Evan Ferguson in contention for FAI award

Talented Meath teenager Evan Ferguson is one of the nominees for the 2019 'Three' FAI International Awards.

Ferguson is from Bettystown and is the son of Meath FAI Regional Development Officer Barry Ferguson.

Evan (then 14) featured for Bohemian FC off the bench at Dalymount Park last July in a friendly against Chelsea in what was manager Frank Lampard’s first game in charge.

Evan was introduced just after the hour mark for that outing and is steeped in football as his dad Barry played with Bohs, Sporting Fingal, Shamrock Rovers and Longford Town in the early part of the last decade.

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the Awards ceremony was originally postponed from earlier this year and will not take place due to social distancing protocols remaining in place.

This is the 30th year of the Awards and celebrates the performances of players in the previous international season and

Evan is nominated in the u-15 category.

Earlier this year Evan netted a second-half equaliser for the Republic of Ireland u-17s as they drew a friendly with Switzerland (1-1) in Spain.

Evan already has an agreement for a move to Brighton after his 16th birthday.

The 'Hall of Fame' and 'Special Merit' recipients will be announced next week along with the winners of each category.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Senior Men - David McGoldrick, Enda Stevens, Glenn Whelan

Young - Alan Browne, Josh Cullen, Callum Robinson

Under-21 - Aaron Connolly, Lee O’Connor, Dara O’Shea

Under-19 - Jonathan Afolabi, Will Ferry, Lee O’Connor

Under-18 - Adam Idah, Jason Knight, Oisin McEntee

Under-17 - James Furlong, Joe Hodge, Andrew Omobamidele

Under-16 - Colin Conroy, Ben McCormack, Gavin O'Brien

Under-15 - Evan Ferguson, Glory Nzingo, John Ryan

Junior - Jordan Buckley (Usher Celtic), Sean Guerins (St Michael's), Kieran McDaid (Buncrana Hearts)

International Goal of the Year - Conor Hourihane v Georgia; Lee O’Connor v Sweden; Troy Parrott v Sweden

WOMEN

Senior - Katie McCabe, Denise O’Sullivan, Louise Quinn

Under-19 - Sadhbh Doyle, Megan Mackey, Roisin McGovern

Under-17 - Shauna Brennan, Eabha O’Mahony, Jessica Ziu

Under-16 - Kerryanne Browne, Della Doherty, Aoife Horgan

OTHER CATEGORIES

SSE Airtricity League Player of the Year - Jack Byrne (Shamrock Rovers), Sean Gannon (Dundalk), Chris Shields (Dundalk)

Intermediate Player of the Year - Alan McGreal (Crumlin United), Dave O’Leary (Avondale United), Conor Tourish (Letterkenny Rovers)

Colleges & Universities International - Dean Kelly (IT Carlow), Maurice Nugent (NUI Galway), Rob Slevin (UCC)

Football For All - Laurence Bryan (Street League), Thomas Donogher (Powerchair), Dillon Sheridan (Cerebral Palsy)

SCHOOLS

International Player of the Year - Brandon Bermingham (St Mary’s Diocesan School, Drogheda), Josh Honohan (St Francis College, Rochestown), Niall O’Keefe (De La Salle College, Wateford).

Under-15 - Aoife Cronin (Scoil Pól, Kilfinane), Ellen Molloy (Presentation Secondary School, Kilkenny), Jessie Stapleton (Palmerstown Community School)