Bohemians striker Georgie Kelly has been voted the SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month for June.
The former Dundalk striker has been a revelation since joining the Gypsies in the off-season, his 12 goals propelling him to the top of the scoring charts.
Among the 24-year-old’s highlights were a four-goal salvo against Drogheda United and the winner he supplied against Dublin rivals Shamrock Rovers.
He will lead the line when Bohs travel to Icelandic side Stjarnan in Thursday’s Europa Conference League first leg.
Georgie Kelly of Bohemians with the SSE Airtricity / SWI Player of the Month Award for May 2021 at Bohemians FC in Dublin. Picture: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile“It’s nice to win the award,” said Kelly. “We have performed well as a club this month so to get that little bit of recognition is great.
“I think it has taken us time to gel. At the start of the season, we struggled and results weren’t going our way.
“I was confident that once we did gel we’d become more fluid and create more chances. In the last number of weeks, we’ve done that and the goals back that up.”
The former UCD, Dundalk and St Patrick’s Athletic man is in his first campaign with Bohs and can’t speak highly enough of management team Keith Long and Trevor Croly.
Long’s side are in fourth place of the table just past the midway stage of the season, eight months adrift of joint-leaders Shamrock Rovers and St Patrick’s Athletic.
Georgie Kelly of Bohemians celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division match against Drogheda United. Picture: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile“Trevor is brilliant,” he adds. “Technically, he is as good as I’ve seen. When it comes to the fine details, Trevor gets it bang on.
“It’s also about installing confidence in the players, which is a very subjective thing but both Keith and him do it really well.”
Will Patching of Derry City was runner-up in the voting, while Kelly’s team-mate Ross Tierney came in third.