Waterford striker Ronan Coughlan lands monthly honour after Waterford promotion

Waterford striker Ronan Coughlan has been named the SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month for November after helping his side secure promotion back to the Premier Division after a two-year absence.

The 27-year-old scored a penalty in the Blues promotion/relegation playoff against Cork City, a match that ensured top flight football would be at back at the RSC in 2024.

It was the final strike of a stellar season for Coughlan, who scored an extraordinary 37 goals in league and cup action.

He has created a little bit of history too, in becoming the only First Division player in the 52-year history of the award to win the Player of the Month twice in one season.

In a vote of SWI members, Coughlan just pipped St Patrick's Athletic's Jamie Lennon to the prize. The midfielder was named Man of the Match in the Saints' FAI Cup final victory over Bohemians earlier this month. His team-mate Sam Curtis finished third in the ballot.

Coughlan's 37-goal haul set a new scoring record for the second tier - surpassing Andy Myler's 29 in 2001 - and equalled the all-time League of Ireland goalscoring record, set by Cork's Jimmy Turnbull in 1936.

His double win comes 50 years after the first - and only - Waterford player to earn two Player of the Month awards in one season, Alfie Hale.

The striker's first win this year came in April after he an extraordinary eight goals in that month, including four in a 30-minute spell as Waterford beat Athlone Town 4-3.

Speaking after receiving his award, Coughlan said: "It's a great achievement for myself to be the first player from the First Division to win the award twice in one season. It's special when you win it in any month but to win the last one is extra special with the month that I