In-form Waterford striker Pádraig Amond takes Player of Month award for May

Waterford striker Pádraig Amond has been named the SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month for May after a month in which he hit four goals for the high-flying Blues.

The 36-year-old helped Waterford win five of their six matches in the month - including a stunning scalp against champions Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium - to move up into top four in the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division.

Amond was a central figure in that run of fine form, starting all six games in May and featuring in all but the last 10 minutes of his team's 4-1 win over Dundalk.

He hit a 13-minute hat-trick against Drogheda United at the RSC while the well-travelled centre forward also hit the winner at home against Bohemians late in the month.

Talisman Amond's four-goal haul and 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.

Amond was a comfortable winner in the poll, finishing ahead of Shamrock Rovers own' in-form striker Johnny Kenny. Sligo Rovers goalkeeper Ed McGinty finished third in the voting.

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, with Waterford's number nine following in the footsteps of Phoenix Patterson and Ronan Coughlan (twice).

Speaking after receiving his award, he said: "I'm delighted - it's great to get the award. To be honest, it could have been anyone of three or four of the Waterford lads for the month that we had.

"It's been a fantastic month for us as a club. 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