PFAI announce nominees for Player Awards 2013

The Professional Footballers’ Association of Ireland (PFAI) and Tissot announced the nominees for the 2013 PFAI Player of the Year Awards today, with Airtricity Premier Division champions St Patrick’s Athletic and Dundalk dominating the nominations.

St Pat’s midfielders Greg Bolger and Killian Brennan have been joined by Dundalk duo Richie Towell and Pa Hoban on the Premier Division Player of the Year shortlist, while Towell and Hoban feature on the Young Player of the Year shortlist, along with Cork City’s Daryl Horgan.

It is no surprise either that the top two dominate the Team of the Year, with St Pat’s having Bolger, Brennan, Brendan Clarke, Ger O’Brien, Kenny Browne and Ian Bermingham in the team; whilst Towell and Hoban are joined by Dundalk team-mate Andy Boyle. Horgan and Derry City’s Rory Patterson make up the Premier Division side.

First Division champions Athlone Town have two players in the First Division Player of the Year category, with Philip Gorman and Aidan Collins nominated alongside Longford Town’s David O’Sullivan.

The First Division Team of the Year contains no less than five players from Roddy Collins’ Athlone, with players from Mervue United, Longford Town and Waterford United making up the rest of the team.

In the Irish Overseas Player of the Year category, Hull City’s Robbie Brady is a first time nominee, and he is up against Seamus Coleman of Everton and Wes Hooloahan of Norwich for the award.

In the Referee of the Year section, Paul McLaughlin and Paul Tuite have been nominated, alongside Alan Kelly, who will make his imminent switch to the United States’ MLS at the end of the current campaign.

Mr Justin Thompson of the Swatch Group Ireland, congratulated all of the nominees and also the players selected on both the Premier and First Division teams of the year: “Tissot is delighted to be sponsoring the PFAI Awards again this year.  I would like to congratulate the nominees for the PFAI Players’ Awards, the individuals named on the Premier and First Division teams of the season and also the Irish Overseas Player of the Year nominees.”  

PFAI General Secretary, Stephen McGuinness, said: “We are delighted to have Tissot sponsoring our awards again this year; we’re looking forward to another big event in the Association’s history with this our 34th awards presentation.” 

 The awards will take place on Friday 8 November 2013 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Dublin.

Full list of nominees:

PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Greg Bolger (St Patrick’s Athletic)

Killian Brennan (St Patrick’s Athletic)

Patrick Hoban (Dundalk)

Richie Towell (Dundalk)

YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Patrick Hoban (Dundalk)

Daryl Horgan (Cork City)

Richie Towell (Dundalk)

FIRST DIVISION PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Philip Gorman (Athlone Town)

David O’Sullivan (Longford Town)

Aidan Collins (Athlone Town)

IRISH OVERSEAS PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Robbie Brady (Hull City)

Seamus Coleman (Everton)

Wes Hoolahan (Norwich City)

REFEREE OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Alan Kelly

Paul McLaughlin

Paul Tuite                                                      

PREMIER DIVISION TEAM OF THE YEAR

Brendan Clarke (St Patrick’s Athletic)

Ger O’Brien (St Patrick’s Athletic)

Kenny Browne (St Patrick’s Athletic)

Andy Boyle (Dundalk)

Ian Bermingham (St Patrick’s Athletic)

Killian Brennan (St Patrick’s Athletic)

Greg Bolger (St Patrick’s Athletic)

Daryl Horgan (Cork City)

Richie Towell (Dundalk)

Patrick Hoban (Dundalk)

Rory Patterson (Derry City)                         

FIRST DIVISION TEAM OF THE YEAR

Paul Skinner (Athlone Town)

Gavin Kavanagh (Waterford United)

Aidan Collins (Athlone Town)

Noel Haverty (Longford Town)

Tom King (Mervue United)

Mark Hughes (Athlone Town)

Graham Kelly (Athlone Town)

Barry O’Mahony (Mervue United)

Ryan Manning (Mervue United)

Philip Gorman (Athlone Town)

David O’Sullivan (Longford Town)