Shane Duffy has been named as the FAI's Senior Player Of The Year in Dublin this evening. Duffy beat out competition from Darren Randolph and Declan Rice for the prize. Having won the prize last year, he becomes the first player to win it on back-to-back occasion since Shay Given in 2006.
It was a torrid year on the pitch for Ireland, having not won a single game in the UEFA Nations League and suffering relegation to the third tier of the competition. Martin O'Neill ultimately paid for the poor campaign with his job.
While joyous moments were few and far between, there were still some excellent individual performances at times. Duffy put in some strong performances throughout the year, acting as the last line of defence for Ireland.
Irish football fans will certainly be hoping for a much improved showing under Mick McCarthy in 2019, with the Euro 2020 Qualifiers getting underway this week. Ireland open the campaign away to Gibraltar on Saturday, before hosting Georgia the following Tuesday.
Qualifying for Euro 2020 will of course have the added bonus of playing an international tournament on home soil, with the Aviva Stadium set to host a number of games in the tournament. If Ireland are to qualify, we will need another big year out of Shane Duffy.
