Top of the trio

Cliftonville have representatives in contention for all three major categories at the forthcoming NI Football Writers’ Association Awards.

Jim Magilton has been shortlisted alongside Linfield counterpart David Healy and Dungannon Swifts’ Rodney McAree for the Belleek Pottery Manager of the Year accolade, with the same three Clubs making up the shortlist for Sports Direct Player of the Year, where the Reds’ Joe Gormley is in the running with the Blues’ Joel Cooper and Swifts midfielder Gael Bigirimana.

The NIFWA Young Player of the Year honour will likewise be dished out to a talent from that same trio of Clubs, with Shea Kearney carrying Cliftonville’s presence in the company of Linfield’s Matthew Orr and Dungannon’s John McGovern.

This season’s NIFWA Awards ceremony will take place at Belfast’s Crowne Plaza Hotel next Sunday, May 4, and we naturally wish the Reds’ representation the very best of luck for the occasion.

Belleek Pottery Manager of the Year
David Healy (Linfield)
Jim Magilton (Cliftonville)
Rodney McAree (Dungannon Swifts)

Sports Direct Player of the Year
Gael Bigirimana (Dungannon Swifts)
Joel Cooper (Linfield)
Joe Gormley (Cliftonville)

NIFWA Young Player of the Year
Shea Kearney (Cliftonville)
John McGovern (Dungannon Swifts)
Matthew Orr (Linfield)