Rathvilly claimed victory over Palatine in Saturday’s Michael Lyng Motors Carlow Senior Football Championship Final replay, with a final score of 2-10 to 0-11.
The win was a significant moment for Rathvilly, and for Eric Molloy, it carried extra weight, not just because of the result, but because of what it meant to celebrate the occasion with his family.
Speaking to KCLR after the match, Molloy shared how much family means to him, especially after years spent playing soccer abroad.
“Family is everything. And to win and celebrate, even with Palatine there, having your family around you, even on these big occasions, it’s super to get to a county final. And celebrating with all your friends and family is what it’s all about,” Molloy said.
Molloy’s journey has taken him far from Carlow, with a soccer career that’s spanned continents. After joining Wexford Youths in 2012, he played in New Zealand for Southern United and Team Wellington, before moving to Poland to play with Stomil Olsztyn in 2019. He returned to Ireland in 2021 to join Waterford FC, followed by a stint at Shelbourne, and later signed for Longford Town in 2022.
Though his soccer career has taken him across the world, Molloy’s passion for Gaelic football and his home county has never waned. In 2021, he marked Rathvilly’s senior football final win by scoring a crucial goal against Éire Óg, and has since also lined out with intercounty team.
For Molloy, the balance between his soccer career and his love for Gaelic football is rooted in his connection to home. That connection was on full display as Rathvilly lifted the trophy in this year’s final replay, surrounded by family and friends—a moment that Molloy cherishes.