Ken Cunningham, the Wimbledon defender, was last night celebrating the biggest award of his career after being named as the Opel-FAI Player of the Year.
Cunningham, often regarded as one of the unsung players in the Republic of Ireland squad, edged out the other short-listed candidates, Denis Irwin and Shay Given, for the award.
His nomination was seen as fitting reward for the consistency which has seen him make the transition from full back to central defender with significant success in the last 18 months.
"It's a tremendous honour - one which I never thought I'd get," he said. "Any one of a number of players could have won it - I count myself privileged to be the one chosen."
Cunningham, who played with Home farm and later, Tolka Rovers before moving to Millwall, was one of the first of the newcomers brought into the national team by Mick McCarthy, a decision which has been amply vindicated.
It was disappointment on the double for Given who, together with Robbie Keane and Damien Duff, had been nominated for the Young Player award. After what can only have been an agonising decision, the vote went to Keane.
Kevin Kilbane, another full international, won the Under-21 award. Capped for the first time in the World Cup game in Iceland last year, he went on to play in two of the three warm-up games for the European championship at the end of last season.
Among the most popular winners was Barry Quinn, now elevated to first team status at Coventry City, who won the youths category after captaining Ireland to success in the European Under-18 championship in Cyprus in the summer.
Colin Hawkins, a superb rallying force for St Patrick's Athletic in their Premier Division championship success last season, took the National League award, ahead of two other central defenders, Declan Daly (Cork City) and Pat Scully (Shelbourne).
Yvonne Lyons (Belfica), previously successful in the women's category, again figured among the winners and 30 years after helping Manchester United to that celebrated European Cup success over Benfica at Wembley, Shay Brennan and Tony Dunne were nominated for the Hall of Fame. A special merit award was made to Noel O'Reilly, Brian Kerr's assistant in those under-age successes.
Player of the Year - Ken Cunningham ( Millwall); Young Player - Robbie Keane (Wolves); Under-21 - Kevin Kilbane (West Brom); Youth - Barry Quinn (Coventry City); National League - Colin Hawkins (St Patrick's Ath); Junior - Philip Long (St Kevin's Boys); Under-16 - Shaun Byrne (West Ham); Under-15 - Clifford Byrne (Sunderland/Home Farm); Schools - Kevin Doherty (St Joseph's, Fairview/Liverpool/Home Farm); Women - Yvonne Lyons (Belfica); Hall of Fame: Shay Brennan, Tony Dunne; Special Merit: Noel O'Reilly; International personality - Nobby Stiles.
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