Stephen Bradley & Pearl Slattery win SWI Personality of Year awards

Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley and Shelbourne captain Pearl Slattery were the big winners at the annual SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland awards in Dublin on Saturday night.

Bradley was named Men's Personality of the Year, becoming the first man in the 63-year history of the award to claim the honour in consecutive years.

He guided Shamrock Rovers to a third straight league title last season and also returned the Hoops to the group stages of European competition for the first time in 11 years as his team qualified for the UEFA Europa Conference League.

Bradley beat Derry City boss Ruaidhri Higgins and Rovers' striker Rory Gaffney, who finished second and third respectively, in the vote.

Long-serving Shels' skipper Slattery became just the second woman to win the Women's Personality of the Year award after playing a key role in Shelbourne's double winning campaign in 2022.

She follows in the footsteps of the inaugural winner, Wexford Youths' Kylie Murphy.

The experienced Dubliner saw off competition from Aine O'Gorman [second] and Shels teammate Jessie Stapleton [third] in the ballot.

The annual banquet also saw Shamrock Rovers' Alan Mannus crowned Goalkeeper of the Year, pipping Brian Maher and Nathan Shepperd to claim the prize for a joint-record third time. He previously won in 2010 and 2020.

Vera Pauw and the Republic of Ireland women's team were the recipients of the International Achievement Award to recognise a year in which their qualification for this summer's FIFA World Cup in Australia was an Irish sporting highlight.

Pauw lead the Girls in Green to eight victories throughout the year which culminated in their memorable Hampden Park victory over Scotland in October, sealing a maiden qualification in the