Keane, Dunne and Doyle up for international player gong

Robbie Keane, Richard Dunne and Kevin Doyle will battle it out for the title of senior international player of the year at the 2010 FAI International Football Awards, it was announced today.

The awards will be presented on Sunday night at RTÉ studios, Donnybrook, Dublin 4. RTÉ will televise the event live on RTÉ 2 at 8.30pm.

Darron Gibson, Aiden McGeady and Paul McShane have been nominated for the young player award.

The nominees for the International Goal of the Year are Glenn Whelan for his goal against Italy on October 10 last; Liam Lawrence’s strike against Australia in September 2009 and Robbie Keane strike against France in the World Cup play-off in Paris in November.

Nineteen awards will be presented at the ceremony. A former Republic of Ireland great will also be inducted into the FAI’s Hall of Fame while there will be a Special Merit Award, both of which will be announced at the event.

Meanwhile former Argentina and Tottenham Hotspur legend Ricky Villa will be awarded the FAI International Personality Award. Remembered for scoring arguably the best-ever goal at Wembley Stadium in Spurs’ 1981 FA Cup final victory, he played 133 times for the London club and scored 18 goals. He had joined Spurs along with compatriot Ossie Ardiles after the pair were part of Argentina’s 1978 World Cup triumph.

FULL LIST OF NOMINEES:

International Player of the Year

Robbie Keane

Richard Dunne

Kevin Doyle

International Goal of the Year

Glenn Whelan v Italy (10/10/2009)

Liam Lawrence v South Africa (08/09/2009)

Robbie Keane v France (18/11/2009)

Young International Player of the Year

Darron Gibson (Manchester United)

Aiden McGeady (Celtic)

Paul McShane (Hull City)

U21 International Player of the Year

Owen Garvan (Crystal Palace)

Alan Judge (Blackburn Rovers)

Seamus Coleman (Everton)

Airtricity League of Ireland Player of the Year

Paul Keegan (Bohemians)

Gary Twigg (Shamrock Rovers)

Rafael Cretaro (Bohemians)

U19 International Player of the Year

Lanre Oyebanjo (Histon FC)

Gavin Gunning (Blackburn Rovers)

Conor Clifford (Chelsea)

Under 17 International Player of the Year

Ciaran Gallagher (Finn Harps)

Stephen McDonnell (Dundalk)

Jeff Hendrick (Derby County)

U16 International Player of the Year

Shane Byrne (Leicester City)

John O’Sullivan (Belvedere)

Robert Maloney (St. Joseph Boys)

Senior Women’s International Player of the Year

Stefanie Curtis (Chelsea)

Aine O’Gorman (Peamount)

Niamh Fahy (Arsenal)

U19 Women’s International Player of the Year

Julianne Russell (Salthill Devon)

Louise Quinn (Peamount)

Aisling Dyer (Stella Maris)

U17 Women’s International Player of the Year

Grace Moloney (Reading FC)

Dora Gorman (Salthill Devon)

Megan Campbell (St. Francis)

Junior International Player of the Year

Niall Andrews (Evergreen)

Ross Carrig (Killester United)

Wayne Fitzgerald (Carrick United)

Intermediate Player of the Year

Paul McCabe (Crumlin United)

Ken Hoey (Rockmount)

Jonathan Minnock (Finn Harps)

Football For All International Player of the Year

Luke Evans (CP Squad)

Michael Myers (Homeless Squad)

Darren Dunne (Irish Deaf Mens Squad)

FAI Schools International Player of the Year

Jason Hughes (CBS Sexton Street, Limerick)

Shane Howard (Colaiste Eoin, Hacketstown, Carlow)

Gary Burke (Larkin Community College)

International Personality Award

Ricky Villa