Aberdeen defender Gavin Molloy has been tipped to break into the Republic of Ireland international squad by his former Shelbourne captain and coach.
Now Shelbourne’s technical director, Luke Byrne was club skipper when Molloy became a key first-team star with the Dublin club.
Shelbourne were desperate to retain Molloy long term, to build a team around the defender.
However, Byrne reckons the move to Aberdeen was ideal for Molloy – who would only have left title-challenging Shelbourne for the right club.
Molloy has been fundamental to Aberdeen’s sensational 15-game unbeaten start to the season under boss Jimmy Thelin, starting every game.
Byrne also says it was Molloy’s versatility saw him star not only at centre-back for Shelbourne, but left wing-back, left-back and central midfield.
And we can reveal Molloy could be set for a major boost less than 24 hours before the League Cup semi-final against Celtic on Saturday by landing a League of Ireland winner’s medal.
Byrne said: “Gavin could be a future international player and I’m sure the Ireland manager is aware of him.
“Gavin’s performances will not have gone unnoticed.
“Over the next few years, Gavin will continue to play at a high level and improve even further.
“The Irish team is quite well covered at centre-back with players like Liam Scales.
“People in the League of Ireland would compare Gavin to how Scales was before he left for Celtic.
“There are a lot of similarities between Gavin and Scales.”
‘Hopefully Gavin can claim two league titles this season’
Shelbourne will win the league title on Friday night with victory away at Derry City in the final game of the season.
They are currently two points ahead of second-placed Shamrock Rovers, who are the only team who can stop Shelbourne winning the league title.
Molloy, who transferred to Aberdeen when Shelbourne were top of the table, will secure a winner’s medal, having played 22 games in the League of Ireland this season.
Byrne said: “Gavin left in the middle of the season when we were trying to win the league, but these things happen in football.
“We knew if Gavin kept playing the way he had for the last year interest would come as he had momentum and form.
“When Aberdeen contacted us, the deal was done pretty quickly.
“Gavin wanted to move and was very excited about the prospect of moving to Aberdeen.
“We miss him, but we are still top of the league.
“Our season finishes the night before Aberdeen play in the League Cup semi-final and hopefully we can win the league – hopefully Gavin can claim two league titles this season.”
‘We would have loved to build a team around him’
Molloy signed a new contract with Shelbourne in February this year tying him down until the end of the 2025 campaign.
However, the defender had a clause in his contract which allowed a transfer overseas, with Aberdeen moving to sign the defender.
The clause was reportedly in the region of £75,000.
Byrne said: “It was disappointing to lose Gavin, but at the same time everyone was very happy for him to get that opportunity to go to a higher level.
“He signed a new deal, but we probably always expected he would leave in the summer.
“I think Gavin would have been very happy to stay had the right move not materialised.
“He wouldn’t have gone to just anybody in the summer.
“Aberdeen weren’t the first club that came calling, but he really wanted to go there.
“That shows Aberdeen really did their homework on Gavin, presented their plan to him and said the right thing.
“And they have backed it up.
“We would have loved to have kept Gavin for years and years and built a team around him.
“But the reality is the way Gavin was playing, it was no surprise there was interest in him.”
The versatility of ‘centre-back’ Molloy
Molloy signed for Shelbourne’s under-19s team in 2021 and became a key first-team starter when Republic of Ireland international legend Damien Duff took over as boss in 2022.
The defender made 79 appearances for Shels – his final game coming in the 1-0 win over Waterford FC less than 24 hours before signing for Aberdeen.
Aberdeen signed Molloy on an initial three-year contract.
Byrne said: “As a bloke, everyone in the dressing-room loved Gavin and he was well able to have a laugh.
“The lads were not only sad to see a very good player leave when left for Aberdeen, but also a big part of the dressing room.
“Gavin is a very consistent performer and also extremely composed and level-headed.
“He is very determined and someone who takes everything in his stride, so I’m not surprised Gavin has done so well at Aberdeen.
“Gavin came to our U19s, then established himself in our first team and very quickly became one of our best players.
“It was probably when Damien Duff took over that you really saw Gavin step up and become very comfortable at the first-team level.
“He showed great versatility when he got into the team as he played left-back, left wing-back, centre-back, right-centre-back and central midfield.
“Gavin got a lot of football because he was able to play different positions.
“That is a strength because it shows how coachable Gavin is as he takes on information to play different roles.
“Gavin really took the information from the coaches on board and adapted his game.
“Then he started to establish himself as a left-sided centre-back.”
Molloy is an ‘ultimate professional’
Molloy produced another superb performance in the 1-0 win against Dundee United as Aberdeen extended their unbeaten run to 15 games.
Not only did the centre-back play a role in securing a clean sheet, he also delivered the cross which led to Peter Ambrose scoring the late winner.
Byrne said: “Gavin was always quick, physically strong, read the game well and very composed on the ball.
“He always got us a couple of goals a season whether they were from shots outside the box or set-pieces.
“Even at 20, 21, he carried himself like an old pro – he was the ultimate professional and very low maintenance for the manager.
“I was captain for Gavin’s first couple of years in the team and he never caused a moment’s trouble for anyone.
“It has been an incredible start for Gavin at Aberdeen and a couple of Shelbourne players are going over to watch Gavin when our season finishes.
“We are all very proud of him and keep track of how he is doing.
“He is the type of lad who will not be fazed by going up against Celtic in Glasgow, and he acquitted himself very well.
“These games are what Gavin wanted.
“He is very determined and focused to get to the highest level.”
The leadership qualities of Molloy
Molloy is one of only four Dons players to have played every game under Thelin – the others are Nicky Devlin, Jack MacKenzie and Jamie McGrath.
Byrne says Molloy was a leader during his time at Shelbourne.
He said: “I was captain when Gavin was in the team.
“However, in my last year I played less and less and Gavin regularly wore the armband – even as a 21 year-old.
“He wasn’t necessarily the loudest voice in the dressing room, but he led by example.
“That was through performances, how he trained and how he conducted himself.
“Gavin is very much a leader in his own right. I can see him captaining a football club during his career.”
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