“The government needs to back this league going forward”

Waterford FC striker Padraig Amond expressed his delight that he managed to finish joint top of the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division goalscorer table with 14 goals alongside Pat Hoban after netting in the final game of the season against Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium.

Amond went into the game one behind the Derry City striker, who sat out injured, and he found the net on 69 minutes before having two great chances to win the title outright when hitting the crossbar with a header before having a left-footed volley just clear the bar.

Speaking on finishing on 14 goals this season, Amond said: “Yeah, look, you got to back yourself and that's the way I have, I think the last season I was here, I was leading goalscorer until I left, but I got caught with a couple of games left. So it's nice to be the other way around this time.

“It’s probably the biggest gap between someone getting top goalscorer in the league 14 years and but, yeah, it's been a brilliant year. It’s been a fantastic move for myself, my family, like, first of all, family life, is what it's all about.

“Everything off the back of that is a bonus, and it's been brilliant to play for Keith Long this year, play for the staff, play for the club, and play with those players as well. A lot of the young players will probably end up moving on with different places. Football players come and go all the time, but it's been a great group to be part of, and really proud to be able to represent the club this year.”

BACKING FROM GOVERNMENT 

Amond added: “it was a great advertisement for the league tonight. I thought it's been brilliant, and like I said I think all seasons been it's been like that. it's hopefully the beginning for the younger players that this is going to be the norm for them and the government can back the league, and back the clubs, and turn facilities into top class facilities.

“We need to develop our own players here, and then move them across the water when they’re ready, when they’re mature, when they're old enough to go do it, and when they're adults, not moving them over, like, 18 years old that would go now, when before that, When it was like, 1415, 1617, you know.

“I know how hard it is to be over there away from the family. I can't imagine what it's like to be over there as a 16-year-old. I know I went as an 18 year old, but I probably wouldn't have lasted a 16 year old. So, you know, the onus is now on us to develop, but we need backing from the government, and hopefully we can get all that now.

“I think that we have to build for next year, but we know it’s going to be tougher again. You've got a Cork City side coming up. We don't know who the other side is going to be as we’re waiting on the playoffs so it's going to be a tough, tough year.

“You look how St. Pat’s were in the last second half of the season. Galway are going to go from strength to strength. Shelbourne will obviously want to build on this year. Rover is going to want the title back. Derry are going to be hurting. Bohemians are going to want to be better. God, you know, it's going to be a tough league next year, and we want to be better.”