Ellen and Aimee fly flag with pride

KILKENNY TEENAGER Ellen Molloy, who has played her under-age football with Wexford Youths Women as well as her native Thomastown United, was on cloud nine on Friday when she scored twice for the Republic of Ireland Under-17 side in their 2-2 draw with Iceland in a friendly played in the R.S.C., Waterford.

The visitors enjoyed a 1-0 lead at the interval, but Molloy finished expertly with her left foot in the 57th minute to bring the hosts back to level terms.

Iceland regained the advantage when one of their substitutes netted, only for a determined Molloy to peg them back again when she added her second in the 75th minute.

The sides met again in the Tramore A.F.C. grounds on Sunday, and this time there was local interest on the double as another Wexford Youths player, Aimee Bates-Crosbie, filled a berth in defence for the first 57 minutes.

Molloy was also introduced to the fray at that stage, with the well-matched teams producing another stalemate, this time on a 1-1 scoreline.

The two games were used as preparation for next month’s UEFA European Championship elite round qualifiers, which will also be held in Waterford.

Crosbie and Molloy will be hoping to have done enough to earn starting places from head coach James Scott for the battles with Denmark (March 23), Serbia (March 26) and Austria (March 29), with only the team finishing first earning a place at this summer’s finals tournament in Sweden.