Timmy Molloy - Football, Education & Life
Credit: Paul Dolan (ETPhotos)
Last summer, just a few weeks after he left UCD, Timmy Molloy embarked on the trip of a lifetime to raise some much-needed funds for Jigsaw.
“I would have had a lot of dealings with them while I was in school,” Molloy said on Jigsaw.
“I was very aware of them and I know they do good work, so it was an obvious choice to make money for them.
“It was nice to meet them all at the end for a lunch and we gave them the cheque. I was a lot sorer in the legs than I ever was after playing football!”
But that chapter has since closed, and he is now gearing up towards another year of League of Ireland football with Galway United.
The 25-year-old has now also secured full-time employment in his hometown ahead of an exciting year for the Tribesmen.
But it was at Salthill Devon where the journey started for the Galwegian; “Salthill (Devon) would have been my first club.
“I was always playing GAA when I was younger, so I would’ve started playing football late enough. I started at about ten or eleven, but I played Gaelic as well.”
And after impressing with Salthill, he then joined UCD – firstly as a student and then as a footballer.
“It was brilliant yea (his time at UCD) – I have to say it was the best thing I’ve ever done in football. I’ve learned incredible amounts from my time with UCD.
“I played with some great players, I got coached by some great coaches in Collie O’Neill and Ian Ryan, so it was great for me.
“It (College football) was really good for us in terms of playing together. We played with each other and it really benefitted us in the League of Ireland as we were so used to playing with each other.”
But prior to making his mark on the League of Ireland – Timmy also played with the Students Leinster Senior League side.
“The standard of the Leinster Senior League is really good,” he said on his development in the junior ranks.
“There’s so many good players that you play against while you’re at UCD. There’s quite a few of them out there that could easily play in the First Division, so it was a good experience.”
And after completing his charity act in the summer, Molloy returned to where it all started at Drom Soccer Park.
“It was nice going back to Salthill – that was where it all started for me. I really enjoy being there, and I really get on well with the people there.
“It was a good side there as well; it wasn’t like a really poor standard of football – we were good. The coaches were great.
“I was kind of sad to leave in the end, but I had to leave to push on and with Galway this year, we could be onto something really special.”
He added; “I’d know a lot of the lads (at Galway). Galway isn’t that big of place. It’s easier to integrate.
“It’s your hometown – all the lads are sound, and the coaches are great, I couldn’t ask for anymore.”
But 2020 will be the first year in a long time when the Galwegian won’t have to be opening his books to study for third-level exams – as he had done in UCD since 2013.
“It (the UCD experience) was good. I was happy to get out of home and experience college from a different angle.
“If I was to go to college in Galway I would’ve been living at home and I don’t think I would’ve got the full college experience.
“Other than that, as well, even with the football they were really great to me if I was failing exams, they were always behind me.
“With Maccer (Diarmuid McNally) there, he was super to me and got me through college in a lot of ways.”
And with UCD being a part of his life for so long, would it be fair to say it is strange for Timmy to be finished his studies at Belfield?
“I was there long enough – I needed to get on!” he laughs. “It’s strange now but I was there long enough. I don’t look back at it now thinking I wish I was back.”
He also said; “I think it (having a full-time job) is much trickier than playing football and being in college. With a full-time job, you don’t get a lot of free time.
“There’s a routine, and it is very regimented. It brings its challenges, but it brings its benefits to it as well. I’d be more focused now. My diet would be better, you get better sleep and all.”
And for now, Molloy has little else on his mind bar the opening few weeks of the season with his new club at Éamonn Deacy Park.
“I know it’s an old cliché, but we can’t look much further than the first game against Athlone. It’s all about getting three points in that game and that’s all I want at the moment.
“We should definitely be competitive in the league, but we can’t look past the first game really.
“(Pre-season) has been good. It has been competitive. There’s so many new signings that want to get in the team to play so it has been good that way.
“It’s refreshing to be in pre-season after I was with UCD for so long.”
When asked on his future plans – he remained laser focused; “It would be nice to play in the Premier again.
“Personally, I’d like to do that again at some point. Beyond that, I haven’t really looked further than the next couple of weeks.”
