SHANE DUFFY WAS tonight confirmed as the senior men’s international player of the year at an awards ceremony at RTÉ studios. It is the second-straight year Duffy won the award, although he wasn’t in Montrose to collect his award as a result of Brighton’s FA Cup game with Millwall going to extra-time.
He is the first player to win the award on consecutive occasions since Shay Given in 2006.
Darren Randolph finished second in the voting, while Declan Rice was third.
As was confirmed ahead of the event, Rice was voted as Young Player of the Year and unsurprisingly wasn’t around to pick up the award. Callums Robinson and O’Dowda finished second and third respectively.
Elsewhere, Leanne Kiernan won the senior women’s award, ahead of Tyler Toland in second place and Niamh Fahey in third.
The Goal of the Year award – amended to include goals scored at all age grades given that the senior team managed just four in the whole of last year – was won by Aiden O’Brien, for his effort against Poland last year.
Like Duffy, he wasn’t there at the studios to collect his award.
Ronan Curtis was the winner of the U21 Player of the Year award, while Lee O’Connor, Brian Maher, Adam Idah, Troy Parrott, and Anselmo Garcia McNulty were winners at U19, U18, U17, U16 and U15 level respectively.
The underage women’s awards went to Niamh Farrelly (U19), Emily Whelan (U17), and Jessica Ziu (U16).
Dundalk’s Chris Shields was voted SSE Airtricity League Player of the Year, ahead of his clubmates Pat Hoban and Michael Duffy.
There were awards too for Eoin Hayes (Junior International of the Year), Darragh Reynor (Intermediate Player of the Year), Nathalie O’Brien (Football for All), Daire O’Connor (Schools and Universities) and Ali Reghba (Schools).
Richard Dunne and Emma Byrne were inducted into the hall of fame, while Georgia’s Kakha Kaladze was given the International Personality award.
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Well done Shane Duffy very consistent and wears his heart on his sleeve everytime he pulls on an Irish jersey. With regards too the young player award I never heard of anyone getting an employee of the year award after they resigned and went to work for a competitor
Seriously, what kind of association are running our football to allow this to happen not just once but twice. yeah he didn’t win it but to be even mentioned in the awards is a joke
FFS, he only played three games. #laughing stock
@Ardmore02: my father in law lost his cap in the wind today. I said dont worry Declan Rice lost 3 last week
@DJ Dave Wexford: …
I am literally surprised the muppet show fai didnt give it to rice
@Brian Dunne: I thought grealish might win it. My bad
The FAI is a circus, Top clown Delaney.
@Hey TC: Is John Deleaney the new DOB of the Journal.A huge breaking story yesterday in the Irish Times yesterday and not a dickey bird on the Journal the past two days.Strange times indeed.
Award for “The money was resting in my account gos to”….
Rice Rice Baby
Would of been very IRISH to give it to rice in fairness he shouldn’t of even got the young player of the year award what a shambles.
Fair play to Duffy a well deserved winner
They should of gave it to jack Grealish
Did Rice send a thank you video?
@GARFARKLE: as Gaeilge?
Well deserved. We also need to get Glen Whelan back in the fold, he’s pulling up trees for Villa
FAI is a disgrace
Delaney needs to go. How he’ll explain this loan is beyond me. He has positioned so many of his cronies around him nobody will challenge him. Shane Ross needs to step in here.
@Donnacha Bhoicaire: Shane Ross? another lug for feck sake
@Donnacha Bhoicaire: the company needed money, he gave a short term loan. It was simple and well explained. The loan is irrelevant, he should resign for the dozens of other proven acts of negligence
If that’s the best we can hope for? Sorry Shane
Well done Chris Shields, a dedicated footballer, loyal and true.
He’ll probably declare for England now.
@Hugh Dillon: We poached him from Northern Ireland. Really looking forward to these international matches. Gibraltar look great they would beat any pub side handily. And we will no doubt scrape a one goal victory v Georgia. Real excitement for all those who know nothing about football
They’re all rubbish players
@Desmond Lyons: Duffy plays in the top tier of English football and he’s rubbish? Cop on to yourself.
Only in Ireland would they continue with such bullshit
Ah I was hoping Declan rice would win that too. I wonder has winning under age player of the year boosted his chances of making 100+ caps for England ? One hopes not
Sack Delaney
Delaney out
Ahead of Declan who??