by a huge following. We wanted to give them the best possible Saturday, thankfully the players were able to do that.”
Cardiff’s attacking quality proved decisive, especially during a blistering spell midway through the first half when Rubin Colwill struck twice in the space of three minutes to effectively settle the contest.
The second-placed visitors had been frustrated earlier in the week when they were held to a 1-1 draw at Barnsley, but Barry-Murphy believed the overall approach from his players had remained consistent.
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“I think we worked hard throughout the course of the game. I think the performance, in a lot of ways, was similar to Tuesday (1-1 draw at Barnsley), but today we created the chances and converted them and Tuesday we didn’t.”
For the Cardiff boss, the most pleasing aspect was seeing his team stick to the passing principles he has insisted upon regardless of setbacks.
“I’m really just so grateful for the players that they remained so focused on playing our way, the Cardiff City way, and I suppose not showing any signs of going away from that in spite of what can be disappointing.
“I’m so grateful for the players and the mentality and character that they show every single day.”
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Cardiff’s dominance was reflected in the scoreline. After Colwill’s double had put them firmly in control, Alex Robertson added a third in the second half with a superb curling strike from 25 yards.
Substitute Callum Robinson completed the rout late on, finishing calmly three minutes from time to cap an impressive afternoon for the visitors.
Barry-Murphy also credited his squad’s preparation in the days leading up to the game, particularly after the demanding midweek trip to Barnsley.
“We trained brilliantly on Thursday after a long trip back from Barnsley. All the feelings were right and you can’t count how you’re going to come here and win.”
The Cardiff manager acknowledged the difficulty of playing at Exeter, insisting the result should not be taken for granted.
“All these games are very difficult and Exeter has always been a tough ground for away teams. But today we were really worthy winners.”
For Exeter, however, the defeat deepened a troubling run of form.
The Grecians have now gone 11 matches without a victory and sit just four points above the relegation zone, leaving head coach Matt Taylor searching for answers.
“I thought the start was OK. We were competitive and played a certain type of game to start off with and then, all of a sudden, it seemed to quickly go away from us,” Taylor said.
“We changed shape to get through the end of the first half but it didn’t make much difference. We know we can perform a lot better than that. They managed us so well and we didn’t make three or four passes with any quality in that first hour.”
Taylor acknowledged Cardiff’s finishing quality but felt his side had contributed to their own downfall by failing to react quickly enough defensively.
“There were some quality finishes in there and we didn’t shift across the pitch quickly enough to close down the space. We can congratulate the opposition, but we are frustrated and disappointed because we know we can play so much better than what we did.”
Despite the difficult run, the Exeter boss insisted his players must respond with determination rather than frustration.
“Eleven games without a win is hard and some of those defeats have been painful, but we have to do more and show more of ourselves. We need to make something happen and not feel sorry for ourselves.”
