Roscommon Herald/SuperValu sportstar awards to honour Heather Payne
South Roscommon native and Republic of Ireland senior women's soccer player, Heather Payne, is the winner of the 2023 Roscommon Herald/SuperValu Outstanding Achievement award. Picture: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Next month’s Roscommon Herald/SuperValu Sportstar of the Year awards on Friday, March 8th, will honour South Roscommon native and Republic of Ireland senior women’s soccer international, Heather Payne.
After being part of the first senior women's soccer team from the country to compete at the World Cup finals last summer, Heather will be presented with the 2023 Outstanding Achievement award.
A former overall winner of the Roscommon Herald/SuperValu Sportstar of the Year awards in 2016, Heather has made 42 appearances for her country at senior level, scoring two goals. She was also capped by the Republic of Ireland at U-17 and U-19 levels.
A former underage ladies’ footballer with Pádraig Pearses and Roscommon, Heather’s burgeoning reputation in soccer saw her join Bristol City from Peamount United before she moved Stateside in 2019 and teamed up with Florida State Seminoles.
She made her senior debut for the Republic of Ireland against Northern Ireland in 2018, producing a number of impressive displays that saw her named in Vera Pauw’s squad for last year’s historic World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Heather was chosen as 2023 Young Women’s Player of the Year at last year’s FAI International awards.
Last August, she signed a new contract with Everton, which currently sees her ply her trade in the Women’s Super League alongside some of the best players in the world in England.
Nina Carberry will be the special guest for the gala awards banquet on Friday, March 8th, in the Abbey Hotel where the Overall, Junior and Team of the Year will be selected from the following 14 monthly sportstar winners: — Rory Carthy (handball), Creggs junior rugby squad (rugby), Convent of Mercy senior ladies’ football panel (ladies’ football), Charles Nevin (soccer), Olivia Costello (golf), Roscommon minor camogie panel (camogie), St. Joseph’s U-15 boys’ soccer squad (soccer), Enda Smith (Gaelic football), Aoife O’Rourke (boxing), Richael Timothy (paracycling), Michael Glaveys intermediate men’s rounders team (rounders), Boyle senior ladies’ football panel (ladies’ football), Dara Bruen (Gaelic football) and Brian Stack (Gaelic football).
The late Marie McAleer will, posthumously, receive the Hall of Fame award. Details of the 2023 Special Achievement award winner will be unveiled next week.
For ticket information, contact Claire Morgan on 086 2395156.
