PFAI Awards: St Patrick's Athletic and Peamount United the big winners

The PFA Ireland annual awards ceremony took place in Dublin on Saturday.

PFA Ireland Men’s Young Player of the Year Sam Curtis of St Patrick's Athletic, left, and PFA Ireland Men’s Player of the Year winner Chris Forrester. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

St Patrick's Athletic midfielder Chris Forrester was named the PFA Ireland Player of the Year for 2023 at the annual awards ceremony in Dublin on Saturday.

Forrester was presented with the top award following an impressive season with Pats, which saw the playmaker net 15 goals in all competitions as the Inchicore club finished third in the Premier Division as well as landing the FAI Cup.

The 30-year-old won the award, which was presented to him by John O'Shea, who flew in following Birmingham City's draw with Rotterham United to attend the event, having received the most votes from his peers.

He finished just ahead of Bohemians' Jonathan Afolabi and Cork City's Ruairí Keating, who will link up with Forrester at Richmond Park in 2024.

Elsewhere Keating and Forrester's teammate Sam Curtis collected the Young Player of the Year award on the weekend of his 18th birthday, while Shamrock Rovers' four-in-a-row winning boss Stephen Bradley picked up the Premier Division Manager of the Year award.

Waterford's Ronan Coughlan won the First Division Player of the Year after scoring 37 goals on their way to securing their place back in the top flight of Irish football while John Caulfield claimed the First Division Manager of the Year gong.

Peamount United dominated the Women's Premier Division award winners with Sadhbh Doyle being named the Player of the Year and Jess Fitzgerald winning the Young Player of the Year while their gaffer James O'Callaghan landed the Manger of the Year award.

Finally two of Ireland's biggest names at senior level were also honoured as Evan Ferguson was voted the Men's Irish Overseas Player of the Year while Katie McCabe lifted the International Women's Player of the Year award.

PFA Ireland Women’s Premier Division Team of the Year award recipients, from left, Jess Gargan of Shamrock Rovers, Jessica Hennessy of Shamrock Rovers, Jetta Berrill of Peamount United, Sadhbh Doyle of Peamount United, Karen Duggan of Peamount United, Alex Kavanagh of Shelbourne, Madie Gibson of Athlone Town and Dana Scheriff of Athlone Town during the PFA Ireland Awards 2023 at Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

PFA Ireland Award Winners

Merit Award

Stephen Eustace

Women's Premier Division Referee of the Year

Chris Sheehan

Men’s First Division Referee of the Year

Alan Patchell

Men’s Premier Division Referee of the Year

Neil Doyle 

International Women's Player of the Year

Katie McCabe

Men's Irish Overseas Player of the Year

Evan Ferguson

Men's First Division Manager of the Year

John Caulfield

Men’s First Division Team of the Year

Brendan Clarke, Giles Philips, Killian Brouder, Rob Slevin, Ryan Burke, Edward McCarthy, David Hurley, Jack Doherty, Frantz Pierrot, Ronan Coughlan, Stephen Walsh

Men's First Division Player of the Year

Ronan Coughlan

Women's Premier Division Manager of the Year

James O'Callaghan

Women’s Premier Division Team of the Year

Niamh Reid Burke, Jess Gargan, Jessica Hennessy, Jetta Berrill, Lia O’Leary, Sadhbh Doyle, Karen Duggan, Alex Kavanagh, Erin McLaughlin, Madie Gibson, Dana Scheriff

Women's Young Player of the Year

Jess Fitzgerald

Women's Player of the Year

Sadhbh Doyle

Men's Premier Division Manager of the Year

Stephen Bradley

Men’s Premier Division Team of the Year

Conor Kearns, Archie Davies, Sam Curtis, Roberto Lopes, Ben Doherty, Will Patching, Chris Forrester, James Clarke, Jack Moylan, Ruairí Keating, Jonathan Afolabi

Men's Young Player of the Year

Sam Curtis

Men's Player of the Year

Chris Forrester.