Since she was a child, Molly Kehoe has dreamed of playing professional football under the brightest lights and, after an historic signing, her dream is finally coming true.
Kehoe, who celebrates her 19th birthday today, 10 Aug., secured a one-season player contract with Cardiff City Bluebirds last month, the most prominent team, for any local footballer – male or female – in the history of the sport in Cayman.
“I think I am very lucky that I got the opportunity and I’m excited that I’ve signed with them,” Kehoe told the Compass. “I really didn’t expect any of this to happen, especially this soon. It all happened so fast but it feels good.”
Following her Bluebirds’ trials where Kehoe impressed, the born-and-raised Caymanian returned home for a week before leaving for the UK on Monday, 7 Aug., to join her new teammates in preparation for the UEFA Champions League qualifiers – considered the most significant club tournament in modern-day football.
While Kehoe admits things are moving swiftly, she only has herself to ‘blame’ for displaying the desirable skills on the pitch that suit the level she has signed on for.
However, while she gears up to play against the world’s best female footballers, Kehoe, an attacking midfielder, has always been considered one of Cayman’s top players and her performances both domestically and internationally have proven that.
In 2018, when Kehoe was only 13, she bested a couple dozen players to qualify for the final of the Flow Skills 2018 Ultimate Football Experience put together by Flow and Manchester United Football Club.
Since then, Kehoe has won nearly 20 football titles during the Cayman Islands Football Association youth and senior seasons.
She briefly played at Darlington School Soccer Academy in the US before the COVID-19 pandemic forced her back home. After that, Kehoe noted that she was discouraged and almost gave up on her dream. But that feeling was short-lived after she realised more success in Cayman’s football fixtures.
Most recently, Kehoe contributed to her then team Elite SC winning every CIFA trophy during the 2022-23 season. That included her earning the golden boot honours after scoring the most goals in the President’s Cup. Prior to that, she was the league’s top scorer for the 2021-22 season.
But that’s not all. During last year’s CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship, Kehoe put on a clinic, scoring all five of Cayman’s goals during that tournament.
Her performances attracted the attention of Cardiff City staff members, including women’s head coach Iain Darbyshire, who noted that Kehoe’s talent could have a big impact on his team’s upcoming season.
Kehoe will compete with Cardiff against FC Gintra in the UEFA Women’s Champions League first qualifying round before debuting in the Welsh Adran Premier League – the highest level of league competition for women’s football in Wales.
“I’m not sure what to expect,” Kehoe said about FC Gintra, which has won the Lithuanian Women’s A League on 21 occasions. “It’s going to be tough but I’m going to gain a lot from the experience.”
True to form, Kehoe has never shied away from challenges during her sporting career. She has competed in roller hockey, flag football, swimming, track and field, gaelic and rugby, where she often played against women three times her size. But no sport could top her passion for football.
“Growing up, I’ve always played a lot of sports, always been very athletic, and I think each sport helped each other in a way,” she said. “They are kind of tied into each other, but football is my main sport.” And now the sport that she loves and has dedicated her life to will enable her to represent the Cayman Islands flag across the world – something she takes great pride in.
“It feels really good to have the whole country behind me and it’s helped me a lot,” she said. “I have everyone’s support… but it definitely puts a little bit of pressure on me, knowing that everything that I do, the Cayman flag is on me.”
Her signing with Cardiff will no doubt spark the curiosity of UK scouts about Caymanian talent. Kehoe noted that she hopes more players leave home to play with a higher-level club, which will only benefit the national women’s team.
“Hopefully I can bring that back home,” Kehoe said. “If everyone keeps pushing and working hard, especially the younger talented girls coming up, [and] if they are able to get opportunities like me and get off the island and get more exposure, I think we can all come back home and [do well], just like Jamaica,” who became the first Caribbean nation to reach the knockout phase of the Women’s World Cup earlier this month.
As Kehoe prepares for her Cardiff City debut in the Champions League qualifier against FC Gintra, taking place from 6-9 Sept., she thanked all who have made her signing possible, including her parents, Mick and Lisa Kehoe, who, not surprisingly, she says are her biggest fans.
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Wow! My name is Tim Codling and I coached Molly in roller hockey when she was 10/11 years old. I recognized very early that she had an exceptionally strong and athletic character and encouraged her parents to pursue her athleticism. Words like, focused, competitive, aggressive and tenacious come to mind. I knew she played soccer and not surprised at her success and I know she will be incredibly successful at this new challenge. Congratulations Molly !