Temple Villa FC travelled to Birr Town FC’s home ground on 4 October 2025 for a 12 noon kick-off in a league fixture that lasted 60 minutes plus added time. The visitors produced a stunning attacking masterclass to secure a comprehensive 9-1 victory over their hosts in a one-sided contest.
Temple Villa lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, deploying Sam Mellet in goal behind a back four of Luke McCrossan at right back, Tiernan O’Shaughnessy and Ryan Mahon as central defenders, and Cian Buckley at left back. The midfield double pivot consisted of Darragh Nee and Reuben Davis, tasked with both shielding the defence and initiating attacks. Ahead of them, the three attacking midfielders were Harry Donlon on the right, James O’Grady in the centre as the primary playmaker, and James Henson on the left, all supporting lone striker Andrew Fitzpatrick. This setup promised a balanced approach with defensive solidity and creative freedom for the attacking midfielders to supply the striker. The substitutes available were James Dullea, Dan Dwyer, Christopher Coyle, and Tom Adamson.
The match burst into life early on as Andrew Fitzpatrick opened the scoring in the third minute, converting a close-range finish with his right foot following a short pass assist from James O’Grady. However, Birr Town responded swiftly, pulling an equaliser just three minutes later in the sixth minute, briefly halting Temple Villa’s momentum.
Fitzpatrick, though, was relentless and restored the lead for the visitors in the 16th minute, this time finishing again from close range with his right foot after a clever flick assist from O’Grady. The striker’s clinical edge was further emphasised in the 28th minute when he completed his hat-trick, slotting home inside the box courtesy of a precise right-footed finish set up by left-back Cian Buckley.
As the first half drew to a close at the 30-minute mark, Temple Villa made a flurry of substitutions to maintain their intensity. James Dullea replaced Luke McCrossan at right back, Dan Dwyer came on for central defender Ryan Mahon, Christopher Coyle took over from attacking midfielder James O’Grady, and Tom Adamson replaced left attacking midfielder James Henson.
The second half saw the visitors continue their dominance. Tom Adamson quickly made an impact, scoring two goals in quick succession in the 41st and 42nd minutes. The first was a composed finish inside the box following a short pass from Reuben Davis, while the second came moments later, further extending the lead.
Temple Villa then made further changes shortly after half-time, with James O’Grady returning to replace Reuben Davis in central midfield, James Henson coming back on for Harry Donlon on the right wing, Ryan Mahon re-entering the defence for Tiernan O’Shaughnessy, and Luke McCrossan returning at right back in place of Cian Buckley.
The goals kept flowing as Christopher Coyle, who had come on early in the second half, scored twice himself in the 51st and 53rd minutes. Both goals were close-range finishes inside the box, with the first assisted by Ryan Mahon’s short pass. These strikes underscored Temple Villa’s attacking depth and clinical finishing.
An own goal by a Birr Town player in the 60th minute added to the visitors’ tally, further emphasising the hosts’ defensive frailty. Just after the hour mark, Tom Adamson completed his hat-trick with a goal assisted by Christopher Coyle, rounding off an extraordinary scoring spree.
Shortly after this, Andrew Fitzpatrick was substituted off for Harry Donlon in the 61st minute, allowing the striker to rest after a remarkable performance.
Temple Villa’s tactical setup, combined with the fluidity and precision of their attacking players, overwhelmed Birr Town throughout the match. The visitors’ ability to rotate their squad while maintaining an unrelenting goal threat was a testament to their squad depth and tactical discipline.
Ultimately, Temple Villa FC’s 9-1 demolition at Birr Town FC was a statement of intent in the league, showcasing their attacking prowess and defensive organisation in a thoroughly commanding display.
