O'Regan winner puts St Michael's in pole position to regain Tipperary Premier title
Rhys' header seals important win for Saints over west Tipperary neighbours
Clonmel Credit Union Premier League
ST MICHAEL'S 1 BANSHA CELTIC 0
Saints took all three points here in a game that never rose to any great heights in the Premier League in Cooke Park on St Patrick’s Day.
Both teams had chances early in the game, with St Michael’s goalie Aido Walsh having to be smart in the fifth minute to parry away a Shane Egan free.
The home side then tested Kelvin O’Brien in the Bansha goal on a number of occasions before they finally made a breakthrough in the 33rd minute, when Colin Bargary’s cross found Rhys O’Regan unmarked in the area and he headed home from close range.
Cillian Coonan saw his goalbound shot blocked minutes later, after a wonderful Rhys O’Regan run through the Bansha midfield, but in the end there were no more goals in the half.
Veteran Jimmy Carr looked to have done everything right three minutes into the second period, beating a number of players, but his finish went wide of goal.
Bargary had an effort saved by O’Brien just before the hour mark, after good work by Carr, as the Saints tried hard to get a second goal that would have made the game more comfortable.
In the end, they didn’t need it as the tie petered out into a dull finish, leaving St Michael’s firmly in charge of the destination of this year’s TSDL Premier League title.