THE SIX NOMINEES for May’s SSE Airtricity League Player of the Month award have been announced, with two players from both Cork City and Derry City making the shortlist along with one each from Dublin clubs Shamrock Rovers and St. Patrick’s Athletic.
Sean Maguire
Maguire’s season-long form has earned him a move to the Championship where he will join former Dundalk duo Daryl Horgan and Andy Boyle at Preston North End in July.
The forward has scored 16 goals in 17 games so far this season, with three coming in the month of May.
Another three came on 2 June when he bagged a sensational hattrick against former club Dundalk in front of Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane in Oriel Park.
Darragh Markey
Markey has been a revelation in an otherwise disappointing first half to the season for St. Pat’s.
The midfielder betrays a false sense of vulnerability due to his slight frame and height, but makes up for it with an incredible first touch, speed, turn of pace and dribbling ability.
The 20-year-old has had to bide his time to find a place in manager Liam Buckley’s starting eleven but is now one of the the first name’s on the team sheet in midfield each week for the Saints.
Markey did not score or assist in the month of May but has been the sole standout performer in midfield for St Pat’s as they languish in 11th spot in the Premier Division.
Ryan Delaney
Delaney has been a rock in defence for Cork City since being loaned out by Burton Albion at the beginning of the season.
So good has his form been that manager John Caulfield may have to be prepare for the former Wexford Youths centre back to depart again soon.
Delaney scored more goals than any other player on today’s shortlist despite being a central defender. The 20-year-old bagged braces against Finn Harps and Shamrock Rovers as the Leesiders won all six of their league fixtures in May.
Aaron Barry
24-year-old Barry scored in a 1-1 draw versus Limerick as Derry maintained their unbeaten streak throughout May.
Following three consecutive defeats in April Kenny Shiels’ side have gone unbeaten since mid-April, securing wins against Bohemians, Shamrock Rovers and Galway to move up to third spot, just three points behind champions Dundalk in second.
The 24-year-old has impressed for the Candystipes since returning from a spell at Sheffield United in 2014.
The midfielder has had a brilliant campaign at Maginn Park in 2017 in midfield after he was forced to end his season early last September to undergo surgery on a troublesome hip.
Trevor Clarke
Much like Markey to St. Pat’s, teenager Trevor Clarke has put on outstanding performances each week he has taken to the field as Shamrock Rovers endured a mixed bag of results in May.
The Hoops remain outside of the European places at the halfway stage of the campaign, however a constant source of pride and praise for manager Stephen Bradley has been 19-year-old Clarke.
Displaying performances of grit and determination, demonstrating dribbling skills on the flank and defensive discipline Clarke has been his side’s standout performer in the opening half of the season.
Perhaps Clarke’s greatest asset has been his flexibility for Rovers this season. Normally used by manager Bradley at left-back Clarke has played a more attacking role on the left wing in games against Drogheda United and St. Pat’s this month.
His manager has admitted it will not be long before the player earns a senior international call up. He hit a stunning opener in Rovers’ eventual 4-1 defeat to Cork City and also scored in their 2-0 Dublin derby win over Bohemians last month.
Aaron McEneff
Derry have recovered from a poor run of results during March and April to reclaim third spot in the Premier Division and may even have sights on second if their form continues, thanks in large part to playmaker Aaron McEneff.
McEneff has six goals in 17 games this season alongside a host of assists as Derry secured three wins, four draws and no defeats in May with the 21-year-old leading their attacking line admirably.
He scored two goals, including a stoppage time winner when Derry defeated Shamrock Rovers 2-1 on 19 May while also scoring another penalty in a 2-0 victory over Bohemians two weeks before.
The winner of the SWAI/SSE Airtricity Player of the Month award will be announced on Friday.
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So excited for this!
COYBIG
Come on the boy’s x x x We know u can do it x x x
Speaking of, the Defence Forces have a great pic up on Facebook of the other boys in green, about to watch the match with fellow English soldiers in Mali. The game has changed over the last century and so have our countries but moments like this still resonate.
Greay try by Kearney. Go on lads
fishing for green thumbs fergal with comments like that
19-16 to Ireland would be apt :)
Why?
I’m horribly nervous. Just hope we can produce the goods. It would be great to destroy these on their home turf :-)
A one point victory will do me. I think it will be very close.
Not gonna happen. Think Ireland will be horribly exposed today! This English side are on the verge of something very special! I really fear for us today.
Agree.
England are stronger in back row, locks & centre.
Care is a better scrum half than Murray.
Very unpopular opinion but I too agree I feel they’ll total expose O’Driscoll and Ireland will crumble.
From what I have seen in the first 30 odd minutes its only a matter of time before they cross our lines. Saying that we do have some pretty moves from the training ground. A 5 point game at the very most!
We have to get rid of “Ireland’s Call” the lack of passion from our lads compared to the English tells you everything
Should have been a yellow to Farrell.
Some unbelievably stupid play by ireland though. Kearney and Sexton kicking away possession when o the fringes of the english 22. Madness
That wasn’t a yellow card. Looks worse the more you watch it. A penalty and no more.
Rubbish.
Even Jeremy Guscott on the bbc said Farrell was lucky to not get a card.
Lads let’s face it we blew ourselves up to be world beaters when we “nearly ” beat New Zealand and beat a poor enough Wales team even though we easily could have came out winners today maybe we just aren’t as good as we thought we were yet but still great chance to win it out still if we beat France due to score difference
Ireland’s back line were out of ideas today, Sexton and O’Driscoll were poor and, apart from the Kearney try, in the second half we were very static.
To ask people to stand for the national anthems and then play irelands call is a disgrace
What do you suggest ?
Accidentally put me green jocks on inside out today. Leaving them that way now. Don’t want to tempt fate.
You’re worse than me darren
Sexton made another stupid mistake kicking out on the full. You get away with that kind of stuff for Leinster but not at this level in a tight game like that. Thought rob Kearney played well, but the best player on the field by a country mile was mike brown. One of the players of the championship so far.
True but it does help when Sexton kept kicking the ball to Brown
Sexton lost it for us
Ireland’s kicking from opening play was aimless and England’s defence was brilliant. The six nations has been blown wide open.
Disaster, that game was there to be won. Ireland hadn’t the ideas or pace in the backs. Sexton had a poor game. we needed a bowe or a Zebo to offer something different in attack
I presume as this is an away game that we will have to suffer a rendition of Ireland’s Call.
It’s a disgrace that we do not sing our National Anthem against England at Twickenham.
Yet another example of the majority losing out to keep the minority happy.
Anyway do the business Ireland.
Leave it to political pages pal…
words fail me..:(
Ill discuss it with you when you use your real name
This is rugby not soccer.doesnt matter what religion or where you come from.its the all of Ireland rugby team
As we’re an all Ireland team we could theoretically replace it with God Save the Queen if you’d prefer….
Schmidt’s honeymoon period is well and truly over…….not because we lost to a mediocre English team in a mediocre six nations, but because we played with absolutely no plan. Again another irish team scared of the ball and no line breakers in the team….Gilroy and Zebo sitting at home makes even less sense now!
England aren’t mediocre, not brilliant but definitely not mediocre
All rugby in the northern hemisphere is mediocre, only France ( if they get a new coach ) will compete at 2015 and although I thought we weren’t too far behind New Zealand, South Africa and even Australia I’m afraid after that it just proves we are miles behind….as ever world class individuals who can produce one off performances and that’s it.
Disappointed. No plan B. Nobody on bench to change things up.
We lost the battle up front having left ryan and tod at home. Having said that toner and hendo were very good. Poc was poor. But this was always going to be one up front and they dominated us.
Poor tactical kicking throughout.
We were lucky to only be three down at half time. But the better team won.
Still we have a great chance of a championship.
Typical did ye never think of a drop goal boys?
No Rodge. Sexton is brain dead.
Sexton 0. All Blacks 1; England 1
Ffs sexton…
Bring back ROG !!!
True. Sexton is shocking.
Zebo if only!!!!
I’m at a loss….what’s the tactics? kick it to the best counter attacking fullback in Europe??? Give the ball to static forwards around the fringes?? C’mon joe we need a drastic rethink at the break.
Ireland to win 15-12 no try’s in this game got 66/1 €20 on.
No you didn’t !!! That bet isn’t possible and predicting the score in rugby matches should be at least 500/1+
Bet is possible if you want. If you ring up Paddypower for a quote.
Mug Punter
I have every confidence Ireland will win today …. And so do the English
Still Confident !
Bottled it once again.
Give the opposition the ball and they will win..simples
yep its very frustrating to watch can only imagine what the forwards must feel like
England 12 Ireland 29
Absolutely gutted but two wins and we win the championship. Would have taken that at the beginning of the tournament
I seen the English players do their pre-planned short walk through the fans on the BBC, but I don’t think it had the desired effect it seemed pretty sedate to me.
They need something to encourage all those non-English players in their side!
George hook looks like a dodgy 70s cabaret singer…..george hook at the sands
I know wtf. Are there no mirrors in rte.
Wouldn’t like to be Billy Vunipola that looked at sore one.
what happened to him ??
He went over on his ankle and with a 19+ stone frame it really doesn’t help.
If only we had someone now who can make things happen, someone with that bit of a spark, the x-factor. But hey, Joe knows best.
The golden generation has blown it every single time bar one when the chips were on the table. They’re at it again now. Twenty minutes to schite or get off the pot.
How many times was there a boot or a hand on the ground from England and joubert did fk all
I can’t stand losing to England…..
I’m backing England to slay the potato men.
If your with me give me the red thumb :)
Is your name an anagram for your profession?
Ireland to win.
Let’s brake some faces…drunk
Whatever happens from here, surely Schmidt’s honeymoon period is well and truly over.
Sexton’s pointless kicking lost us the game. Anytime we had a good position he tried to chip it over England
Devin Toner’s having a great match so far, sorry I ever doubted him!
Me nerves can’t take it!
This is our year we are good enough
There’re definitely be a few try’s.
Try number 1.
Come on Ireland
Championship is still there to be won, run up a good score against Italy and beat France and it’s basically done. Too much emphasis on grand slams, to finish top of the 6 Nations is an achievement with or without grand slams
The referee gave them everything. A bloody disgrace
Best team won unfortunately
As much I don’t like Joubert thought he was fair enough today
I don’t think he managed the mauls well. Ireland did not engage at the first lineout that england won so it wasn’t a maul. Joubert should have blown for obstruction.
They also came in from the side on numerous occasions without sanction
Yeh I’d agree with that assessment. How it wasn’t offside is beyond me!
Can’t wait to see o’mahony singing the national anthem
You won’t. They don’t do amhrain na fhiann when we’re playing away
You will have to wait till the Italy game for that.
That johnny may is shocking. Why are we targeting him
The pessimist in me is predicting an England win.
Eng by 5 points
The English back row & centres to dominate Ireland in the middle.
looks like you were right. We were very poor in attack
Ireland will win by 3 points
England are using Danny Care to clear out POM before the england pack gets there, that’s clever play.
Ireland by 8
Come on Ireland. Excited now. Let’s have ya triple crown! :-)
The egg chasing bandwagoners will be out in full force today
All Ireland anyone?
Red thumbs please
48% of play in Ireland’s 22 in opening ten minutes that’s not good. However we did well to stop them from scoring early on.
Very disappointing. A tough game as imagined before hand but lazy and devoid of ideas in places. Heaslip shows again that he is our weakest forward. Very lazy today in the end . could be tiredness but he’s a professional player in Twickenham and the games in the balance with 15 to go. Hopefully though we’ll pick ourselves for the next match
YES! YES! YES!!!! FAB SCORE. WELL DONE Rob
#inBODwetrust
Alot of cauliflower ears on display here from England.
It’s been a long two weeks! COME ON IRELAND!
ENGLAND FTW!
In the lead now!
Boom baby!!!!
Time in Toronto is 10:47a m.
What time is kick off?
Starts at 16:00 GMT so that would be 11am in Toronto.
Cmon Ireland
Feeling nervous about this one folks I predicted last week it woukd be 35-5 to Ireland this one predicting 14-19 ireland.
Is it just me or are we far FAR too keen on cross field kicking/kicking through? Seriously, for every instance when these tactics work there’s ten times when they don’t, I think sometimes we’d be far better just keeping the f*cking ball in hand and going through the phases…
Next score wins… :-/
Nail biter, could be 13-0 so 3-0 is not too bad.
I think we are going to own the breakdown the rest is history