Cork City midfielder Conor McCormack has been named as the Airtricity/Soccer Writers' Association of Ireland player of the month for April with the former Shamrock Rovers and Derry City player beating off competition from the likes of Gary McCabe and Garry Buckley to pick up the award.

The 26 year-old started off the season as a stand-in centre half but has since settled into a holding midfield role where he has excelled. City kept four clean sheets in five league games during April and have yet to drop a point in the league.

“I’m absolutely delighted, over the moon to win it,” he said. “I have to say a big thanks to my team-mates though. They have made me play better. Any one of them could have won it. There are a lot of players playing at the top of their game right now. I was delighted just to get nominated.

“It’s nice to win it because it means people aren’t just appreciating us as a free-scoring side but also appreciating the hard defensive work we’re putting in too.”