P. J. Molloy (born 30 April 1952) is an Irish former hurler who played as a left wing-forward for the Galway senior team.
[1][2][3] Born in Athenry, County Galway, Molloy first played competitive hurling in his youth.
As a member of the Connacht inter-provincial team at various times throughout his career, Molloy won five Railway Cup medals.
Molloy's career tally of 11 goals and 114 points was a record score for a Galway player which stood until it was surpassed by Eugene Cloonan.
Two Kevin Hennessy goals and a kicked Colm O'Neill effort secured a 3–8 to 0–9 victory for Midleton and a defeat for Molloy's side.
[6] Galway faced All-Ireland semi-final defeat over the next three years, however, Molloy was personally honoured in 1977 when he collected his first All-Star award.
[7] In one of the worst All-Ireland finals of the decade, Galway goalkeeper Séamus Shinnors had an absolute nightmare of a game.
A 70-yards free by Liam "Chunky" O'Brien after just four minutes dipped, hit off Shinnors and ended up in the Galway net.
Galway fought back and went two points up twelve minutes into the second half, however, they failed to score for the rest of the game.
[8] It was Galway's first All-Ireland title since 1923, with Molloy picking up a winners' medal and the celebrations surpassed anything ever seen in Croke Park.
Offaly 'keeper Damien Martin was doing great work in batting out an almost certain Galway goal early in the second-half.
The men from the west were the red-hot favourites against an ageing Cork team, however, on the day a different story unfolded.
Four Cork goals, one from John Fenton, two from Tomás Mulcahy and one from Kevin Hennessy, stymied the Galway attack and helped "the Rebels" to a 4–13 to 2–15 victory.
The game was not a classic by any standard and Noel Lane got a key goal for Galway nine minutes before the end.
Molloy retained his position on the team in 1980 as Connacht faced Railway Cup specialists Munster in the decider.
It proved to be a very successful debut year as he subsequently guided the team to a championship title following a 2–6 to 1–6 defeat of Carnmore.
[11] Athenry later took the Connacht title following a 1–15 to 1–8 defeat of Four Roads, before later reaching the All-Ireland decider against Wolfe Tones.