Ipswich Town wide man Chiedozie Ogbene has been named as the Senior Men's International Player of the Year at the FAI Awards.
The focus is on performances between June 2023 and 2024, where Ogbene had been a regular for the Boys in Green. As a result, he won the prize for the second year running, beating Southampton's injured shot-stopper Gavin Bazunu and talented young Brighton striker Evan Ferguson.
The ceremony was held shortly before Ireland beat Finland 1-0 in Nations League B last night, with Ferguson's towering header claiming all three points for his side in Dublin. Szmodics started that game while Town team-mate Dara O'Shea came off the bench towards the end of the match.
Ogbene, of course, didn't feature, having suffered an Achilles injury in the Blues' 4-3 defeat at Brentford last month. He's expected to miss the rest of the campaign as a result.
The award will come as a boost for the 24-cap international, who's keeping high spirits on the sidelines before beginning his rehabilitation process.
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