“Look what that means to her,” the commentator enthused, as Grace Moloney ran for the crowd after a triumphant moment to herself. Her face lit up when she spotted her father, Bill, and she went straight for him for a warm embrace.
The Republic of Ireland goalkeeper was the penalty shootout hero last Sunday evening, sending Reading into the next round of the FA Cup.
Moloney made three saves in the shootout as the Royals beat Leicester City 3-2 (it was 1-1 after 90 minutes, and 2-2 after extra-time) with the English-born shot-stopper impressing throughout.
“Grace was unbelievable,” manager Kelly Chambers beamed afterwards.
“Not just for the penalties, but the whole game. The amount of times that she kept us in the game was outstanding. So full credit to her, it’s a great moment.”
And one Moloney so desperately needed.
It’s been a difficult few months for the 29-year-old in the wake of Ireland’s World Cup play-off win in October.
Generally Reading’s first-choice ‘keeper, having been at the club since she was nine-years-old, Moloney was absent from the Royals’ matchday squads for several weeks after finding herself at the centre of a storm.
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Following the famous win over Scotland at Hampden Park, video footage emerged appearing to show some Irish players singing, ‘Ooh, ah, up the Ra’ — part of the lyrics to ‘Celtic Symphony’ by The Wolfe Tones — during dressing room celebrations.
The original footage appeared to be from an Instagram Live video posted by Moloney.
The FAI, manager Vera Pauw and players including Chloe Mustaki and Áine O’Gorman all apologised afterwards, while Uefa launched a disciplinary investigation, which resulted in a €20,000 fine.
“I have spoken already with several players about it and the one who posted it is devastated, she is crying in her room,” Pauw told reporters the morning after the video emerged. “She is so, so sorry. But there is no excuse for it.”
A lifelong Celtic fan, old tweets of Moloney’s were also shared in the aftermath.
She returned to the Reading squad in late November. “She’s gone through a really tough time personally and we’ve just tried to help her through that,” Chambers said, as quoted by The Telegraph’s Women’s Football Reporter Tom Garry.
Northern Ireland’s Jacqueline Burns had moved ahead in the pecking order, and has since cemented her status as first-choice goalkeeper.
Courtney Brosnan has been Ireland’s number one through World Cup qualification, with Moloney and Megan Walsh of Brighton & Hove Albion the regular back-ups. Moloney was named in Pauw’s most recent squad, travelling to Marbella for an eight-day training camp in November which culminated in a 4-0 international friendly win over Morocco.
“To this group of staff and players, from the bottom of my heart, thank you,” she wrote on Instagram in the build-up, alongside a picture of the Irish set-up after the win in Glasgow.
Moloney’s most recent performance will come as a real shot in the arm and fill her with much-needed confidence ahead of a big few months.
World Cup selection is the obvious goal but more game time is needed, whether that be at Reading or elsewhere. She’s staked a real claim for more opportunities, and given Chambers plenty of food for thought.
Moloney has thrived in competition and under pressure in the past, both with club and country. Her ambition to wear the green jersey has also spurred her on.
Born and raised in Slough, near Reading, she grew up dreaming of representing Ireland.
She hails from a big Irish family, her grandfather originally from Tipperary and her grandmother from Cavan. Her Dad was always football-mad, constantly decking her out in Irish kits.
From the age of 15, Moloney climbed the Ireland underage ranks, fulfilling that childhood dream. She excelled at the U17 World Cup in 2010, but her senior international rise was more of a a slow burn.
Moloney with Brosnan in Ireland training. Brian Reilly-Troy / INPHO
Brian Reilly-Troy / INPHO / INPHO
She turns 30 in March, but has just six caps to her name. She made her debut in 2016, around the time of Emma Byrne’s reign coming to an end and Marie Hourihan taking the mantle, before making her first competitive start against Germany in December 2020.
It was worth the wait, Moloney a shining light on a disappointing night in Tallaght Stadium as she produced an assured performance. She gave several brilliant interviews in the months which followed, explaining how a change of mentality in lockdown and sheer hard work brought huge improvements.
A string of excellent displays for Reading, and several Team of the Week inclusions, also paved the way for her progress.
In time, Pauw turned her attention back to Brosnan, but Moloney is a pivotal member of the Irish Goalkeepers’ Union and will be looking to drive on once again.
“Whoever is deemed the best goalkeeper and performing at the time will be fully supported,” as she said in April 2021.
Always about the team, never the individual.
And always about Ireland.
“Apart from an accent, it is the absolute world to me. I can’t put it into words, it just means absolutely everything to me and to my family,” Moloney smiled almost two years ago, when she returned to the Irish coalface.
The only way is up, and hopefully more moments to savour will follow.
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A moment to savour for Ireland goalkeeper after difficult time since World Cup play-off
THE CELEBRATION SAID it all.
The release of emotion.
The fist pumps, the roars, the passion.
“Look what that means to her,” the commentator enthused, as Grace Moloney ran for the crowd after a triumphant moment to herself. Her face lit up when she spotted her father, Bill, and she went straight for him for a warm embrace.
The Republic of Ireland goalkeeper was the penalty shootout hero last Sunday evening, sending Reading into the next round of the FA Cup.
Moloney made three saves in the shootout as the Royals beat Leicester City 3-2 (it was 1-1 after 90 minutes, and 2-2 after extra-time) with the English-born shot-stopper impressing throughout.
“Grace was unbelievable,” manager Kelly Chambers beamed afterwards.
“Not just for the penalties, but the whole game. The amount of times that she kept us in the game was outstanding. So full credit to her, it’s a great moment.”
And one Moloney so desperately needed.
It’s been a difficult few months for the 29-year-old in the wake of Ireland’s World Cup play-off win in October.
Generally Reading’s first-choice ‘keeper, having been at the club since she was nine-years-old, Moloney was absent from the Royals’ matchday squads for several weeks after finding herself at the centre of a storm.
Following the famous win over Scotland at Hampden Park, video footage emerged appearing to show some Irish players singing, ‘Ooh, ah, up the Ra’ — part of the lyrics to ‘Celtic Symphony’ by The Wolfe Tones — during dressing room celebrations.
The original footage appeared to be from an Instagram Live video posted by Moloney.
The FAI, manager Vera Pauw and players including Chloe Mustaki and Áine O’Gorman all apologised afterwards, while Uefa launched a disciplinary investigation, which resulted in a €20,000 fine.
“I have spoken already with several players about it and the one who posted it is devastated, she is crying in her room,” Pauw told reporters the morning after the video emerged. “She is so, so sorry. But there is no excuse for it.”
A lifelong Celtic fan, old tweets of Moloney’s were also shared in the aftermath.
She returned to the Reading squad in late November. “She’s gone through a really tough time personally and we’ve just tried to help her through that,” Chambers said, as quoted by The Telegraph’s Women’s Football Reporter Tom Garry.
Northern Ireland’s Jacqueline Burns had moved ahead in the pecking order, and has since cemented her status as first-choice goalkeeper.
Courtney Brosnan has been Ireland’s number one through World Cup qualification, with Moloney and Megan Walsh of Brighton & Hove Albion the regular back-ups. Moloney was named in Pauw’s most recent squad, travelling to Marbella for an eight-day training camp in November which culminated in a 4-0 international friendly win over Morocco.
“To this group of staff and players, from the bottom of my heart, thank you,” she wrote on Instagram in the build-up, alongside a picture of the Irish set-up after the win in Glasgow.
Moloney’s most recent performance will come as a real shot in the arm and fill her with much-needed confidence ahead of a big few months.
World Cup selection is the obvious goal but more game time is needed, whether that be at Reading or elsewhere. She’s staked a real claim for more opportunities, and given Chambers plenty of food for thought.
Moloney has thrived in competition and under pressure in the past, both with club and country. Her ambition to wear the green jersey has also spurred her on.
Born and raised in Slough, near Reading, she grew up dreaming of representing Ireland.
She hails from a big Irish family, her grandfather originally from Tipperary and her grandmother from Cavan. Her Dad was always football-mad, constantly decking her out in Irish kits.
From the age of 15, Moloney climbed the Ireland underage ranks, fulfilling that childhood dream. She excelled at the U17 World Cup in 2010, but her senior international rise was more of a a slow burn.
She turns 30 in March, but has just six caps to her name. She made her debut in 2016, around the time of Emma Byrne’s reign coming to an end and Marie Hourihan taking the mantle, before making her first competitive start against Germany in December 2020.
It was worth the wait, Moloney a shining light on a disappointing night in Tallaght Stadium as she produced an assured performance. She gave several brilliant interviews in the months which followed, explaining how a change of mentality in lockdown and sheer hard work brought huge improvements.
A string of excellent displays for Reading, and several Team of the Week inclusions, also paved the way for her progress.
In time, Pauw turned her attention back to Brosnan, but Moloney is a pivotal member of the Irish Goalkeepers’ Union and will be looking to drive on once again.
“Whoever is deemed the best goalkeeper and performing at the time will be fully supported,” as she said in April 2021.
Always about the team, never the individual.
And always about Ireland.
“Apart from an accent, it is the absolute world to me. I can’t put it into words, it just means absolutely everything to me and to my family,” Moloney smiled almost two years ago, when she returned to the Irish coalface.
The only way is up, and hopefully more moments to savour will follow.
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