Payne nominated for player of the year award
Heather Payne has been nominated for the Young Women’s International Player of the Year award.
Creagh native Payne helped the Republic of Ireland senior women's team to qualify for the upcoming World Cup. It will be the first time for Ireland to compete at this exalted level, with the World Cup taking place in Australia and New Zealand in July and August.
As a youngster, Heather represented Ballinasloe Town and the ADSL, before going on to play for Salthill Devon and Peamount United. Heather also played Gaelic football at underage level for Padraig Pearses and Roscommon.
Payne (23) can operate as a forward or attacking midfielder and now plays for Florida State University in the United States of America.
Abbie Larkin and Jess Ziu are the other players nominated alongside Payne in the young international player category.
In addition, Athlone Town player Scarlett Herron has been nominated for the Women’s Under-19 International Player of the Year award.
Westmeath native and former Sligo Rovers star Aidan Keena has been nominated for the SSE Airtricity League Player of the Year award, alongside Mark Connolly (Derry City) and Rory Gaffney (Shamrock Rovers).
The 33rd FAI International Awards ceremony will take place next Tuesday, June 20 in The Mansion House, Dublin.
The performances taken into account are from June 2022 to June 2023, while the SSE Airtricity League Player of the Year takes in the entirety of the 2022 season.
A jury from Soccer Writers' Ireland helped with the selection of certain categories to help honour those who excelled over the previous year.
FAI International Awards nominees
Senior Men’s International Player of the Year: Nathan Collins, Josh Cullen, Jayson Molumby.
Young Men’s International Player of the Year: Evan Ferguson, Dara O’Shea, Michael Obafemi.
Senior Women’s International Player of the Year: Courtney Brosnan, Katie McCabe, Louise Quinn.
Young Women’s International Player of the Year: Abbie Larkin, Heather Payne, Jess Ziu.
International Goal of the Year: WNT - Amber Barrett v Scotland; MNT - Nathan Collins v Ukraine; MNT - Michael Obafemi v Scotland.
Men’s Under-21 International Player of the Year: Conor Coventry, Brian Maher, Will Smallbone.
Men’s Under-19 International Player of the Year: Sean Grehan, Ed McJannett, Alex Murphy.
Men’s Under-18 International Player of the Year: Sam Curtis, James McManus, Kevin Zefi.
Men’s Under-17 International Player of the Year: Naj Razi, Luke Kehir, Ike Orazi.
Men’s Under-16 International Player of the Year: Matthew Moore, Mason Melia, Luca Caillcoe.
Men’s Under-15 International Player of the Year: Rory Finneran, Ade Solanke, Michael Noonan.
Under-18 Schools International Player of the Year: Peter Grogan (St. Mary’s CBS, Carlow); Brian Cunningham (Presentation College, Athenry); Senan Mullen (St. Aidan’s Comprehensive School, Cootehill).
Women’s Under-19 International Player of the Year: Scarlett Herron, Jessie Stapleton, Kate Thompson.
Women’s Under-17 International Player of the Year: Jess Fitzgerald, Aoife Kelly, Aoife Turner.
Women’s Under-16 International Player of the Year: Rebecca Devereux, Freya Healy, Hannah Healy.
Under-15 Girls Schools International Player of the Year: Chloe Wallace (Coláiste Nano Nagle, Sexton Street, Limerick); Ella Kelly (Tallaght Community School); Abigail Bradshaw (St. Colmcille’s Community School, Knocklyon).
Football For All International Player of the Year: Rebekah Grant (Deaf Futsal), Kevan O’Rourke (Amputee), Dillon Sheridan (CP Football).
SSE Airtricity League Player of the Year: Mark Connolly (Derry City), Rory Gaffney (Shamrock Rovers), Aidan Keena (Sligo Rovers).
Amateur International Player of the Year: Stephen Chambers, Lee McColgan, Eoin Murphy.