Cork City striker Ruairí Keating has been voted the SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month for September.
Keating scored five goals in five appearances for the Leesiders despite their Premier Division struggles.
Including an injury time winner against Wexford that sent Cork into the last four of the FAI Cup. Keating had earlier set up Malik Dijksteel for the equalising goal in that game.
The in-form forward also hit a career first hat-trick in the league win against Sligo Rovers at the start of the month. Also netted a penalty away to Shelbourne. Five goals marks a best ever goal scoring month for the player.
Keating returned to the side in mid-August after a leave of absence taken following the tragic death of his father Ciarán in July.
"It's a great achievement to win the Player of the Month award and it's a very proud moment for me and my family” said Keating. “I'm really, really delighted."
The striker has netted 12 league goals this term, just one fewer than leading goalscorers Chris Forrester and Jonathan Afolabi. The Cork striker hasn't given up hope of finishing the season top of the charts.
"It would be a proud moment for me to win the Golden Boot” declared Keating. “It wasn't a goal of mine at the start of the season or anything like that”.
“I just wanted to play as much as I could and score as many goals as I could. We have four games left and I'm one off it so it's definitely something I'm chasing towards the end”.
“It would be lovely to have my name on it”.
Soccer writers choose Keating
Keating was a popular choice in the vote among Soccer Writers Ireland members, beating in-form Derry City midfielder Will Patching, who finished in second place.
Galway United talisman Stephen Walsh, who last month helped secure his team the First Division title and a place in the FAI Cup semi-finals, was third.
Keating, has already matched his goalscoring tally from the 2022 season, when he helped Cork to promotion. The striker was previously nominated for the award in March this year when Ali Coote claimed the prize.
"We did brilliantly last year to get promoted and we knew it wasn't going to be easy; that transition to better teams and tougher games” explained Keating. “You get punished for mistakes, it's a very good league”.
"I think we've done well. A lot has gone on this year, it's been very difficult and we've been up and down”.
“But I think at the end of it you could say we were one game away from a cup final and secured our Premier Division status for next year, you'd be delighted."
Keating also paid tribute to interim Cork City boss Richie Holland, who took over first team duties until the end of the season last month.
"Richie has been great with everybody. He understands the players, he's worked with us all for a very long time. It's been great for us to strip it back to basics and just get playing our way.
The six-man shortlist for September's Player of the Month award also featured Drogheda United's Dayle Rooney, Lee Grace of Shamrock Rovers and St Patrick's Athletic forward Tommy Lonergan.
