Abbey Villa F.C 2nds secured a resounding 4-1 victory against Dunmurry YM 2nds in a friendly match held at Napier Park on 16 August 2025. The match kicked off at 2:00pm, showcasing a blend of tactical prowess, some individual brilliance and a real battling performance from the Abbey Villa side.
Abbey Villa adopted a 4-3-3 formation, which allowed them to maintain a solid defensive structure while providing ample support for their attacking players. Thomas Drysdale took his position in goal, shielded by a back four comprising James Edwards and Curtis Shannon as the right and left defenders, respectively, with Joshua Colville and Jake Rainey forming the central defensive partnership. In midfield, Josh Moody operated on the right, Marcus McGrath held the central role, and James King was positioned on the left. Up front, Mark Gilliland led the line as the right forward, with Carson Mann as the central striker and Kyle Irwin on the left forward flank. The substitutes for the match included Ryan Carson, Andrew Edwards, and Andrew Pitman.
The match began with both teams probing for an early advantage, but it was Dunmurry YM who struck first in the 24th minute, albeit in an unfortunate manner. An own goal from the Villa defence gifted Dunmurry the lead, setting the tone for the remainder of the half. Dunmurry peppered the Villa goal in the 1st half, hitting the crossbar and post on 3 occasions. On another day this could've been a harsh lesson served.
As the first half came to a close, Villa maintained their composure, heading into the break with only a 1-0 deficit. The second half saw Abbey Villa come out with renewed vigour, and it wasn't long before they found an equaliser. In the 58th minute, James King found the back of the net, converting a well-placed assist from Kyle Irwin with his right foot inside the box.
The momentum continued to swing in Abbey Villa's favour as they scored again just five minutes later. Kyle Irwin, who had already made his mark with an assist, turned scorer in the 63rd minute, finishing off a long pass from Joshua Colville with his left foot, giving the visitors the lead at 1-2
Not content though, Abbey Villa struck again in the 68th minute. Mark Gilliland, who had been a constant threat throughout the match, scored with a right-footed effort after receiving a short pass from James King, making it 1-3 and putting the game firmly out of reach for Dunmurry YM.
Kyle Irwin, who had been instrumental in Abbey Villa's attacking play, added to his tally in the 75th minute, scoring his second goal of the match with a left-footed finish following a cross from Mark Gilliland.
As the match neared its conclusion, Abbey Villa made tactical substitutions, bringing on Ryan Carson for Josh Moody and Andrew Edwards and Andrew Pitman for Carson Mann and Curtis Shannon, respectively, in the 78th minute. Despite a late attempt from Mark Gilliland that struck the crossbar in the 80th minute, the score remained unchanged.
The match concluded with Abbey Villa F.C 2nds celebrating a convincing 1-4 victory, showcasing their attacking prowess and bouncebackability. James King was named Man of the Match for his outstanding 2nd half performance, contributing significantly to his team's success. Kyle Irwin also put in a real display of leadership up front, bagging 2 goals and an assist. Special mention to 15 year old Andrew Edwards who made his 2nd team debut, and joins his 2 brothers Matthew & James.
