Jack Moylan signs off from Shelbourne as player of the month

Shelbourne talisman Jack Moylan has been voted the SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month for October as he signed off from his Tolka Park stay in fine form.

The 22-year-old scored a hat-trick in the crucial 3-2 win over UCD at the end of the month that meant Shels' fourth place hopes remained in their hands ahead of the final day of the campaign.

He then went on to score a double against Drogheda last week to ensure Damien Duff's team remain in the conversation for Europe, pending the outcome of Sunday's FAI Cup final.

Moylan also laid on Will Jarvis' winner against Dundalk and helped his team to a scoreless draw against Derry City at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium last month.

The midfielder-turned-striker will officially join English League One side Lincoln City in January after the deal was confirmed in September.

He has enjoyed a stellar season - scoring 15 goals in the Premier Division to finish joint-top goalscorer, alongside Bohemians' Jonathan Afolabi.

His Player of the Month win marks the first time in 12 years that a Shelbourne player has claimed the award, and comes as his manager Damien Duff's future at the club seems to have been secured with a change of ownership.

Moylan topped the vote of Soccer Writers Ireland members, beating in-form St Patrick's Athletic midfielder Kian Leavy, who finished in second place. Shamrock Rovers forward Rory Gaffney was third after helping his team win a fourth league title in a row.

Speaking after receiving his award at Tolka Park, he said he was happy to finish the season in such good form. "It was brilliant, it was the perfect send off almost.

"I was delighted with it and delighted to pick up the award as well. It's a nice personal achievement to finish off