PFAI Young Player of the Year

The Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland Players' Young Player of the Year (often called the PFAI Players' Young Player of the Year, the PFAI Young Player of the Year, or simply the Young Player of the Year) award is given to the footballer in the top-flight of Irish football, the League of Ireland, who is seen to have been the best player of the previous season and is under 23 years of age.

The shortlist is compiled by the members of the Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland (the PFAI), and then the winner is voted for by the other players in the league.

The award was first given in 1982, and was won by Bohemians player Jacko McDonagh. The most recent winner of the PFAI Young Player of the Year award was Mason Melia of St Patrick's Athletic.

UEFA Euro 2016 saw three former winners of the award making appearances at the finals tournament in France, with two of them (Wes Hoolahan of the Republic of Ireland and Niall McGinn of Northern Ireland) scoring goals for their countries.

## List of winners

[edit]

Highlighted players are winning the award for a second time.

### 2020s

[edit]

Year | Player | Club

|
|

2024 |  Mason Melia | St Patrick's Athletic
2023 |  Sam Curtis | St Patrick's Athletic
2022 |  Andy Lyons | Shamrock Rovers
2021 |  Dawson Devoy | Bohemians
2020 |  Danny Grant | Bohemians

### 2010s

[edit]

Year | Player | Club

|
|

2019 |  Danny Mandroiu | Bohemians
2018 |  Jamie McGrath | Dundalk
2017 |  Trevor Clarke | Shamrock Rovers
2016 |  Sean Maguire | Cork City
2015 |  Brandon Miele | Shamrock Rovers
2014 |  Daryl Horgan | Dundalk
2013 |  Richie Towell | Dundalk
2012 |  Chris Forrester | St Patrick's Athletic
2011 |  Enda Stevens | Shamrock Rovers
2010 |  Shaun Williams | Sporting Fingal

### 2000s

[edit]

Year | Player | Club

|
|

2009 |  Conor Powell | Bohemians
2008 |  Niall McGinn | Derry City
2007 |  Mark Quigley | St Patrick's Athletic
2006 |  Kevin Deery | Derry City
2005 |  Paddy McCourt | Derry City
2004 |  Daryl Murphy | Waterford United
2003 |  Éamon Zayed | Bray Wanderers
2003 |  Wes Hoolahan | Shelbourne
2002 |  Robbie Martin | UCD
2001 |  Richie Foran | Shelbourne
2000 |  Richie Baker | Shelbourne

### 1990s

[edit]

Year | Player | Club

|
|

1999 |  Richie Baker | Shelbourne
1998 |  Colin Hawkins | St Patrick's Athletic
1997 |  Gary Beckett | Derry City
1996 |  Michael O'Byrne | UCD
1995 |  Billy Woods | Cork City
1994 |  Jim Crawford | Bohemians
1993 |  Richie Purdy | Dundalk
1992 |  Tony McCarthy | Shelbourne
1991 |  Barry Ryan | Limerick
1990 |  Vinny Arkins /  Tony Cousins | Shamrock Rovers / Dundalk

### 1980s

[edit]

Year | Player | Club

|
|

1989 |  Liam Coyle | Derry City
1988 |  Paul McGee | Bohemians
1987 |  Martin Bayly | Sligo Rovers
1986 |  Liam O'Brien | Shamrock Rovers
1985 |  Peter Coyle | Limerick
1984 |  Joe Hanrahan | UCD
1983 |  Ken DeMange | Home Farm
1982 |  Jacko McDonagh | Bohemians

## Breakdown of winners

[edit]

### Winners by club

[edit]

Club | Number of wins

|

Bohemians |  7 (1982, 1988, 1994, 2009, 2019, 2020, 2021)
Shamrock Rovers | 6 (1986, 1990, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2022)
St Patrick's Athletic | 5 (1998, 2007, 2012, 2023, 2024)
Dundalk | 5 (1990, 1993, 2013, 2014, 2018)
Derry City | 5 (1989, 1997, 2005, 2006, 2008)
Shelbourne | 5 (1992, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003)
UCD | 3 (1984, 1996, 2002)
Cork City | 2 (1995, 2016)
Limerick | 2 (1985, 1991)
Sporting Fingal | 1 (2010)
Waterford United | 1 (2004)
Bray Wanderers | 1 (2003)
Sligo Rovers | 1 (1987)
Home Farm | 1 (1983)

### Winners by country

[edit]

Country | Number of wins

|

Republic of Ireland | 38 (1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
Northern Ireland | 5 (1989, 1997, 2005, 2006, 2008)
Libya | 1 (2003)

## Trivia

[edit]

* In 2000, Richie Baker became the first – and so far only – player to win the award twice. He achieved this feat by winning the award in successive seasons
* In 1990, the award was shared between Vinny Arkins and Tony Cousins. This is the only year that the award was shared.
* In 1989, Liam Coyle became the first player from outside of the Republic of Ireland to win the award.

## See also

[edit]

* PFAI Players' Player of the Year
* PFAI Team of the Year

## External links

[edit]

* Professional Footballers Association of Ireland
* rsssf.com

* v
* t
* e

PFAI awards

* Players' Player of the Year
* First Division Player of the Year
* Young Player of the Year
* Irish Overseas Player of the Year
* Premier Division Team of the Year
* First Division Team of the Year
* Manager of the Year
* Merit Award
* Referee of the Year

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