Award success for Payne with Athlone Town player also among winners
Heather Payne was chosen as the first winner of the Young Women's Player of the Year award at the 33rd FAI International Awards last night (Tuesday).
Creagh native Payne helped the Republic of Ireland senior women's team to qualify for the upcoming FIFA World Cup - the first time for Ireland to do so.
As a youngster, Heather represented Ballinasloe Town and the ADSL, before going on to play for Salthill Devon and Peamount United.
A daughter of Gráinne and Brendan Payne, Heather can operate as a forward or attacking midfielder and the 23-year-old now plays for Florida State University in the United States of America.
Abbie Larkin and Jess Ziu were the other players nominated alongside Payne in the young international player category.
Meanwhile, Athlone Town's Scarlett Herron was selected as the Women’s Under-19 International Player of the Year award at the ceremony in The Mansion House, Dublin.
Mullingar native and former Sligo Rovers star Aidan Keena - who now plays for Cheltenham Town - was one of three nominees for the SSE Airtricity League Player of the Year award, with the award going to Rory Gaffney (Shamrock Rovers).
The performances taken into account were from June 2022 to June 2023, while the SSE Airtricity League Player of the Year takes in the entirety of the 2022 season.
Award winners
Senior Men’s International Player of the Year: Nathan Collins.
Young Men’s International Player of the Year: Evan Ferguson.
Senior Women’s International Player of the Year: Courtney Brosnan.
Young Women’s International Player of the Year: Heather Payne.
International Goal of the Year: Amber Barrett (WNT v Scotland)
Men’s Under-21 International Player of the Year: Will Smallbone.
Men’s Under-19 International Player of the Year: Sean Grehan.
Men’s Under-18 International Player of the Year: Sam Curtis.
Men’s Under-17 International Player of the Year: Naj Razi.
Men’s Under-16 International Player of the Year: Matthew Moore.
Men’s Under-15 International Player of the Year: Rory Finneran.
Under-18 Schools International Player of the Year: Peter Grogan (St. Mary’s CBS, Carlow).
Women’s Under-19 International Player of the Year: Scarlett Herron.
Women’s Under-17 International Player of the Year: Aoife Kelly.
Women’s Under-16 International Player of the Year: Freya Healy.
Under-15 Girls Schools International Player of the Year: Abigail Bradshaw (St. Colmcille’s Community School, Knocklyon).
Football For All International Player of the Year: Rebekah Grant (Deaf Futsal).
SSE Airtricity League Player of the Year: Rory Gaffney (Shamrock Rovers).
Amateur International Player of the Year: Stephen Chambers.
Special Merit: Niamh O'Donoghue.
Hall of Fame: Kevin Moran, Sue Hayden.