Ben McCormack

A native of Harmonstown, County Dublin, McCormack started out with top Dublin academy Belvedere, where he earned the opportunity to play for the DDSL representative side at the prestigious Kennedy Cup in 2017, in which he played a starring role in the final as his side won the competition.[1] He moved to the academy of League of Ireland club St Patrick's Athletic in November 2017.[2] His first season with the club saw him winning the league and cup double with the under 15 side.[3] In October 2019, he was part of the under 17 team that won the 2019 league title, beating Bohemians 4–0 in the final at Dalymount Park with McCormack scoring twice at Dalymount Park.[4] On 22 December 2020, he played in the League of Ireland U19 Division Final, in a 2–1 win over Bohemians after extra time at the UCD Bowl to secure a UEFA Youth League spot for the club.[5] McCormack made his UEFA Youth League debut on 29 September 2021, scoring his side's goal in a 2–1 loss to Serbian side Crvena Zvezda.[6] He was part of the side that won the League of Ireland U19 Division in 2022.[7]

He made his senior debut for St Patrick's Athletic on 1 November 2019 in a Leinster Senior Cup Semi-Final tie away to Sheriff YC, with McCormack in the starting 11 of a game in which a Pats team made up of academy players won 3–1 after extra time.[8] On 21 December 2019, McCormack signed his first professional contract with the club, signing a 2-year contract until the end of 2021.[9][10]

On 26 September 2020, McCormack made his League of Ireland Premier Division debut when he replaced Darragh Markey from the bench in the 75th minute of a 2–0 win over Shelbourne.[11] With the season shortened due to COVID-19, his only other appearance of the season came on 28 October 2020, coming off the bench for a late cameo in a 3–2 loss away to Finn Harps.[12]

The 2021 season proved to be his breakthrough season in senior football, starting his first senior game for the club on 20 April 2021 in a 1–0 win over Waterford at Richmond Park.[13] On 6 July 2021, McCormack signed a long-term contract extension with the club, alongside teammate Darragh Burns.[14] His first goal in senior football came on 22 July 2021, when he headed home an Ian Bermingham cross to put his side 3 goals up in an eventual 6–0 win over Bray Wanderers in the first round of the FAI Cup.[15] With McCormack proving to be a key player off the bench for his club, making 26 appearances in all competitions over the season, he damaged his ankle ligaments playing for the Republic of Ireland U19's in October 2021,[16] which ultimately resulted in him missing the 2021 FAI Cup Final which his side won on penalties against Bohemians at the Aviva Stadium on 28 November 2021.[17]

McCormack's progress stalled at the beginning of the 2022 season under new manager Tim Clancy, having to wait until 1 April 2022 for his first appearance for the first team, while returning to play games with the club's under 19 side.[18] On 18 April 2022, McCormack replaced Jason McClelland from the bench in the 72nd minute away to UCD with his side trailing by a goal, he scored the equaliser 3 minutes later before assisting the winning goal with a cross from a corner in the 89th minute of a 2–1 victory.[19] On 6 November 2022, he scored the final goal in a 4–0 win over Shelbourne in the last game of the season.[20]

Having made just 4 appearances in the club's first 11 games of the season under Tim Clancy, McCormack regained his place in the team under newly appointed manager Jon Daly and on 15 May 2023, he scored his first goal of the season, scoring an 84th-minute equaliser 11 minutes after entering the pitch in a 3–2 loss to Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium.[21] On 2 June 2023, he picked up 3 assists in the same game, all coming from corner kick deliveries, in a 3–1 win away to UCD at the UCD Bowl.[22] His form under Daly saw him among the nominees for the League of Ireland Player of the Month award for June 2023, although he eventually lost out to Patrick Hoban.[23] On 12 July 2023, McCormack made his first appearance in European competition in a 2–1 loss against F91 Dudelange in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League at the Stade Jos Nosbaum.[24]