GOLDEN BOOT-chasing Tommy Lonergan of Waterford has won the SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month award for July.

The Dunboyne-born Tommy Lonergan continued to spearhead the Blues resurgence and has firmly taken hold of the League’s golden boot race with two more goals as well as two assists in July to leave the 22 year-old ahead by three in the race for the domestic end-of-season Golden Boot award.

The in-form striker and ex-Fleetwood Town loanee has helped Waterford maintain their unbeaten run over the month under review; and was a landslide winner after a nationwide poll.

He claimed 50 points with Shane Farrell (Drogheda United) second on 17 points, with Cian Kavanagh (Sligo Rovers) one point further back.

Also on the shortlist were Sam Todd of Bohemians, John McGovern of Shamrock Rovers and Lonergan’s RSC team-mate, John Mahon.

Lonergan who was capped six times at U21 level for Ireland, played his youths football with Cherry Orchard and St Patrick’s Athletic and senior with UCD before his move to Fleetwood Town.

He won two FAI Cup medals with St Pat’s in 2021 and again in 2023.

Tommy Lonergan scored again in the Blues 3-1 home win over Bohemians as they moved out of the bottom two in the Premier Division for the first time all season and he brought his tally to 14 goals for the season.

It has been an incredible recovery under new manager, Graham Coughlan and front man Lonergan has played a pivotal role in what has been a remarkable resurgence on Suirside.

“We are definitely on a good run of form and we have been building on this momentum since Graham (Coughlan) came into the club. I feel the team and myself have that confidence and it’s showing in our results and our climb out of the bottom two. We all know how we want to play at this stage and everyone knows their roles in the team. We are in a really good place right now and hopefully we can keep building on that,” said Lonergan after accepting his first ever SWI award.

“Graham has been a massive influence in our upturn in form. He’s the gaffer and he has all the say and all the tactics and he has seen exactly where we needed to improve and it’s a credit to him.”

Lonergan himself has played a huge part too in the Blues return to form and so far he has netted 14 goals and earned a reputation of being the “best header of the ball” in the league.

“I have had a few good scoring spells at other clubs, but to be honest, I feel this is the most consistent run I have ever been on.

Since Graham came in, I have been starting games and playing every week and I have been impacting games. It’s not just the goals. I feel my all round play is much better. I suppose that comes with age and maturity and I am a far more explosive striker now,” he added.

And in a red alert to the opposition Tommy added: “I feel there are more goals to come and I just want to score in every game I get to play for Waterford. It’s about instinct and making good contact with the ball and I am working hard on those elements of my game.”

Lonergan who had a record transfer bid from Derry City rejected by Waterford recently will be in Club Orange FAI Cup action against Athlone Town this weekend.