St Patrick Athletic's Aidan Keena has been rewarded for his impressive start to the new season by being named the SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month for February.
Keena scored three goals in three games in February, and has since added two more this month, as St Pat's look to deliver on their promise, which has seen them made title favourites by some pundits.
The Super Saints currently sit fifth in the table, four points off early surprise leaders Drogheda, having taken seven points from their first five games.
Patrick Hickey of Galway United came second in the player of the month poll ahead of Conan Noonan, of Waterford, in third.
"Goals give you confidence as a player, and especially as a striker, and that helps to bring out the best of you," said Keena.
"St Pat's have been spoken about as potential league champions but I think you could say that about a few clubs.
"There are no real bad teams in the Premier Division, and judging by the results so far, clubs have been up and down and it all makes for a very competitive league. Drogheda have been excellent so far but it’s hard to predict how things will pan out later on in the year.
"It’s been great for me to be back working with someone like Stephen Kenny and he’s given me this opportunity. He has faith and belief in me and that in turn gives me confidence.
"You want to try and improve as a player every year and that's why I do that extra bit in training and, at this stage, I do it without thinking about it."
Keena, who handed two Ireland Under-21 caps by Stephen Kenny in 2019, was reacquainted with the manager when he rejoined the Richmond Park outfit last summer.
His return came seven years after he departed for a spell in the UK which took him to Hearts, Queen's Park, Dunfermline, Hartlepool, Falkirk and Cheltenham.
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