Waterford FC forward Padraig Amond has been named the SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month for July.
Carlow-born Amond may be one of the older winners of the prize but he is no stranger to collecting individual football awards.
The 37 year-old, former Shamrock Rovers youths star, won four Ireland U21 caps and was voted Kildare County's Young Player of the Year before he moved cross-channel.
He played extensively in the UK with Accrington Stanley, Morecambe, Grimsby Town, Hartlepool United, Exeter City and Woking but enjoyed his best spell at Newport County, making 162 appearances and scoring 41goals for the Welsh club.
He joined Waterford last season and so far he has netted 26 goals in 61 appearances for the Suirsiders.
Amond topped the nationwide poll on 43 points, eight ahead of last month’s runner-up Dawson Devoy of Bohemians with Jad Hakiki of Sligo Rovers in third place.
"I am loving my football with Waterford and every day it is exciting to come into training and work with a good group of players and a good management set up," said Amond.
"It’s a really good club to be around and I am loving my time.
"I chalked up my 800th club career appearance recently but I want to play for as long as possible and as long as I am contributing to the team.
"I feel I am doing well at the moment and I see no reason why I can’t play for another few years up to my 40th birthday.
"I have a plan in place for life after football. I have my coaching badges up to the 'A’ licence but I also have a degree in coaching and management so I have options once I retire and something to fall back on."
The Blues No 9 is looking forward to this weekend’s Sports Direct Men’s FAI Cup third-round clash away to Cork City at Turner’s Cross and gives his team every chance of making the quarter-finals of the knock-out competition.
"I think every Premier Division team left in the last 16 will fancy their chances especially with what’s on offer and the possibility of European football at the end of it.
"We have four all-Premier Division ties this weekend and anything can happen in Cup football so it’s something we are looking at here in Waterford.
"The FAI Cup is a far quicker route to European football than the league but, having said that, we are not treating Cork lightly for a moment."
Watch Derry City v Drogheda United in the Sports Direct FAI Cup on Saturday from 7.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player
