Latest news with #Julie-AnnRussell
Extra.ie
5 days ago
- Sport
- Extra.ie
Retired Russell in the mix to be crowned player of the year
Former Ireland striker Julie-Ann Russell, who retired from football recently, has been nominated for two gongs in the FAI International Awards. The Galway native is up against her ex-teammates Anna Patten and Kyra Carusa for the senior women's player of the year while she has also been shortlisted for Goal of the Year for her stunning strike against France in Páirc Uí Chaoimh last July. Russell will vie with Robbie Brady for Goal of the Year as the veteran left-back's winning goal in Helsinki was also nominated as was Evan Ferguson's finish against Bulgaria in March's Nations League promotion-relegation play-off second leg at Aviva Stadium. Julie-Ann Russell. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile Brady is also in contention for senior men's player of the year, going up against Caoimhín Kelleher and Nathan Collins. Meanwhile, Abbie Larkin, Jessie Stapleton and Tyler Toland are up for the Women's young player award, with Finn Azaz, Festy Ebosele and Jake O'Brien vying for the men's category. Taking in performances from June 2024 to May 2025, the eventual award winners will be presented with their trophies at Aviva Stadium ahead of the men's friendly between Ireland and Senegal on Friday, 6 June.
The 42
7 days ago
- Sport
- The 42
Player of the Year? Goal of the Year? Nominees announced for FAI international awards
THE NOMINEES FOR this year's FAI International Awards have been announced. Robbie Brady, Nathan Collins and Caoimhín Kelleher are the three players in the running for the senior men's player of the year award, with Kyra Carusa, Anna Patten and Julie-Ann Russell nominated for the senior women's honour. The now-retired Russell and Brady are also on the shortlist for the Goal of the Year prize, alongside Evan Ferguson, while Finn Azaz, Festy Ebosele and Jake O'Brien, and Abbie Larkin, Jessie Stapleton and Tyler Toland, are in the mix for their respective young player of the year awards. The winners will be presented with their trophies at an event in the Aviva Stadium on Friday week, 6 June, ahead of the international friendly between Heimir Hallgrímsson's Ireland and Senegal. The performances taken into account are from June 2024 to May 2025. The inductees to the FAI Hall of Fame and the Special Merit recipient will be announced prior to the event, along with the nominees for the Amateur Player of the Year. Here's the full list of the nominees. ***** Advertisement 35th FAI International Awards nominees Senior Men's International Player of the Year Robbie Brady Nathan Collins Caoimhin Kelleher Senior Women's International Player of the Year Kyra Carusa Anna Patten Julie-Ann Russell Young Men's International Player of the Year Finn Azaz Festy Ebosele Jake O'Brien Young Women's International Player of the Year Abbie Larkin Jessie Stapleton Tyler Toland International Goal of the Year MNT | Robbie Brady vs Finland MNT | Evan Ferguson vs Bulgaria WNT | Julie-Ann Russell vs France Men's Under-21 International Player of the Year Anselmo Garcia-MacNulty Matt Healy Andrew Moran Men's Under-19 International Player of the Year Jacob Devaney Thomas Morely Freddie Turley Women's Under-19 International Player of the Year Jess Fitzgerald Katie Keane Aoife Kelly Men's Under-18 International Player of the Year Kyle Fitzgerald Luke O'Donnell James Roche Men's Under-17 International Player of the Year Rory Finneran Ramon Martos Finn Sherlock Women's Under-17 International Player of the Year Anna Butler Ella Kelly Madison McGuane Boys' Under-16 International Player of the Year Joe Byrne Tadgh Prizeman Niall Sullivan Girls' Under-16 International Player of the Year Keelin Comiskey Ciara Milton Hailey Twomey Boys' Under-15 International Player of the Year Maxim Afonin Josh O'Dwyer Archie Quinn Girls' Under-15 Schools International Player of the Year Ava Hallinan (Jesus & Mary Secondary School, Enniscrone) Ciara Milton (St. Leo's College, Carlow) Hailey Twomey (Eureka Secondary School, Kells) Boys' Under-18 Schools International Player of the Year Adam Brennan (Hartstown Community School Alan Kizenga (St. Mac Dara's Community School, Templeogue) Rhys Knight (Clonkeen College, Blackrock) Football For All International Player of the Year
The Irish Sun
22-04-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
I'm ex-Ireland star who returned from childbirth and scored iconic goal vs France – now I'm making career in new sport
JULIE-ANN RUSSELL has gone from firing Ireland to three points on the football pitch, to shooting three-pointers on the basketball court. The 34-year-old Advertisement 4 Julie-Ann Russell retired from football back in January Credit: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile 4 She scored seven goals in 66 caps for the Republic of Ireland Credit: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile 4 She also played a starring role for Galway Utd Credit: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile 4 She is now playing basketball for Moycullen Credit: John O'Brien It also brought to an end her run with Galway United, with whom the Moycullen-native won the All-Island Cup in 2024. But Russell has not turned her back on sport altogether, and represented her hometown basketball club in the Galway Cup. The former striker explained to SunSport: "I actually was playing last year as well. "In Moycullen, they have a St. Stephen's Day Blitz which has been running for years and years. Advertisement Read More on Ireland WNT "It was the second year that they had a women 's Blitz and they'd asked me to play in it. I did at the time and absolutely loved it. "They were kind of like, 'will you play on our team for January to March?' It was the second-half of the season. "I was in pre-season with Galway at the time and I said, 'yeah I'll go whenever I can make it'. "I played last season for a couple of months and then I didn't play at the start of the season just there because I was in with Ireland . Advertisement Most read in Football "Once I finished up with Ireland I went back again in January, back playing with them." The Moycullen point-guard played basketball in her youth and in secondary school . Ireland hero Julie-Ann Russell's daughter Rosie takes RTE microphone during post-match interview She had to prioritise soccer over gaelic football and basketball when she turned 18. But Russell has not missed a beat since going back to the court , and showed her talents by putting Moycullen 8-0 up in their Galway Cup final defeat to Claregalway last month. Advertisement Although she admitted: "I only turned up to meet folks I hadn't seen in ages and it's a really good day out. "I didn't think I'd be able to shoot the ball because it's been so long but I ended up getting Player of the Tournament that year. "They were hounding me to play on the team for the rest of the season so I said I would." EURO TRIP Russell had mapped out her ideal retirement roadmap that did not end back in January. Advertisement The mum-of-one made a sensational return to the Girls in Green last summer after four years away. That break was initially enforced due to being in Australia when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in 2020. But following her 2021 return to Galway, she remained out of 's plans. She was watching on with her newborn daughter Rosie when Advertisement It was a storybook return, as She scored her third international goal of the year in the 3-0 win over qualifiers as Ireland got to the play-offs. But the two-legged play-off loss to Wales was the end of the journey, both for Ireland and Russell. "It was definitely the best year of my life so far anyway." She said: "I probably started thinking about it if we didn't qualify for the Euros , so depending on how the match against Wales went was kind of the breaking point for me. Advertisement "If we'd won that game, I would have kept playing and tried to make the squad for the Euros this summer. "Unfortunately we lost the game, so I made the decision then and then I just kind of sat on it for about a month or so, just to kind of make sure I was making the right decision. "When the final whistle went, it was obviously devastating to lose but then, in my head, I was kind of like this is it for me. "It made it even that more painful than what it was." Advertisement 'AMAZING HUMAN' When Carla Ward replaced Eileen Gleeson after the play-off, there were attempts to keep Russell in the fold. The former She added: "When I spoke to Carla, she was kind of shocked, I think, a little bit at the decision. "She seemed like an amazing human to start with and so welcoming and was so looking forward to meeting Rosie and having her daughter meet her as well. Advertisement "I think it would have been a joy to work under her as well. "Unfortunately that didn't come to fruition but it's great to see her doing well now in the last couple of games." Bidding farewell was made easier by the memories made. The win over France - and her Player of the Match role in it - stands out for poignant reasons. Advertisement While her daughter was not at Carrow Road to see Russell score against the Lionesses, And the 34-year-old said: "My friends and family all there and Rosie witnessing me playing for Ireland, "She won't have a clue. She'll just look back when she's older. "It would have been amazing if she wasn't there, but I think the fact that she was born, and coming back from post-pregnancy, and getting back into top level sport again, and having her there was 10 times better. Advertisement "It was definitely the best year of my life so far anyway." BACK OF THE NET Basketball is one of a number of ways Russell has occupied herself since hanging up the boots . The ex-Peamount United star still works for And she also ran the Barcelona marathon in March, clocking a time of three hours and 25 minutes. Advertisement And she has tentative plans to return to the basketball court when the season gets underway in October. "I'm not going to make commitments right now and say I'm fully signed up. I'm just seeing how things go and how I'm feeling and how my body is feeling and what not. I "I've loved playing the last two seasons at Moycullen. It's brilliant. If I'm feeling good and strong, no doubt I'll be back playing with Moycullen again."
BBC News
31-01-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Russell retires after 15-year Republic of Ireland career
Republic of Ireland attacker Julie-Ann Russell has retired from football after 66 caps for her Galway United player made her international debut senior debut in a World Cup qualifier away to Kazakhstan in October 2009 and scored seven goals for the would miss four years of international football between 2020 and 2024, but returned to the squad last year, scoring three goals in six games including finding the net in a memorable win over her club career, the 33-year-old was twice voted SSE Airtricity Women's Premier Division player of the year, with the awards coming 10 years apart in 2014 and 2024, while also enjoying spells in America, England and Australia."After 24 incredible years, the time has come to step away from football," she said."The game has been a central part of my life, providing unforgettable memories and opportunities that I will never forget."While it's bittersweet to say goodbye, I'm excited for the next chapter and will forever cherish the memories football has given me."Russell is the third experienced player to retire from Republic of Ireland duty since the side's failure to qualify for Euro 2025. She joins Niamh Fahey and Diane Caldwell in hanging up her boots before new boss Carla Ward's first game in charge against Turkey next month. FAI chief football officer Marc Canham said: "Julie-Ann is a special player who will be remembered for her excellent performances, goals and assists in the SSE Airtricity Women's Premier Division and for Ireland, where she will rightly be remembered as one of our finest players. "We thank her for everything that she has done for Irish football."
