Kevin Doyle, John O’Shea and Richard Dunne have been nominated for the 3/FAI International Player of the Year award for 2010.
Fresh from winning the far more prestigious joe.ie Football Player of the Year award, Wolves forward Doyle will be favourite for the senior player of the year category after a series of impressive performances in attack and two goals in 2010, against Paraguay and Andorra.
Manchester United defender O’Shea has been a solid presence at right-back for club and country for the last 12 months, while 63-times capped Dunne provided inspiration and leadership as always.
Elsewhere, Greg Cunningham, Darron Gibson and Shane Long have been nominated for the Young Player of the Year award, while Sligo Rovers duo, Richie Ryan and Joseph Ndo join Shamrock Rovers striker, Gary Twigg as nominees for the Airtricity League Player of the Year Award.
The nominations, which were chosen by a panel from the Soccer Writers’ Association of Ireland, are divided into 18 categories. Among the awards being presented at the special ceremony, a former Republic of Ireland great will also be inducted into the FAI’s Hall of Fame while there will also be a Special Merit Award, both of which will be announced at the event.
The awards ceremony will take place on Sunday February 6, 2010 at RTÉ studios, Donnybrook, Dublin 4. RTÉ will televise the event live on RTÉ Two at 8.00pm.
Full list of 3/FAI International Soccer Awards Nominees:
Senior International player of the Year
Kevin Doyle – Wolves
Richard Dunne – Aston Villa
John O’Shea – Manchester United
Young Player of the Year
Greg Cunningham – Manchester City
Darron Gibson – Manchester United
Shane Long – Reading
International Goal of the Year
Kevin Doyle v Andorra (07/09/10)
Robbie Keane v Algeria (28/05/10)
Liam Lawrence v Paraguay (25/05/10)
U21 Player of the Year
Conor Clifford – Plymouth (On loan from Chelsea)
Seamus Coleman – Everton
Anthony Stokes – Celtic
Airtricity League Player of the Year
Joseph Ndo – Sligo Rovers
Richie Ryan – Sligo Rovers
Gary Twigg – Shamrock Rovers
Under 19 International Player of the Year
Robbie Brady – Manchester United
Conor Clifford – Plymouth (On Loan from Chelsea)
Greg Cunningham – Leicester City (On loan from Manchester City)
Under 17 International Player of the Year
Shane Byrne – Leicester City
Sean McGinty – Man Utd
Frankie Sutherland – QPR
Under 16 International Player of the Year
Joe Coll – Manchester United
Mickey Drennan – Aston Villa
Luke Gallagher – Cherry Orchard
Senior Women’s International Player of the Year
Emma Byrne – Arsenal
Ciara Grant – Arsenal
Fiona O’Sullivan – AIK Stolkholm
Under 19 Women’s International Player of the Year
Karen Duggan – UL
Cherelle Khassell – Benfica
Becky Walsh – Salthill Devon
Junior International Player of the Year
Chris Barbour – Mountview Utd.
Ross Carrig – Killester Utd
Adrian Walsh – Carrick Utd
Intermediate Player of the Year
Seamie Crowe – Athenry
Shane Hughes – Tolka Rovers
Stephen O’Donnell – Kildrum Tigers
Football for All International Player of the Year
Paddy Coates – Irish Visually Impaired
Richard Dougherty – Irish Deaf Men’s Squad
Mary Strain – Special Olympics
FAI School’s International Player of the Year
Robbie Benson – Marist College, Athlone
Tomas Boyle – Salesian College, Celbridge
Brian Nolan – St. Paul’s Community College, Waterford
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