13. Raffaele Cretaro (Sligo)
LONG SINCE ESTABLISHED as a Sligo Rovers legend, Cretaro enjoyed another impressive season for the club, with his 10 league goals helping them to an impressive fifth-place finish. At 35, he deserves enormous credit for retaining the desire to perform week in week out for one of the League of Ireland’s less high-profile clubs.
12. Patrick McEleney (Dundalk)
After impressing for Derry last season, the 24-year-old midfielder went on trial at Peterborough but it was ultimately Dundalk who secured his signature. And McEleney has proved to be an astute signing ultimately, adding a greater degree of intelligence and creativity to the Lilywhites’ midfield.
11. Kevin O’Connor (Cork)
Since joining from Waterford United in 2015, O’Connor has made the Cork left-back slot his own. His performances this season drew plenty of acclaim as he made the Premier Division Team of Year and also was nominated for Young Player of the Year, with rumours that the 21-year-old was being scouted by a number of British clubs at yesterday’s FAI Cup final.
10. Dylan Connolly (Bray)
It didn’t take Connolly long to get over the disappointment of being released by Ipswich last December. The Ireland U21 international has thrived at Bray, helping the club to an encouraging sixth-place finish, while contributing five goals and consistently making a difference for the Seagulls. It’s therefore no surprise that the PFAI Young Player of the Year nominee is rumoured to be on the radar of Cork and Dundalk in the close season.
9. Niclas Vemmelund (Derry)
One of the signings of the season, Kenny Shiels brought the Danish player to Derry following a successful trial after he was released by Swedish side IF Brommapojkarna. Since then, the versatile Vemmelund has been superb playing at both right-back and centre-half over the course of the season, as Derry had the third-best defence in the league, with the 24-year-old featuring in all but one of their games.
8. David McMillan (Dundalk)
Other Dundalk players may have grabbed more headlines, but McMillan’s contribution cannot be underestimated. His 16 goals were integral to Dundalk’s league title success, but he contributed so much more, leading the line superbly as the club’s main striker.
7. Rory Patterson (Derry)
Only Cork’s Sean Maguire scored more league goals than the prolific Patterson, his displays played a big role in guiding Derry City to third place and a Europa League berth.
6. Greg Bolger (Cork)
Captained the side to an FAI Cup success as well as helping them come second in the league, Bolger’s influential displays in Cork’s midfield earned him a PFAI Player of the Year nomination. Signed from St Pat’s at the beginning of the season, he also impressed in the Leesiders’ Europa League campaign to such an extent that Swedish Cup holders BK Hacken, who City dumped out of the competition, were linked with a move for the 27-year-old.
5. Stephen O’Donnell (Dundalk)
A mainstay at the heart of Dundalk’s midfield, the 30-year-old midfielder has been a PFAI Player of the Year nominee for the past two seasons and is one of the many Dundalk stars who seems more than capable of holding his own against opponents of the highest calibre.
4. Kenny Browne (Cork)
Has been excellent since signing for Cork from St Pat’s in November 2015, Browne is a big reason why Cork had the best defence in the league, conceding just 23 goals in 33 games, while he also chipped in with two goals.
3. Andy Boyle (Dundalk)
Along with Daryl Horgan, a deserving recipient of a recent Ireland squad call-up. Assured on the ball but also resolutely no-nonsense when necessary, Boyle played a large part in Dundalk having the second-best defence in the league this season, conceding just 28 goals.
2. Sean Maguire (Cork)
Played a starring role as Cork finished second and won the FAI Cup. Maguire managed 18 goals, with the Leesiders’ title challenge only dying off in the final weeks of the campaign. The question now is whether Cork can hold onto the 22-year-old striker – Belgian League clubs Sint-Truidense V.V and KRC Genk were linked with him last August, while the player is out of contract and manager John Caulfield admitted there “may be an opportunity to go to the UK” after he scored the winner in yesterday’s cup final.
1. Daryl Horgan (Dundalk)
Got the Ireland call-up his form warranted as Horgan starred for Dundalk both in the league and Europe. Many people wondered whether Stephen Kenny’s side could cope after star player Richie Towell was sold to Brighton last January, but the 24-year-old winger compensated for his absence with 10 goals.
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