GRAHAM BURKE OF SHAMROCK ROVERS HAS BEEN NAMED SSE AIRTRICITY/SOCCER WRITERS IRELAND PLAYER of the MONTH for MAY.

SHAMROCK ROVERS striker Graham Burke who has been hugely instrumental in the Hoops charge back to the top of the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division table has won the SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland POTM award for May.

The Dubliner scored four goals and two assists as his form continues to improve over the half-way stage in the title race.

He has revelled in his seven appearances over the month so much so that he outscored Drogheda United’s Conor Keeley and third placed Tommy Lonergan of Waterford FC in the nationwide poll.

Burke has won four league titles and one FAI Cup winners’ medal (2019) and he was capped three times for Ireland in the summer of 2018 against France, USA and Poland.

He scored his only goal against the Americans in Dublin and, in doing so, became the first home-based, goal-scorer since April, 1978 when Ray Treacy, also of Shamrock Rovers, netted for Ireland against Türkiye.

“I haven’t won this award for a long time (2018), but having said that, I am delighted to have won it for the month of May. I think it’s just the third time I have won the soccer writers award and the last time was back in 2018 when I was capped at international level.

“Our form at Rovers has been excellent – one defeat in nine and just three setbacks in all – we just go out and try to do what we do best. We know as a group what we are capable of and we have a system we play that works well for us.

“The three defeats came early on at the start of the league campaign and off the back of a short pre-season and it took us a few weeks to get up to speed. We have been on a good run lately and we want to keep that going for a long as we can. The team have been performing well week in, week out and it’s not just down to me,” said Graham.

Rovers who are going for five league titles in six seasons are currently the highest goal-scorers and have the meanest defence in the top flight.

“It’s game-by-game with us but it’s great to be top of the table at the half-way stage. Things can change quickly in this league, it’s so competitive, but I can guarantee you, that we won’t be getting carried away just yet,” he added.