The Southern United striker has scored four goals in the past two games and has been key to the team’s three-match winning streak.
A lively threat, he has the ability to create for himself and has pulled off several outstanding finishes. Just as eye-catching have been his acrobatic celebrations. He will be hoping to pull a few of those out when the team faces Waitakere United at Peter Johnstone Park today.
"My mum made me do gymnastics and I practised a lot and she brought me routinely to each practice," the 24-year-old said.
"I remember one day seeing one of the older lads in the group and he could do a back-flip. I thought that was phenomenal, I wanted to be able to do that. So I stuck with gymnastics and I eventually learnt how to do a back-flip."
A talented athlete, Molloy also played Gaelic football until the age of 21. The sport is big in his home town of Rathvilly, a small town in Carlow County.
Molloy balanced the sport with football and won a county championship in his final year. However, he enjoyed the professional attitude of football and did not like the drinking culture in Gaelic football.
He had spent the last five seasons playing football for the Wexford Youths club. During that time the club had been promoted to the premier division of the Irish league. There were a few key differences between the leagues and he enjoyed the style of football in New Zealand.
"I think the Irish league is a lot more astute and intense. There would not be as many mistakes in the league or as many goals.
"You get a lot of 0-0 draws or 1-0 wins. It’s a lot tighter. I find here in the New Zealand league it’s a lot more open. There’s more goals, there’s a lot more in the technical side of things. So people getting on the ball and getting out and playing.
"In Ireland it’s more in your face, clearances, a tough battle. I find football is more enjoyable here. It’s how football is supposed to be played."
He was enjoying training four times a week in New Zealand, as opposed to twice in Ireland. That had made a difference, particularly with the quality coaching staff on hand. He was enjoying living in Dunedin, too, and hoped to remain at the club.
The city had grown on him and the club’s Irish players had enjoyed visiting several of the region’s attractions. Today he was hoping to help the club claim its fourth win of the season. It would not be easy, against a Waitakere United side tied at the top of the table on 20 points. Last time the sides met in Auckland the result was a 2-2, although Molloy had missed that game through injury.
"We’re at home at Peter Johnstone Park. If a good crowd turns out on Saturday, I think we’ll have the 12th man. If we have a good crowd, that could be the difference in a very tight game."
Southern v Waitakere
Peter Johnstone Park, today, 1pm
Southern United: Liam Little, Ross Howard, Harley Rodeka, Stephen Last, Conor O’Keeffe, Danny Ledwith, Michael Hogan, Andrew Ridden, Andy Mulligan, Eric Molloy, Danny Furlong, Josh Dijkstra, Sam Cosgrave, Cam McPhail, Cam Higgins, Ben O’Farrell.
Waitakere United: Pirmin Strasser, Scott Hilliar, Ethan Galbraith, Julyan Collett, Chris Bale, Stefen Thelen, Rory Turner, Ryan Cain, David Parkinson, Pascal Reinhardt, Dylan Manickum, Jake Butler, Tom Shaw, Keegan Linderboom, Jake Porter, Liam Anderson.
