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 Danny Grant of Bohemians.

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[]

Highlighted players are winning the award for a second time.

2020s[]

Year	Player	Club
2021	Dawson Devoy	Bohemians
2020	Danny Grant	Bohemians

2010s[]

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[]

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[]

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[]

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[]

Winners by club[]

Club	Number of wins
Bohemians	7 (1982, 1988, 1994, 2009, 2019, 2020, 2021)
Dundalk	5 (1990, 1993, 2013, 2014, 2018)
Shamrock Rovers	5 (1986, 1990, 2011, 2015, 2017)
Derry City	5 (1989, 1997, 2005, 2006, 2008)
Shelbourne	5 (1992, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003)
St Patrick's Athletic	3 (1998, 2007, 2012)
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[]

Country	Number of wins
Republic of Ireland	35 (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)
Northern Ireland	5 (1989, 1997, 2005, 2006, 2008)
Libya	1 (2003)

Trivia[]

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.