Mark II for Markey: Second Player of the Month Award in Five Months for Darragh Markey

Darragh Markey (Drogheda United) Photo: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

After one of the closest votes yet, Drogheda United’s attacking midfielder, Darragh Markey has won the SSE Airtricity /Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month for March.

Markey topped the nationwide poll to clinch the monthly award by a single point from Galway United’s Moses Dyer with fellow Tribesman, Killian Brouder two points further back in third place.

Markey was instrumental in his team’s fine start to the season, one defeat in eight games, as they sit proudly top of the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division table defying the odds and pundits alike.

Sports Direct Men’s FAI Cup champions, Drogheda who play Derry City at the Brandywell this weekend, lead the posse from St Patrick’s Athletic and Galway United.

The 27 year-old from Lucan who won a Cup winners’ medal last season against Derry combines work with his football career.

He won the monthly award last November as well becoming the first Drogheda player to win the award since Freddie Draper in May, 2023 and just the third in the last decade following Gary O’Neill’s success in March, 2014.

“It’s up to ourselves to keep things going now, week on week, but we are in a bit of a purple patch at the moment. Our form has been good since we won the Cup at the end of last season but the confidence has been there all along as well. We have managed to retain a lot of the squad from last year and staying up in the top flight has helped as well,” said Markey.

“Our goal is to stay up and the more points we accumulate the better and we might have to re-evaluate our goals later in the year. The gaffer Kevin Doherty has been a huge influence on the club and on me as a player, and I think it’s fair to say, I am enjoying some of the best football of my career,” added the former Cherry Orchard and St Pat’s player joined Drogheda in 2021.

“I am still combining the football with the day job and I am lucky that my manager at the office is happy to keep me on and I suppose I have the best of both worlds now,” he added.

Also on the SWI shortlist this month were Cork City's Milan Mbeng, Michael Duffy of Derry City and Shelbourne's Kerr McInroy.