32nd FAI International Football Awards

O’Donovan & Healy named Republic of Ireland Schools Player of the Year

Schools International Player of the Year - Men's Under-18s
John O’Donovan (Clonakilty Community College) 

Schools International Player of the Year - Women's Under-15s
Hannah Healy (Holy Faith Secondary School, Clontarf)

 

Tuesday, November 22, 2022

 

CLONAKILTY COMMUNITY COLLEGEgraduate John O’Donovan and HOLY FAITH SECONDARY SCHOOL, CLONTARF scholar Hannah Healy were honoured with the prestigious FAI Schools International Player of the Year Awards.

 

Th 32nd FAI International Awards recipients were announced this morning following a low key event this season.

 

O’Donovan joins fellow Cork winners Alan Browne (2012, Nagle Community College), Connor Ellis (2015, Coláiste Phobail, Bheanntraí) and Conor McCarthy (2016, Scoil Mhuire agus Smál, Blarney) on the roll of honours.

 

Under 18 Boys’ International

 

The Cork native played in every minute of every game in the Centenary Shield encounters. John McShane’s side won the opening game at home to Scotland in which O’Donovan played a starring role. However this result was followed up with a hard fought two all draw against Northern Ireland and a one all result away to England, again O’Donovan marshalled the defence bravely. The Republic of Ireland Schools lost out on the silverware following a 2-0 defeat away to Champions Wales.  

 

Previous winners also include Stephen Ward (Portmarnock Community School), Robbie Benson (Marist College, Athlone), Seán Maguire (CBS Kilkenny), Ryan Manning (Yeats College, Galway) and Neil Farrugia (St. Andrew’s College, Blackrock).

 

Lennon GILL (St. Benildus College, Stillorgan) and Michael RAGGETT (St. Kieran’s College, Kilkenny) were also nominated for this years award for their heroic displays in the SAFIB Centenary Shield campaign.

 

Under 15 Girls’ International

 

Healy is just the second ever recipient of the Under 15s accolade. She joins the ranks with Jessie Stapleton of Palmerstown Community School who made history with the newly established category in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic put a stop to our International programme in 2020 and 2021 but we returned this season to ensure a third consecutive title defence.  

 

The introduction of this category is a wonderful acknowledgement of the contribution that FAI Schools are making to the player pathway at underage level.

 

Players such as Niamh Fahey (St. Paul’s Secondary School, Oughterard), Áine O’Gorman (Loreto Secondary School, Bray), Karen Duggan (Scoil Mhuire, Carrick on Suir), Katie McCabe (St. Paul’s Secondary School, Greenhills), Amber Barrett (Loreto Community School, Milford), Denise O’Sullivan (Terence McSweeney Secondary School, Cork), Megan Campbell (Our Lady’s College, Drogheda) and Jessica Ziu (Larkin Community College) to name but a few have come through our International series.

 

Hannah captained the Republic of Ireland Schools to capturing the SAFIB Bob Docherty Cup and John Read Trophy last season. She was named Player of the Tournament as she led the line perfectly, scoring against England in the opening fixture and headed home the match winner against Scotland in the Final.

 

Lucy O’ROURKE (St. Mary’s College, Naas) and Orlaith DOHERTY (St. Columba’s College, Stranorlar) were also nominated following their sterling performances earlier this year.

 

 

FAI Schools Under 18 Boys’ International Player of the Year Winners

 

 

YEAR

WINNER

SCHOOL

2022

John O’Donovan

Clonakilty Community College

2021

NA COVID-19

 

2020

NA COVID-19

 

2019

Niall O’Keeffe

De La Salle College, Waterford

2018

Ali Reghba

Chanel College, Dublin

2017

Neil Farrugia

St. Andrew's College, Blackrock

2016

Conor McCarthy

Scoil Mhuire agus Smál, Blarney

2015

 Connor Ellis

Coláiste Phobail, Bheanntraí

2014

Ryan Manning

Yeats College, Galway

2013

Sean Maguire

CBS Kilkenny

2012

Alan Browne

Nagle Community College

2011

Hugh Douglas

St. Brendan's College, Bray

2010

Robbie Benson

Marist College, Athlone

2009

Shane Howard

Colaiste Eoin, Hacketstown

2008

John Mulroy

Moyle Park College, Clondalkin

2007

Pat Mullins

Limerick CBS

2006

Conor Powell

Portmarnock Community School

2005

Gary Deegan

Chanel College, Dublin

2004

Darren Quigley

St. Laurence College, Dublin

2003

Stephen Ward

Portmarnock Community School

2002

Vincent Tyrell

St. Declan's College, Cabra

2001

Ashley White

St. Macartan’s College, Monaghan

2000

Alan Murphy

Ballinrobe Community School

1999

Conor O'Grady

Summerhill College, Sligo

1998

Kevin Doherty

St. Joseph's CBS, Fairview

1997

Ronnie O'Brien

St. Brendan's College, Bray

1996

Darragh Sheridan

St. Mary's College, Galway

1995

Colin Hawkins

St. Joseph's College, Galway

1994

Karl Lafferty

St. Columba's College, Stranorlar

1993

Anthony Scully

Collinstown Park Community College

1992

Declan Boyle

St. Catherine's VS, Killybegs

1991

Shaun Elebert

Plunket College, Whitehall

1990

Barry Patton

St. Columba's College, Stranorlar

 

FAI Schools Under 15 Girls’ International Player of the Year Winners

 

YEAR

WINNER

SCHOOL

2022

Hannah Healy

Holy Faith Secondary School, Clontarf

2021

NA COVID-19

 

2020

NA COVID-19

 

2019

Jessie Stapleton

Palmerstown Community School

 

OTHER RECIPENTS HONOURED

Georgie KELLY (Bohemians) was named SSE Airtricity League of Ireland Player of the Year

The former Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana grad starred with the Republic of Ireland Schools side in 2014 alongside Captain Ryan Manning, Cian Kavanagh and Jamie McGrath.

 

Orlaith O’MAHONY was named Under-17 Women’s International Player of the Year

The Kildare scholar enjoyed Interprovincial success with Leinster Schools in 2019 securing the title that season. Unfortunately her International career with FAI Schools was short lived as the COVID-19 put a halt to our International series. Orlaith starred in a friendly against Galway in Eamonn Deacy Park at the start of 2020 which saw her named POTM. She also lined against England in Abbotstown in early March as Richie Berkeley’s squad lost out on the silverware that day.  The St. Farnan’s pupil is enjoying her football at Shamrock Rovers.

 

Jessie STAPLETON was named Under-19 Women’s International Player of the Year

Jessie is no stranger to silverware having secured the first ever Under 15 Schools Player of the Year award with us. Jessie played for Leinster Schools in 2017, 2018 and 2019 and enjoyed International Schools football in 2018 and 2019 securing the double with Richie Berkeley’s side.

The Palmerstown Community School student has enjoyed a fine year in the green jersey and has captained her side to recent success, securing passage through to Phase 2 of qualifying in the UEFA European Under-19 Championships last month

 

Katie McCABE was named Senior Women’s International Player of the Year

McCabe lined out for the Republic of Ireland Schools back in 2010 when Michael Gallagher’s side won the Bob Docherty Cup in Glasgow. The St. Paul’s SS, Greenhills pupil showed her promise from an early age netting a hat-trick against Northern Ireland in that tournament.  Clare Shine, Chloe Mustaki, Sarah Rowe, Amber Barrett, Gemma McGuinness and Amy O’Connor were all part of that match winning team.