Kilkenny’s Ellen Molloy has been included in Dave Connell’s Irish WNT U19s team due to face England, Switzerland and Northern Ireland this month.
The three fixtures are all in quick succession with Connell’s squad taking meeting England at Markets Field, Limerick, this Wednesday, before facing Switzerland three days later in the same venue and wrapping up with Northern Ireland on Tuesday next (26 October) at Jackman Park as part of Ireland’s UEFA Women’s Under-19 European Championship qualifiers.
Molloy has been in good scoring form for the U19s, bagging a goal against Portugal on her debut before putting in a tireless shift against Norway in September, ghosting three players on the way to a game-winning goal to add to her international account.
“We are in a tough group with Switzerland top seeds and England being the best second seed, while we recently played Northern Ireland so we know about their qualities. If we can get off to a good start then you never know but that is what we need to focus on”, said Connell around this week’s team announcement.
Fourteen members of the WNT U19 squad have featured in the SSE Airtricity Women’s National League this season, while midfielder Ellen Molloy already has four senior caps.
Republic of Ireland Women’s Under-19 Squad
- Goalkeepers: Rugile Auskalnyte (DLR Waves), Savannah Duffy (Asane)
- Defenders: Therese Kinnevey (Galway WFC), Jenna Slattery (Treaty United), Della Doherty (Wexford Youths), Jessie Stapleton (Shelbourne), Emma Bucci (University of South Carolina), Shauna Brennan (Galway WFC)
- Midfielders: Teegan Lynch (Wexford Youths), Eva Mangan (Cork City), Muireann Devaney (Athlone Town), Nicole McNamara (Galway WFC), Ellen Molloy (Wexford Youths), Maria Reynolds (Shamrock Rovers), Melissa O’Kane (Athlone Town), Kate Slevin (Galway WFC)
- Forwards: Aoife Horgan (Central Connecticut State University), Rebecca Watkins (Peamount United), Kerryanne Brown, Erin McLaughlin (Sion Swifts)
Fixtures: UEFA Women’s Under-19 European Championships Round 1
- Wednesday, October 20 | Republic of Ireland v England | KO 19:00 | Markets Field
- Saturday, October 23 | Republic of Ireland v Switzerland | KO 19:00 | Markets Field
- Tuesday, October 26 | Republic of Ireland v Northern Ireland | KO 13:00 | Markets Field
