Temple Villa FC welcomed Portumna FC to Moate on 13 September 2025 for a league home match that kicked off at 12:15pm. Over the course of a 60-minute contest plus added time, Temple Villa FC delivered a commanding performance, running out comfortable 7-0 winners against their visitors.
Temple Villa lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, deploying Sam Mellet in goal. The defensive line featured James Dullea at right back, Dan Dwyer and Tiernan O'Shaughnessy as central defenders, and Cian Buckley on the left. In midfield, Oliver Cooney and Darragh Nee operated as the two central midfielders tasked with both defensive duties and linking play. Ahead of them, the attacking trio consisted of Reuben Davis on the right, James O'Grady in the central attacking midfield role, and Tom Adamson on the left, supporting lone striker Christopher Coyle. The formation was designed to provide width and creativity from the attacking midfielders while maintaining solidity in the centre of the park. The substitutes available were James Henson, Luke McCrossan, Harry Donlon, and Ryan Mahon.
The match began with Temple Villa asserting early dominance. Within three minutes, James O'Grady tested the Portumna goalkeeper with a shot that was well saved. Two minutes later, Tom Adamson attempted to extend the pressure but his effort went wide. However, it was Reuben Davis who broke the deadlock in the 7th minute with a stunning long-range strike, expertly curled in with his right foot following a neat short pass from Darragh Nee. This early goal set the tone for what was to become a one-sided affair.
Temple Villa continued to press, with Davis again attempting a shot in the 13th minute that flew high over the bar. Shortly after, a flurry of substitutions began for Temple Villa, starting in the 17th minute when James Henson replaced left back Cian Buckley. This was swiftly followed by Luke McCrossan coming on for central attacking midfielder James O'Grady and Harry Donlon replacing striker Christopher Coyle in the 18th minute. Ryan Mahon also entered the fray at right back, taking over from James Dullea in the 19th minute. These early changes did little to disrupt the flow of the game for Temple Villa.
Tom Adamson continued to look dangerous, though his 23rd-minute attempt went wide. Oliver Cooney also forced a save from the Portumna keeper with a shot in the 25th minute. Temple Villa’s second goal arrived in the 28th minute when Tom Adamson capitalised on a close-range opportunity inside the box, finishing neatly with his right foot after a short pass from Darragh Nee. This goal extended the lead and further demoralised the visitors.
Half-time arrived at the 30-minute mark with Temple Villa comfortably 2-0 ahead. Immediately after the break, James Henson was substituted off for Christopher Coyle, restoring the original striker to the pitch. The third goal came just a minute later as Coyle scored from close range inside the box, converting a precise cross from Tom Adamson with his right foot. The visitors were now firmly on the back foot.
Reuben Davis quickly added a fourth goal in the 34th minute, finishing inside the box from a close-range position after receiving a long pass from Oliver Cooney. Three minutes later, Christopher Coyle grabbed his second goal of the match, tapping in a close-range effort following a cross from Reuben Davis. The scoring spree continued in the 42nd minute when Tom Adamson netted his second, again inside the box, this time assisted by a long pass from Darragh Nee.
Temple Villa made further substitutions in the 43rd minute, with Cian Buckley returning to replace Luke McCrossan and James Henson coming on for Reuben Davis. Two minutes later, James Dullea was reintroduced at right back, replacing Tiernan O'Shaughnessy. The relentless attacking pressure paid off again in the 48th minute when James O'Grady scored his first goal of the match, slotting home a close-range finish inside the box after a short pass from Oliver Cooney.
The substitutions continued into the 50th minute with Harry Donlon replacing Oliver Cooney and Luke McCrossan coming on for Tom Adamson. Later, in the 56th minute, Reuben Davis returned to the field, taking the place of James Henson, while Tiernan O'Shaughnessy also came back on, substituting James Henson as well. Despite the numerous changes, Temple Villa maintained their dominance and control throughout the remainder of the match.
Portumna FC were unable to mount any meaningful response as Temple Villa FC’s attacking fluidity and defensive organisation ensured a clean sheet. The final whistle confirmed a comprehensive 7-0 victory for Temple Villa, a result that will boost their confidence and league standing significantly.
