Ellen Molloy: ‘Any bit of advice the senior girls give me, I try and take it on board and bring it back to my club’

The Republic of Ireland’s game against Russia on Saturday evening was a chance for a number of players to get valuable game time at international level.

Vera Pauw handed debuts to goalkeeper Megan Walsh, 16-year-old Abbie Larkin and Chloe Musaki (who spoke in detail about her journey to finally making her senior Ireland debut at 26 years of age here).

Slotted into midfield for the second Ireland Pinatar Cup game was 17-year-old Ellen Molloy whose eye catching performances with Wexford Youths last season has propelled her into the international side again at the weekend, having earned her first senior cap in late 2020.

The Thomastown native helped Youths to claim the 2021 FAI Cup when she was player of the match in the final against Shelbourne.  Wexford finish third in the WNL as Malloy netted 13 times and come the end of the campaign she earned a position in the team of the season.

An injury picked up in the FAI Cup final in Tallaght meant she missed out on the 2023 World Cup qualifiers against Slovakia and Georgia late last year.

Getting back into the Ireland team on Saturday left the player delighted to not only play in the 1-0 loss to Russia but to play from the start rather than just get game time off the bench. 

“Russia were tough but it was nice to get a start,” said Molloy. “I got time to settle into the game, get my touch rather than just coming on and having a few minutes to try and make an impact.

“Once we settled into the game, we started playing footballl. I thought it was a good performance from the team overall.

“I tore my hamstring in the cup final which was dissapointing so I was delighted when I got the call up again.”

Wexford start their WNL season against Athlone Town in the first week of March so as Molloy continues her work coming back from her cup final injury, the warm weather Ireland training camp in Spain – away from Storm Eunice and Franklin back home – has been welcome for Malloy who will sit her Leaving Cert later in the year.

“I haven't really had too many pre-season games as I'm only coming back from that hamstring injury so it was nice to come here, get some game time and get sharper before the season kicks off.”

She admitted that the first time she was called into the Ireland squad, it didn’t go as she wanted but after returning to play with the national under-19 side she felt she really kicked on in the second half of last season. 

“When I was in the first Ireland camp, I kind of lost a bit of confidence. When I went back with the girls (at under-19), I went back to basics. We have a really close bond in the team. I found my feet again and got my head right and went back to Wexford and everything kind of clicked. Kylie (Murphy) and I started linking up well and we finished the season strong.”

Molloy, along with the likes of Abbie Larkin, Jess Ziu, Jessie Stapleton, Saoirse Noonan and Aoibheann Clancy, is amongst a group of exciting young teenage talent coming through within the Ireland ranks being helped by the more experienced players in the squad.

“Any bit of advice the senior girls give me, I try and take it on board and absorb any information I get here to try and bring it back my club.”

Chloe Mustaki: ‘When the messages were coming through on my phone, I definitely had tears in my eyes’ https://t.co/haTaxRAYcUpic.twitter.com/w9JPJTCKbG

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) February 20, 2022