Waterford striker Pádraig Amond has been named the SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland Player-of-the-month.
Amond hit four goals in May for the high-flying Blues. The 36-year-old helped Waterford win five of their six matches in the month.
This included a stunning scalp against champions Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium, moving Waterford into the top four in the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division.
Amond hit a 13-minute hat-trick against Drogheda United at the RSC. Whereas, the well-travelled centre forward also hit the winner at home against Bohemians late in the month.
Amond's four-goal haul, helped him reach the top of the league's goalscoring charts. He enters the mid-season break tied with Derry City's Patrick Hoban on 11 top flight goals so far this season.
In a vote of SWI members, Amond was a comfortable winner in the poll, finishing ahead of Shamrock Rovers in-form striker Johnny Kenny. Sligo Rovers goalkeeper Ed McGinty finished third in the voting.
"It's been a fantastic month for us as a club” explained Amond. “It kind of really put us into a really good position and made the first half of the season look so good for us”.
"I'm delighted to win the award - but it's on behalf of those lads. Without those lads, I'd be absolutely nothing”.
“They're a brilliant bunch of players to play with. Good lads as well, young lads as well and they're getting better every week. You can see with performances and results”.
"They've really stepped up to the plate in the Premier Division this season after being promoted last year."
Amond picked out his treble over Drogheda as an obvious personal highlight. However, he also believes the performance against Shamrock Rovers was a real indicator of what Keith Long's side were capable of.
"The hat-trick against Drogheda was a big night for me," explained Amond. "My son was probably the happiest. He was there that night and he got to bring a football home with so he was delighted. And a trophy, so I've got a trophy for him”.
"Apart from that, I'd say probably the performance against Rovers. It was one I really, really enjoyed. I thought I played very well that day. We put in an unbelievable shift that day. We were worthy winners”.
"It was a good month but a month I want to build on now for the rest of the season. And hopefully get one or two more of these if I can or even someone else in the team, it could be their turn to get one."
Amond is a first time winner of the award. May marks the fourth time a Waterford player has won the player-of-the-month prize since September 2022. Waterford's number nine following in the footsteps of Phoenix Patterson and Ronan Coughlan (twice).
The six-man shortlist for May's player-of-the-month award also featured Galway United's Maurice Nugent, Dayle Rooney of Bohemians and Dundalk's on-loan Sunderland defender Zak Johnson.
