BY MICHAEL O’LEARY
Back in October, Ellen Molloy made a most welcome return to action following a horrendous year, where she was out of competitive football for more than a year after damaging her cruciate in September 2022.
The unfortunate injury occured while she was playing for her Club Wexford Youths in a National League game against Treaty United, and her absence was a huge blow to The Wexford Club’s prospects of winning The League.
However, the injury was a substantial blow to Ellen herself who was out of action – as already mentioned – for more than a year, and the nature of her injury immediately ruled her out of The World Cup last summer in Australia.
It was a crushing blow and it brought a galloping halt to her progression since making her National League debut in 2020.
However, Ellen has put all that disappointment and heartbreak firmly behind her and she is now focused ahead of the start of the new season with Wexford Youths, while also fully focused no doubt on attempting to force her way into back into The Republic of Ireland Squad under new manager Eileen Gleeson as they hope to qualify for a first European Championship.
Ellen displayed tremendous potential with Thomastown United and Presentation Kilkenny, while in 2018 she scored a superb goal as she Captained Kilkenny to Gaynor Cup success.
In 2020, she was part of The Presentation Kilkenny Team that won The National Senior Cup Final, and her undoubted potential saw her attract the attention of Wexford Youths as she made her Senior debut in the COVID delayed year in 2020.
Ellen made an immediate impact with Wexford Youths, and on her maiden appearance she scored two goals in their 4-1 win against Bohemians.
She followed that up with another brace against then League Champions Peamount United, before repeating the dose with another brace of goals against Galway United that included a Goal of the Season contender.
As a result of her exploits, she was named Young Player of the Season and named in the Team of the Season.
Also in 2020, Ellen was called up by Vera Pauw into The Republic of Ireland Squad and she made her debut when coming off the bench in the 1-0 defeat against Ukraine as a missed penalty by Katie McCabe cost them a play-off place.
To round off a memorable year in 2020, Ellen was named the winner of The International Goal of the Year at The FAI Intrnational Football Awards following her wonder goal for The Republic of Ireland U-17s against Iceland.
She maintained those high standards into 2021, where the undoubted highlight was been named Player of the Match as Wexford Youths won The FAI Cup Final 3-1 against Shelbourne.
Another personal highlight in 2021 was scoring 4 goals in a 7-1 demolition of Treaty United, while she was once again named in the team of the season at the 2021 WNL Awards.
2022 was going so well for Ellen with Wexford Youths, and with 16 goals she was playing a central role as they were challenging for League honours until disaster struck.
However, that’s all in the past now and with a new season on the horizon, Ellen’s return to comptitive action is a massive boost to Wexford Youths, Republic of Ireland and most of all to the player herself.
Her return to action will needless enhance Wexford Youths prospects in the season ahead, and she will be hoping to impress new Republic of Ireland Manager Eileen Gleeson who made an immediate impact in her role as caretaker manager when taking over from Vera Pauw following last Summer’s World Cup.
The Irish girls scored 20 goals in the UEFA Nations League in securing promotion to League A where they will now be competing among Europe’s best.
Stiffer tests will undoubtedly lie ahead in their quest to qualify for a first Euro’s next year in 2025, but The Irish Girls will go into the qualifying campaign full of confidence following their highly successful Nations League that was a joy to watch with their wonderful free flowing attacking football.
Eileen Gleeson taking over at the helm has given the girls a new lease of life – especially the attacking contingent – and Ellen’s ability is most perfectly suited to the new Irish managers style of football.
If she can make an impression with Wexford Youths, she can force her way back into The National Senior Squad and potentially have a part to play in helping The Irish Girls qualify for a first ever Euro’s.
That would complete the perfect comeback.
