Four locals shortlisted for FAI International Awards
There are a number of local nominees for the 34th Football Association of Ireland (FAI) International Awards confirmed ahead of an event on Thursday, November 14.
Creagh, Ballinasloe, native Heather Payne is shortlisted for the Young Women's International Player of the Year, whilst Athlone Town women's goalkeeper Katie Keane is nominated for the Women's Under 19 International Player of the Year Award.
Two local players have already been announced on the shortlist for the Under-15 Girls’ FAI Schools International Player of the Year. They are Sophie Byrne, a student of Coláiste Chiaráin, Athlone, and Mia Murtagh from Mercy Secondary School, Ballymahon.
The award winners will be presented with their trophies in the Aviva Stadium ahead of the UEFA Nations League game between Ireland and Finland.
The performances taken into account are from June 2023 to June 2024, while the League Player of the Year takes in the entirety of the 2023 season.
A jury from Soccer Writers' Ireland helped with the selection of certain categories to help honour those who excelled over the previous year.
The inductees to the FAI Hall of Fame and the Special Merit recipient will be announced prior to the event.
34th FAI INTERNATIONAL AWARDS NOMINEES
Senior Men's International Player of the Year
Gavin Bazunu
Evan Ferguson
Chiedozie Ogbene
Senior Women's International Player of the Year
Courtney Brosnan
Niamh Fahey
Katie McCabe
Young Men's International Player of the Year
Gavin Bazunu
Evan Ferguson
Will Smallbone
Young Women's International Player of the Year
Izzy Atkinson
Abbie Larkin
Heather Payne
International Goal of the Year
WNT | Katie McCabe vs Canada
WNT | Katie McCabe vs Northern Ireland
MU21 | Andrew Moran vs Turkyie
Men's Under-21 International Player of the Year
Sinclair Armstrong
Sam Curtis
Andrew Moran
Men's Under-19 International Player of the Year
Luke Browne
Mark O’Mahony
Freddie Turley
Women's Under-19 International Player of the Year
Katie Keane
Aoife Kelly
Kate Thompson
Men's Under-18 International Player of the Year
Jake Grante
Danny McGrath
Corey O’Sullivan
Men's Under-17 International Player of the Year
Kaylem Hartnett
Harry McGlinchey
Matthew Moore
Women's Under-17 International Player of the Year
Aoibhe Brennan
Keeva Flynn
Katie Lawlee
Men's Under-16 International Player of the Year
Grady McDonnell
Michael Noonan
Finn Sherlock
Women's Under-16 International Player of the Year
Ella Kelly
Madian McGuane
Aoife Sheridan
Men's Under-15 International Player of the Year
David Dunne
George Moloney
Sean Spaight
Under-15 Girls’ FAI Schools International Player of the Year
Sophie Byrne (Coláiste Chiaráin, Athlone)
Madison McGuane (Ardscoil Mhuire, Corbally)
Mia Murtagh (Mercy Secondary School, Ballymahon)
Under-18 Boys FAI Schools International Player of the Year
Callum Honohan (Edmund Rice College, Carrigaline)
Hugh Parker (Temple Carrig School, Greystones)
Daire Patton (Summerhill College, Sligo)
Football For All International Player of the Year
Chloe Kenna (Street Leagues)
Ryan Nolan (Cerebral Palsy)
Raymond Singleton (Special Olympics)