Damien Duff crowned Soccer Writers Ireland Men’s Personality of the year
WINNER: Shelbourne manager Damien Duff with the SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland 2024 Men's Personality of the Year Award. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Shelbourne manager Damien Duff, his goalkeeper Conor Kearns, and Galway United’s Julie-Ann Russell were the big winners at the SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland awards at Clontarf Castle Hotel on Friday.
Duff was crowned the Men’s Personality of the Year after a memorable season. The 45-year-old bridged an 18-year gap when he led his beloved Shels to league glory on the last day of the season.
Duff beat off stiff competition from the other five short-listed managers and players: Kevin Doherty (Drogheda United), Stephen Bradley (Shamrock Rovers), Stephen Kenny (St. Patrick’s Athletic), Paddy Barrett (Shelbourne) and Dylan Watts (Shamrock Rovers).
“When I picked up my mum and dad, I was getting out of the car and the trousers burst,” said Duff upon receiving his award with his parents, Gerry and Mary, in attendance.
“I said (to Mary) that you’re going to have to get a thread and needle here.
“I drove over here and my Dad was sitting in the car beside me, looking down at me sitting there with no trousers on. My Mam was in the back with the thread and needle.
“I drive by my Mam and Dad’s every day and I don’t call in. I said it two weeks ago (as he collected the PFA Ireland manager of the year award) I don’t pay attention to my wife and kids and don’t spend enough [time] ringing my Mam and Dad. Do I regret it? Yeah. Did we win the league? Yeah.
“I probably finished celebrating last Sunday night, after four weeks, but I got sick. I’ve had the flu all week. So I’m actually going to start again.
“I’ve fought and upset a lot of people in the room but that’s what you have to do to get back to the top. I annoy people but I’m not trying to be anyone but myself.
“It’s going to be an awful lot harder staying there but that comes with sacrifices. I’ve always said that I’ve got the hardest working side in the league.”
The Goalkeeper of Year award went to Shelbourne stopper Conor Kearns who kept 16 clean sheets - the joint second highest with Galway United’s Brendan Clarke - conceding just 27 goals, the fewest in the top flight.
Kearns (26) was a league ever-present, playing in all 36 league matches. He has just committed his future to the northside Dublin club with a new contract. Clarke and Ed McGinty of Sligo Rovers were the other two keepers shortlisted.
Russell scooped the Women’s Personality of the Year gong after a remarkable year at club and international level.
She helped Galway to retain the All-Island Cup and then claim an impressive third-placed finish in the league as Phil Trill’s team served notice of their on-going improvement. Russell was also a key figure in her country’s progression to the Euro 2025 play-off final, which they lost to Wales.
She topped the voting ahead of Pearl Slattery (Shelbourne), Eoin Wearen (Shelbourne) Ciarán Kilduff (Athlone Town), Laurie Ryan (Athlone Town) and Noelle Murray (Shelbourne).
Jason Byrne was presented with the Liam Tuohy Special Merit Award as a mark of acknowledgement for his incredible goalscoring exploits in the League of Ireland.
First introduced in 1994, the Liam Tuohy Special Merit Award recognises those who have served Irish football with distinction.
And the Republic of Ireland team who defeated the USSR 3-0 in a European Championship qualifier 50 years ago were the recipients of the International Achievement Award.
Don Givens' famous hat-trick sank the visitors at Dalymount Park, and a half a century on, ‘The Roar of ’74’ heroes were honoured at the gala event.
