LEWIS TEMPLE has already played his part in getting one team to the FAI Cup final and today he will be out to do it again.
The centre-half will bid to cause one of the biggest semi-final upsets in the Cup’s recent history when Wexford travel to Drogheda United.
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And, although he is just 19, the Wicklow man has a bit of experience in helping a team reach the competition’s latter stages.
Temple’s Shelbourne debut, seven weeks after his 17th birthday, came against his hometown club Bray Wanderers in the competition in July 2022.
And he also played in their second-round victory over Bonagee United before retreating to the background for a run which ended with a 4-0 loss to Derry City in the decider at the Aviva Stadium.
Temple said: “I done all the lead-up in training week — get your suits, get them fitted — then stayed in a hotel overnight.
“On matchday I was involved in the dressing room, they still had my jersey up even though I wasn’t playing.
“I wasn’t on the bench for that game specifically but I played a couple of games for them in the Cup that year. It was good. Hopefully I can do it again.
“It would mean a lot, I am sure there is no better feeling than walking out on that pitch.
“Just walking out, it looks unreal, it will be some experience if we did get that far to the final.”
After those outings for Shels, until the opening day of this season — when he started against Waterford — his only subsequent appearances were in the Leinster Senior Cup.
That led to him spending the second half of last season on loan at Longford Town and he has followed a similar route this year, teaming up with Wexford in July.
If Shels have not given him — yet at least, as he has another year to run on his contract — the game-time he wanted, he has still received an education he is unlikely to forget from Damien Duff.
Temple said: “He upped my own standards for myself, just every little detail, he’s always on to you, constantly haranguing you, letting you know where you need to improve
“I had a few things to work on. Just even making sure your passes, they have to be snapped in, they’re not just trickly passes or if there is a bobble in your pass he’ll get on to you about that.
“Even hitting diags, the flight or your diag has to be spot on so all that stuff I’ve definitely taken on and put that into my game.
“When you’re young you have to be open to learning, especially from the likes of Damien, you have to understand that he knows a lot more about the game than you do and he’s been in the game a lot longer than I have.
“Anything he said to me, I took on board and implemented it.”
KEEP IT UP
His boss at Wexford, former Shels winger James Keddy, strives to ensure those standards do not drop.
And the defender could not have asked for more first-team exposure as he has started and finished all 15 matches since making the switch.
The Cup run has been a bonus with Wexford, in fourth, on course to reach the promotion play-offs.
After knocking out non-league clubs Wayside Celtic and Ballyfermot United, First Division rivals Treaty United were dispatched at the quarter-final stage with Drogheda the first top-flight side they have met.
And Temple said: “Nobody is probably backing us. If we win, we will be playing at the Aviva. That is motivation in itself.
“Growing up, I used to go to all Ireland matches with my dad.
“I remember looking down thinking, ‘God I’ve love to play there one day’.”
Drogs’ Zishim Bawa and Matthew O’Brien are both ruled out through injury, while defender Jack Keaney is suspended following his red card in the game against Athlone.
