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Ellen Molloy

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Ellen Molloy
Personal information
Date of birth (2004-06-05) 5 June 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth Kilkenny, Ireland[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Sheffield United
Number 20
Youth career
Thomastown United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2024 Wexford Youths (29)
2024– Sheffield United 5 (1)
International career‡
2020– Republic of Ireland 6 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:40, 23 October 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 6 September 2022

Ellen Molloy (born 5 June 2004) is an Irish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Sheffield United of the Women's Championship and the Republic of Ireland women's national team. Molloy is seen as one of Ireland's most promising players.[2]

Club career

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In a decorated career in youth soccer, Molloy enjoyed success with Thomastown United and Presentation Secondary School, Kilkenny.[3][4] She was already seen as an exceptional prospect when she transferred to reigning WNL champions Wexford Youths in July 2019.[5]

Molloy debuted for Wexford Youths on the first day of the delayed 2020 Women's National League season, scoring two goals and serving one assist in a 4–1 home win over Bohemians.[6] She won the WNL Player of the Month award for August 2020 and was praised by Wexford Youths coach Tom Elmes: "She has hit the ground running. She is versatile and can play in a number of different roles and she's done really well for us."[7]

In September 2020 Molloy scored twice as Wexford inflicted a first defeat of the season on champions Peamount United.[8] She scored another two goals, including a "goal of the season contender" against Galway on 31 October 2020.[9] At the WNL Awards in December 2020, Molloy was named Young Player of the Season and named in the Team of the Season.[10]

Molloy's impressive form continued into the 2021 Women's National League season. She scored four times in a 7–1 win over Treaty United,[11] then hit a "brilliant, long range" goal in a 5–0 win over Galway two weeks later.[12] She was named Player of the Match in the 2021 FAI Women's Cup Final, as Wexford Youths defeated Shelbourne 3–1.[13] She retained her place in the Team of the Season at the 2021 WNL Awards.[14] Having scored 13 goals from midfield she agreed to remain with Wexford Youths for the following season.[15]

In 2022 Molloy had scored 16 goals and was the league's second top goal scorer as Wexford Youths challenged for the title. She suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in a September 2022 fixture against Treaty United and missed the run-in.[16]

On 6 September 2024, Molloy was announced at Sheffield United.[2]

International career

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Youth

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Molloy scored an acclaimed goal for the Republic of Ireland women's national under-17 football team against Iceland in February 2020 which went viral on social media and brought her to wider attention.[17] The strike was later voted International Goal of the Year at the FAI International Football Awards, making Molloy the first female winner.[18]

In September 2021 Molloy debuted for the Republic of Ireland women's national under-19 football team, scoring in her team's 2–1 friendly defeat by Norway in Portugal.[19] She made five appearances throughout the year, scoring three goals.[20]

Senior

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Senior Republic of Ireland national team coach Vera Pauw called up Molloy for the first time on 28 August 2020, for the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifier against Germany on 19 September 2020.[21] Molloy made her senior international debut in Ireland's next match, against Ukraine in Kyiv on 23 October 2020.[22] She was an 86th-minute substitute for Harriet Scott in Ireland's 1–0 defeat.[23]

After allowing Molloy to gain experience with the under-19s, Pauw recalled her to the seniors in November 2021, for 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification – UEFA Group A fixtures against Slovakia and Georgia.[24] However a hamstring injury sustained in the 2021 FAI Women's Cup Final forced Molloy to drop out of the squad.[25]

Molloy was called up again in February 2022, for the 2022 Pinatar Cup in Murcia. She sat her Leaving Cert mock exams early in order to take part. Molloy made her first start for Ireland on the occasion of her fifth cap, on 19 February 2022 in the 1–0 defeat by Russia.[26]

International appearances

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Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps
Republic of Ireland 2020 2
2021 2
2022 2
Total 6

References

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  1. ^ Hannigan, Mary (19 September 2020). "Girls in green: meet the Irish women's soccer team". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Ellen Molloy signs". www.sufc.co.uk.
  3. ^ "Spotlight - Ellen Molloy". Women's National League (Ireland). 8 June 2020. Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  4. ^ O'Keeffe, Shane (20 July 2020). "Presentation Kilkenny's Ellen Molloy has been nominated for FAI award". KCLR 96FM. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  5. ^ McGuire, Ken (16 July 2019). "Wexford Youths WFC announce signing of Kilkenny's Ellen Molloy". KCLR 96FM. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  6. ^ "A Special Talent - Ellen Molloy". Women's National League (Ireland). 11 August 2020. Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Wexford Youths' Ellen Molloy wins WNL Player of Month gong for August". RTÉ Sport. 11 September 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Wexford Youths inflict first defeat of the season on champions Peamount". RTÉ Sport. 5 September 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  9. ^ "WNL wrap: Ellen Molloy hits goal of the season contender; Maria O'Sullivan sent off in Cork City loss". Irish Examiner. 1 November 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  10. ^ Duffy, Emma (20 December 2020). "Peamount stalwart and Wexford teenage sensation win big at end-of-season awards". The42.ie. TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  11. ^ Duffy, Emma (18 April 2021). "Four goals for 16-year-old Irish international as Wexford Youths in seventh heaven with first win". The42.ie. TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  12. ^ "Shelbourne hold off Waves to go top of WNL, Wexford hit five, Athlone deny Cork". Irish Examiner. 1 May 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  13. ^ Duffy, Emma (21 November 2021). "'What's there to say? The kid is just unbelievable'". The42.ie. TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  14. ^ Healy, Martin (1 December 2021). "Wexford Youths dominate in 2021 SSE Airtricity Women's National League Team of the Season". Extra.ie. DMG Media. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  15. ^ Corcoran, Paul (17 January 2022). "Ireland international Ellen Molloy re-signs for Wexford Youths". extratime.com. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  16. ^ Duffy, Emma (27 September 2022). "Another blow for Ireland as Wexford Youths star Molloy ruled out of World Cup play-off". The42.ie. TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  17. ^ Whelan, Nathan (16 February 2020). "Watch: Ireland U17 star Ellen Molloy scores glorious solo goal". Extra.ie. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  18. ^ "The Ice queen! Kilkenny goal hero Ellen Molloy nets another international award". Kilkenny People. 1 September 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  19. ^ "Ireland U19s suffer defeat despite Ellen Molloy wonder goal". Irish Examiner. 16 September 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  20. ^ "WU19 | Review of 2021". Football Association of Ireland. 29 December 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  21. ^ "WNT Squad selected for Germany test". Football Association of Ireland. 28 August 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  22. ^ Cribben, Robert (23 October 2020). "16 year old Ellen Molloy debuts as Republic of Ireland fall to Ukraine in European Championship Qualifier". Kilkenny People. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  23. ^ "Ukraine 1-0 Republic of Ireland". UEFA. 23 October 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  24. ^ Kelly, David (19 November 2021). "Ellen Molloy back in picture as Vera Pauw names squad for Slovakia and Georgia World Cup qualifiers". Irish Independent. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  25. ^ "Injured Ellen Molloy out of Ireland squad, call up for 16-year-old Jessie Stapleton". Irish Examiner. 22 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  26. ^ Duffy, Emma (22 February 2022). "The 17-year-old Leaving Cert student lighting it up with Ireland". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
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