Templeogue United Newsletter - August/September 2026
A Message from the Chairman
Welcome to our first Newsletter of the 2026/27 season!
August and September have been an incredibly busy and exciting couple of months at Templeogue United. With preparations for the new season well underway throughout August, our senior teams returning to competitive action towards the end of the month, and our schoolboy and schoolgirl teams following in September, there has been plenty happening both on and off the pitch. From pre-season tournaments and senior team promotions to our annual Festival of Football and the return of the Foundations Academy, we've had a fantastic start to another season at Templeogue United.
Before reflecting on those achievements, however, I want to acknowledge two very sad losses within our Templeogue United family.
In July, we lost Eamonn Gibson, a former Chairman of Templeogue United and a longstanding member of our Executive Committee. Eamonn dedicated many years of his life to our club, helping to shape Templeogue United into the community it is today. His commitment continued right up until his passing, and we owe him an enormous debt of gratitude for everything he contributed over the years. On behalf of everyone at Templeogue United, I want to extend our deepest sympathies to Eamonn's family and friends.
More recently, in October, our club was devastated by the passing of Ultan O'Neill. The loss of someone so young is incredibly difficult to comprehend, and our thoughts remain with Ultan's family, friends, teammates and everyone affected by his passing.
At Ultan's funeral, we were reminded of the importance of kindness, particularly among our young people. Football brings us together, but the friendships we build and the way we look after one another are far more important than anything that happens on the pitch.
As a club, we will continue to support those affected by these losses, and I would encourage everyone, particularly our younger members, to look out for one another and never be afraid to reach out if they need someone to talk to.
A Club That Continues to Grow
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As we begin another season, one of the things that gives me the greatest sense of pride is the continued growth of our club, particularly among our youngest players.
Our girls' section has experienced extraordinary growth over the past three years. In 2023, we had approximately 30 girls playing across just two teams. Today, we have almost 200 girls representing Templeogue United across 12 teams. That is a tremendous achievement and a reflection of the commitment of our coaches, volunteers and everyone involved in developing girls' football at the club.
Our TUFC Foundations Academy continues to go from strength to strength too. In just the second week of the new season, we welcomed 177 boys and girls to Tymon Park on a Sunday morning. We expect that figure to become our regular weekly benchmark, which is an incredible number of young children taking their first steps in football with Templeogue United.
Behind these numbers are hundreds of children making friends, developing confidence, learning new skills and, most importantly, enjoying themselves. That is what grassroots football should be about, and it is something we should never take for granted.
I want to extend a special thank you to the coaches and volunteers who make these opportunities possible every week. Their commitment is the foundation upon which our club continues to grow.
Eve Hardy Festival of Football - Four Days to Remember
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One of the highlights of August was undoubtedly the Eve Hardy Festival of Football, which kicked off on 15 August and took place across two weekends.
Over four days, we welcomed an incredible 125 teams to Templeogue United, with competitions catering for players aged 7 through to 16.
What made the festival particularly special was the range of teams and abilities represented. From Premier and Major teams to competitions involving our own Templeogue United squads, the festival provided opportunities for children of all levels to enjoy competitive football in a welcoming environment.
Organising an event of this scale is no small undertaking. Between coordinating fixtures, arranging referees, preparing pitches, managing timetables and welcoming visiting clubs, an enormous amount of work takes place behind the scenes.
I want to extend my sincere thanks to everyone involved in making the festival such a success, particularly our coaches, organisers, referees and volunteers.
A special thank you also goes to Fortus, who came on board as the tournament's main sponsor. Their support was greatly appreciated and helped us deliver another memorable event for the children and families involved.
The festival has become an important part of our football calendar, and it was wonderful to see Tymon Park so busy throughout both weekends.
Our Senior Teams Reach New Heights
The start of the 2026/27 season marked an important milestone for our senior football section, with both our Saturday and Sunday teams earning promotion following their performances last season.
Our Senior Saturday team secured promotion to Major Saturday, the highest Saturday division in the Leinster Senior League.
Their opening fixture saw them welcome Kilnamanagh AFC to Tymon Park. Although the result didn't go our way, it was a proud occasion to see Templeogue United competing at this level for the first time. The team subsequently suffered a narrow 2–1 defeat to Portmarnock AFC, but there is plenty of football still to be played.
Our Senior Sunday team also earned promotion, taking their place in Senior 1, the second-highest division of the Leinster Senior League and the highest level at which Templeogue United has competed.
The team made an excellent start to life in the division, recording an opening-day victory away to Ballyfermot United, followed by victories against Sacred Heart FC and Ballymun United.
These promotions are a tremendous achievement for everyone involved. They reflect years of hard work by players, coaches and management teams, and they demonstrate the continued progress of senior football at Templeogue United.
We wish both teams every success as they take on the challenges of competing at these higher levels.
The Next Generation – Our Academy
August marked an important milestone for our 2019-born Academy boys and girls, who celebrated their graduation on 9 August.
Our annual Academy graduation is always a special occasion. It marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another, as children prepare to join their squads and experience DDSL football for the first time.
For many families, it is their first experience of organised competitive football, and we hope it is the beginning of a long and enjoyable journey with Templeogue United.
On 6 September, we welcomed everyone back to our TUFC Foundations Academy for the new season. It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces returning, alongside plenty of new boys and girls beginning their footballing journey.
During the second week, we highlighted one of the familiar faces behind the Academy's success, Noel Murphy.
Noel has been involved with the Academy for many years and leads our youngest group, “the Tots”. His enthusiasm, patience and commitment ensure that children enjoy their first experience of football, and he works tirelessly to make sure they head home with a smile on their faces every Sunday.
Noel represents everything that is good about grassroots football, and we are incredibly fortunate to have volunteers like him involved in our club.
Girls' Football – A Historic Start to the Season
September marked another important milestone for girls' football at Templeogue United, as we fielded two Under-9 girls teams for the first time in our history.
Our Under-9.1 girls welcomed Granada to Tymon Park, while our newly formed Under-9.3 team travelled to Greenhills for their first-ever competitive fixture. It was a proud moment for everyone involved and another indication of the progress being made across our girls' section.
Ahead of the new DDSL season, we were also delighted to receive a special video message from Republic of Ireland international Jessie Stapleton, wishing our girls' teams every success for the season ahead.
Elsewhere, our Under-11 girls travelled to Home Farm, while our Under-15 girls recorded their third consecutive victory with an excellent performance away to Portmarnock AFC. Our new 2017 girls team also took to the pitch against St Ita's.
Well done to all our girls, coaches and volunteers on a fantastic start to the season. We look forward to following their progress over the coming months.
Pre-Season Success and Memorable Experiences
August and September saw plenty of success for our younger teams, with our 2014 Premier boys winning the Belfast Youth Cup, our Under-12 boys enjoying tournament victories at Leicester Celtic and Hartstown Huntstown, and our 2019 boys winning both the Trophy and Plate competitions at Leicester Celtic. Our 2018 boys also finished runners-up at the ENG Sports Events tournament in Abbottstown.
There were some fantastic experiences further afield too. Our 2017 boys travelled to England to play Liverpool and Leeds United, as well as winning the Plate at the Crusaders Belfast tournament. Meanwhile, our Under-9.1 boys enjoyed a memorable trip to Manchester, where they had the opportunity to act as ball boys at Manchester City versus Sunderland.
Finally, congratulations to the six players from our 2014 Premier squad selected for the St Patrick's Athletic Emerging Talent Programme. A wonderful achievement for the boys and a proud moment for the club.
Well done to all our players, coaches and families involved!
Celebrating Our Players – Goals, Hat-Tricks and Screamers!
One of the most enjoyable parts of following Templeogue United on social media is seeing the incredible goals and individual performances from across our teams.
Our first Goal of the Summer recognition went to Danny Duggan of our Under-13 Premier boys, while the opening Goal of the Week awards of the new season recognised some excellent efforts from Zach Morrissey (Under-11), Cian Humphreys (Under-11 Sunday), Harry McCarthy (Under-8) and Jackson Quirke (Under-10.1).
We also had no shortage of spectacular strikes featured in our Screamer Alerts.
Among those recognised were Alex from our Under-14 team, Zach Morrissey from our Under-11s, Jack Behan for a brilliant effort against Shamrock Rovers, and Kai and Eoin from our Under-16s.
Our Under-13 Premier boys also produced a wonderful team goal during an away victory over Swords Celtic, proving that sometimes the best goals are the result of excellent teamwork.
And of course, we couldn't forget our first Hat-trick Hero of the season, Kendall Quinn, who scored three goals for our Under-13 Premier side against Kilnamanagh AFC.
Congratulations to everyone featured. Keep sending those videos to our communications team. It's fantastic to be able to celebrate the achievements of players across all age groups and levels.
Over-35s Football – A Great Advertisement for the Game
Our second Over-35s team enjoyed a memorable top-of-the-table encounter against Ballyfermot United during September.
Played in front of a large crowd at Tymon Park, the match finished 1–1, with Patrick Cowzer scoring a late equaliser for Templeogue United (after a decent assist……).
It was a terrific occasion and a wonderful advertisement for Over-35s football, demonstrating that the competitive spirit, friendships and enjoyment of the game continue long after youth football comes to an end.
There was also an unusual Templeogue United appearance much further from home!
Two members of our senior football section, Cian and Dan, reached the summit of Mount Fuji in Japan and proudly displayed one of our special Over-35s T-shirts, produced as part of the Ultan O'Neill fundraiser in July 2025.
It was a memorable photograph and a reminder of how far the Templeogue United community reaches beyond Tymon Park.
Supporting Our Families – The Gear Swap Shop
One of the most encouraging initiatives launched during August was our new Templeogue United Gear Swap Shop.
The idea was simple: give parents, coaches and players an opportunity to donate football boots and Templeogue United gear they no longer needed, while allowing other families to pick up good-quality pre-owned items.
The response throughout August was fantastic, and the initiative proved to be a great success.
Football should be accessible to everyone, and practical initiatives like this can make a real difference to families, particularly at the beginning of a new season when the cost of boots, equipment and club gear can quickly add up.
It also encourages us to reuse perfectly good equipment rather than allowing it to go to waste.
Thank you to everyone who donated items, helped organise the initiative or supported it in any way. It is another great example of our club community looking out for one another.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
As our teams begin the new season, I want to acknowledge the many businesses and individuals who continue to support Templeogue United through sponsorship.
During August and September, we were delighted to announce and showcase several partnerships:
- Fortus – Title sponsor of the Eve Hardy Festival of Football.
- Golden Bake Ireland and BK Full Circle Solutions – Sponsors of our second Over-35s team.
- Alfa Electrical – Sponsor of our Under-8.1 squad.
- Buckley Real Estate – Sponsor of one of our 2018 boys teams.
- Ste Murray Photography – Sponsor of our new 2017 girls team.
Sponsorship plays an important role in helping us provide opportunities for players across the club, and we are extremely grateful to every business that chooses to support grassroots football.
I would encourage our members and families to support these businesses whenever possible. Their generosity makes a genuine difference to Templeogue United.
Looking Ahead
As we settle into another season, there is so much to be positive about at Templeogue United.
Our senior teams are competing at new levels, our girls' section continues to grow, our Academy is welcoming record numbers of young players, and our teams are representing the club with pride both at home and abroad.
But while results, promotions and trophies are always worth celebrating, I believe the true measure of our success lies in the experiences we create for our members.
For some, that means competing at the highest level possible. For others, it means scoring their first goal, making a new friend, finding confidence or simply looking forward to training every week.
We must continue to ensure that Templeogue United is a club where everyone feels welcome, supported and valued, regardless of age, ability or experience.
As Chairman, I also want to remind everyone of the importance of respect throughout the season. Respect for referees, opposition players, coaches, volunteers and one another must remain central to everything we do.
The example we set on the sidelines is just as important as the football being played on the pitch. Our children are watching and learning from us, and we all have a responsibility to make their experience of football a positive one.
Finally, I want to thank our coaches, managers, committee members, volunteers, sponsors and parents for everything they do for Templeogue United.
Much of the work that keeps our club running happens quietly, away from the football pitch, and it is important that we never take that commitment for granted.
I hope everyone enjoys the season ahead. Let's continue building a club that our members, families and wider community can be proud of.
#WeAreTUFC
Gavin Jones
Chairman, Templeogue United FC
