where is alan matthews name in soccer writers personality of the year?

**Martinho II** · 07/01/2005, 12:35 AM

www.soccercentral.ie

The short lists for the 2005 eircom/Soccer Writers' Association of Ireland Personality of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year Awards were announced today.

League champions Shelbourne dominate the shortlists with three; Jason Byrne, Pat Fenlon and Owen Heary, on the Personality of the Year and 2004's Goalkeeper of the Year, Steve Williams, once again nominated in the goalkeeper category.

Cork City are also well represented with manager Pat Dolan and striker Kevin Doyle on the Personality of the Year shortlist while Michael Devine makes the goalkeeper list.

Waterford United striker Daryl Murphy completes the shortlist for Personality of the Year while his former team mate Dan Connor, now with Drogheda United, is included in the goalkeeper category.

The awards night takes place in the Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork, on Saturday January 15.

It will be the first year in the Association's 44-year history that the eircom/Soccer Writers' Association of Ireland Awards ceremony will take place outside Dublin.

PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR SHORTLIST

JASON BYRNE (SHELBOURNE)
Striker Jason Byrne finished the season as the Premier Division's top scorer with 26 goals - 25 in the League (including three hat-tricks) and one in the FAI Cup - as Shelbourne retained the Premier Division title. He also played in all eight of Shelbourne's European games and made his international debut for the Republic of Ireland against Poland in Bydgoszcz in April. Byrne was also named Player of the Month for April.

PAT DOLAN (CORK CITY)
Manager Pat Dolan guided Cork City to second place in the Premier Division while, in Europe, Cork reached the third round of the Intertoto Cup having beaten Malmo and NEC Nijmegan before eventually going out to Nantes. The victories in the first two rounds ensured Dolan matched Jim McLaughlin's eircom League record of successfully negotiating three European rounds having led St Pats to victory over NK Rijeka in 2002.

KEVIN DOYLE (CORK CITY)
Striker Kevin Doyle finished the season with 15 goals, 13 in the League and two in the Intertoto Cup, as Cork finished second in the League and reached the third round of the Intertoto Cup. The Republic of Ireland Under 21 striker was one of the reasons why Cork mounted a late challenge to eventual League winners Shelbourne with eight goals in the final 12 matches of the season. Doyle was also named Player of the Month for November.

PAT FENLON (SHELBOURNE)
Manager Pat Fenlon led Shelbourne to the Premier Division title for the second season in succession - the first time in Shelbourne's history that they have achieved the feat. In the Champions League, he also masterminded an away goals victory over KR Reykjavik, a 4-3 victory over Hajduk Split before they were knocked out 3-0 on aggregate by Deportivo La Coruna having drawn 0-0 in the home leg. In the UEFA Cup, Shelbourne drew their home tie 2-2 with Lille before losing 2-0 in the away leg.

OWEN HEARY (SHELBOURNE)
Captain Owen Heary helped Shelbourne retain the Premier Division title for the first time in their history and was also instrumental in their charge to the first round proper of the Champions League and the first round of the UEFA Cup. Heary scored two goals during the season from right back - a last minute equaliser against Shamrock Rovers and the opener in a 4-1 win over Dublin City - and won August's Player of the Month award.

DARYL MURPHY (WATERFORD UNITED)
Striker Daryl Murphy finished the season with 20 goals - 13 in the League and seven in the FAI Cup - as Waterford United finished fifth in the League and reached the FAI Cup final which they lost to Longford Town. Murphy was consistent throughout the season and had a record of never scoring in a game that Waterford lost. He also earned a regular place in the Republic of Ireland Under 21 squad while he was September's Player of the Month.

where is alan matthews name? disgraceful!

GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR SHORTLIST

DAN CONNOR (DROGHEDA UNITED)
A recent recruit by Drogheda United, Dan Connor helped Waterford United to fifth place in the League last season and the FAI Cup final which they lost to Longford Town. He also scored the goal that booked Waterford their FAI Cup final place with a penalty kick against Derry City.

MICHAEL DEVINE (CORK CITY)
Michael Devine was an ever present as Cork City finished second in the Premier Division and reached the third round of the Intertoto Cup. He kept 15 clean sheets in 43 games - 12 in the League and three in successive European ties, a new Irish record. In total, he conceded 32 goals in 36 League games.

STEVE WILLIAMS (SHELBOURNE)
Steve Williams was ever present as Shelbourne retained the Premier Division title and reached the first round proper of the Champions League. He kept 17 clean sheets in 49 matches - 13 in the League, three in Europe and one in the FAI Cup. He conceded 37 goals in 36 League games.

why is dan connor in and not digger? digger was a revelation last season he was far better this year than last year

**Laker** · 07/01/2005, 8:05 AM

Well it is being held in a hotel in cork......

**fosterdollar** · 07/01/2005, 8:09 AM

Originally Posted by Laker

Well it is being held in a hotel in cork......

so what????

**Laker** · 07/01/2005, 8:13 AM

So What??? I won't be able to go....thats what

**CollegeTillIDie** · 07/01/2005, 7:53 PM

Alan Matthews should be on the list.

Dan Connor most overrated keeper in the League during the past two seasons.

**Longfordian** · 07/01/2005, 7:54 PM

Alan Mathews won the award last year, has an even better season this year and fails to get nominated..baffling

**higgins** · 08/01/2005, 7:48 AM

Alan Matthews should not get a mention due to his carry on over the Vaduz mess this season...

He made out that you were all part time playing a team of superstars!!!
did he not parade the team around the town the morning of the game too?? He done nothing for the league around the time Longford were in the league and hammered home the opinion of useless part time players out of their depth... I like Alan but he made a joke of himself and Longford with the lame excuses and lousy attitude

**Longfordian** · 08/01/2005, 12:50 PM

If winning 2/3 domestic competitions with Longford Town, who are a part time team with a small budget isnt enough to get a nomination, what is? Is it an award for who did the best interviews during the season?. No, he didnt parade them around town on the morning of the game, they had a very professional and focused attitude all during the trip, and nobody was more annoyed than he was at losing

**max power** · 09/01/2005, 1:01 AM

Originally Posted by Longfordian

If winning 2/3 domestic competitions with Longford Town, who are a part time team with a small budget isnt enough to get a nomination, what is? Is it an award for who did the best interviews during the season?. No, he didnt parade them around town on the morning of the game, they had a very professional and focused attitude all during the trip, and nobody was more annoyed than he was at losing

who cares, he wasn't in the country anyway and we have the silver

**Éanna** · 09/01/2005, 1:03 AM

you have to be at one of the "big" clubs to get any sort of award as far as I can see- if there was any justice, Mike kerley would have got manager of the year last season for bringing limerick to the play offs.

**max power** · 09/01/2005, 1:07 AM

Originally Posted by Éanna

you have to be at one of the "big" clubs to get any sort of award as far as I can see- if there was any justice, Mike kerley would have got manager of the year last season for bringing limerick to the play offs.

we are a big club, the biggest in ireland in 2004

still who gives a damn about maeningless awards, i think the cups mean more to anyone involved with the club.

**Éanna** · 09/01/2005, 1:11 AM

Originally Posted by max power

we are a big club, the biggest in ireland in 2004

hence me putting "big" in quotation marks. Its not whether you are a big club or not, but whether you're see to be one

**max power** · 09/01/2005, 1:13 AM

Originally Posted by Éanna

hence me putting "big" in quotation marks. Its not whether you are a big club or not, but whether you're see to be one

yeah but if you top what you did the previous year and don't even get a mention, you should be entitled to a big of head scrathing ???

ah football......its a funny old game

**Éanna** · 09/01/2005, 1:16 AM

Originally Posted by max power

you should be entitled to a big of head scrathing ???

I though we were the ones who were "big of head Max"?!

Seriously though,I suggest some shampoo or maybe sheep-dip and you should be fine in a few days

**max power** · 09/01/2005, 1:18 AM

Originally Posted by Éanna

I though we were the ones who were "big of head Max"?!

Seriously though,I suggest some shampoo or maybe sheep-dip and you should be fine in a few days

sheep dip......thats a rare and rather digusting scotish whiskey, wicked stuff

**Ronnie** · 13/01/2005, 3:54 PM

It really doesen't make sense how he can be overlooked. He won 2 out of 3 trophies, and realisitically we never had a chance of winning the league.
The result against Vaduz was disappointing, but put simply they were much better than us, and in my opinion better than any other team we played last season.