CORK CITY HAVE completed a very important piece of business by signing Conor McCormack to a new deal.
McCormack, who joined the Leesiders from Derry City last November, will stay with the club until the end of the 2019 season at least after extending his contract for a further two years.
“I am delighted with the way the season has gone; we have wrapped up the league and we still have a cup final to look forward to. I couldn’t have hoped for a better first season so I’m delighted to sign for another two years,” McCormack told Cork City FC’s official website.
“I am pleased that I came in and did well and I have been happy with my performances, but I can still improve and hopefully over the next two years people will see the best of me. It’s every player’s dream to play at the highest level and, in this country, that is winning the league and going on to play in the Champions League.”
While striker Sean Maguire was the driving force behind Cork City’s success in 2017, McCormack has arguably been the newly-crowned Premier Division champions’ next-best performer.
Having started the season by filling in at right-back and centre-back, the 27-year-old Louth native — who spent two years as a trainee at Manchester United — excelled when he reverted to a more familiar role as a holding midfielder.
The SWAI/SSE Airtricity League player of the month for April is understood to have attracted interest from elsewhere in the League of Ireland as well as abroad, but instead has opted to stay with the Turner’s Cross outfit for two more seasons.
Cork City manager John Caulfield said: “It is fantastic news. All of our supporters will be absolutely thrilled because Conor has been a revelation since he signed. Maybe people didn’t realise what a fantastic player he is when he signed, but throughout the season he has been phenomenal for us.
“He is thrilled to be here and to sign a two-year deal. He wants the club to progress and keep winning trophies. He came into his own this year, he is in the prime of his career and will be a phenomenal player for us over the next two years.
“He is a natural leader, he has a massive presence on the training ground and in the dressing room. He has had a massive influence since he came in and there is much more of that to come.
“We need players who are in their prime and can play under the pressure of winning trophies, playing in front of big crowds every week. They are the type of players we need to keep us at the top and challenging for trophies.”
Earlier this week, Cork City announced that one of McCormack’s midfield colleagues, Gearoid Morrissey, has also signed a new two-year deal. John Caulfield’s side will represent Ireland in the qualifying stages of the Champions League in 2018.
