DUNDALK’S SEÁN HOARE has scooped the SSE Airtricity / Soccer Writers’ Association of Ireland Player of the Month for May.
It’s the first time Hoare has won the accolade and his announcement sees a Dundalk player take the award for the second month running after winger Michael Duffy claimed the April prize.
The 24-year-old was dominant for Stephen Kenny’s side, helping the Lilywhites to three clean sheets in a month that saw them win six of their seven fixtures. April’s winner Duffy was second in the voting while Preston North End-bound Graham Burke was third.
Speaking after collecting his award, the defender was proud of his achievement and claims that he has really settled at the club after a tough first season in 2017.
“It’s not really a regular occurrence for a defender to win so it’s a good achievement,” he said.
“Last year was a bit of a transition for me, I knew it was going to be tough coming to Dundalk and with the success they had I knew I was never going to walk straight into the team.
“It was tough, I had a few niggling injuries but this year I’ve established myself in the team and when I’m fit I’m playing. That’s all you want and for a team like Dundalk, it’s great.”
Hoare will be part of Dundalk’s squad as they face Derry City on Friday evening.
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Ruddock Leavy Heaslip O Brien Van der Flier Murphy Fardy Conan Deegan Leinster back row strength is unreal If carlsberg did backrows they would probably not be as good as Leinsters
Rare to see two players joining straight from school in Aungier and O’Sullivan.
I just don’t know how Leinster are going to keep all these backrows happy but I hope they do.
The talent level being brought through is amazing.
@Gustave H: the great thing is the talent is flowing to the first team and beyond so they must know the way to keep them all happy.
@Gustave H: Let Ulster sign them to let them get game time.
@Christiaan Theron: I don’t think it’s a case of letting them. They want to stay and fight for their place.
From what I heard Ulster went in heavily for Jack Conan and he’d no interest.
@Gustave H: True. There’s one or two that would want to do a serious bit of thinking though. It’s admirable wanting to earn the starting spot here, but playing week in week out and in Champions Cup games in Ravenhill would stand to them more than a few Pro12 games during the Six Nations. It’s a short career, and waiting in line didn’t work out for Ryan or Madigan.
Some of these kids should go on loan to Ulster and London Irish
@Aidan O: They don’t want to.
@Lf: Shows how ambitious they are. Every player knows they have to play regular on the 23 for a province to get capped.
@Christiaan Theron: You’re right Christian, it does show how ambitious they are. Instead of moving to another lesser side backing yourself to get into a team packed full of talent that’s more likely to challenge for trophies shows serious ambition and confidence.
@Christiaan Theron: Heaslip, O’Brien, Leavy, Murphy, Van der Flier, Conan and Ruddock. All Irish internationals
@Oval Digest: You mean like Marty Moore and Ian Madigan now presently lost to the Irish national side.
@Christiaan Theron: did James Ryan not get capped for Ireland before playing for Leinster?
@Christiaan Theron: Haha those support my point! Both stayed and were in the Irish squad, when they left they were found out a bit and left out.
Why would you want to head to Ulster or London Irish if you were an ambitious, talented player from Leinster?
If anything, it would show a lack of ambition to move.
@Christiaan Theron: Ulster should try developing their own players instead of relying on Saffers and other provinces.