TEMPLE UNITED 1994

TEMPLE TRIUMPHANT:




For the second season in succession, Temple United won all four

AUL intermediate trophies. How do they do it?



It is not that they are streaks ahead of the others. This

season's shield final was won on spotters as was last season's

league play-off and they've had many other close calls.



They are fit, well organised, ambitious. But so too are most of

the sides at the level. They do have an edge in scoring and much

of that has to do with the penalty area craft of the ex League of

Ireland duo Kevin Kearney and Bob O'Donovan.



They are helped also by the keen competition for places in a very

strong panel. Not too many teams can afford the luxury of

leaving players such as Seanie Walsh and Greg Cooney on the

bench.



Temple, having tasted success, are not about to give up easily.

You never see them easing up in the closing stages of a game.

They don't settle for draws.



If they are behind, they keep fighting away until the last

minute, That helped this season as they scored three in the last

ten minutes to overcome Greenmount in a vital league game.



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AUL SOCCER 8

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TEMPLE CONTINUED:



If they are in front, they don't give the opposition a moment's

rest. Ballincollig, who lost 7 - 3 as Temple clinched the title,

will vouch for that. So too will Mayfield who could have won the

recent Corinthians final on the basis of the first hour's play

but who could have lost by more than 4 - 1 in the closing

quarter.



The killer touch though is just asset. If Kearney and O'Donovan

are most often the executioners, manager Ger Manning has the team

playing as a unit so that the marksmen are well supplied. Temple

play some great football and it is always a delight to see them

in action.



The one disappointment this season was their FAI exit to Cherry

Orchard, the Leinster Team of the Year. It was a high quality

match, with quite a few players from both teams, getting ten out

of ten from the Dublin papers. With a bit of luck in the draw,

Temple can go all the way next season.



* More good news for Temple: ace striker Kevin Kearney is the

clear winner of the Murphy's Stout Golden Boot Award.