Soccer

Bazunu, Ferguson, and McCabe aiming for doubles at FAI awards

Evan Ferguson has made an impressive start to his senior international career
Evan Ferguson has made an impressive start to his senior international career (Brian Lawless/PA)

Gavin Bazunu and Evan Ferguson are in contention for both the FAI’s Senior and Young Men’s International Player of the Year Awards.

Katie McCabe could also double up, having been nominated for the Senior Women’s accolade and also having scored two of the three goals chosen in the International Goal of the Year category.



Winger Chiedozie Ogbene is the other nominee in the Senior Men’s section, with Will Smallbone making up the trio in the Young category.

Courtney Brosnan and Niamh Fahey are the two other Senior Women vying for the nod, while Izzy Atkinson, Abbie Larkin, and Heather Payne are the Young Women’s trio.

Republic of Ireland's Katie McCabe
Republic of Ireland's Katie McCabe

The 34th Football Association of Ireland International Awards winners will be presented with their trophies in the Aviva Stadium ahead of the UEFA Nations League game between Ireland and Finland next Thursday, November 14.

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)

Amateur Player of the Year Jordan Buckley (Usher Celtic); Garbhan Friel (Cockhill Celtic); Eoin Murphy (Rockmount)

League of Ireland Men’s Player of the Year - Sponsored by SSE Airtricity Chris Forrester (St Patrick’s Athletic); Lee Grace (Shamrock Rovers); Jack Moylan (Shelbourne)