The View: Tipperary footballers promoted - now for the silverware

Semple Stadium might not exactly have been heaving with supporters on Saturday night when David Powers senior footballers achieved promotion to Division 3 of the Allianz National League, but the significance of the achievement will not have been lost on supporters - casual, or committed.

Division four football seemed on the cards again after a less than impressive start to the campaign, but David Power and his maagement team managed to steer the ship around and their run of victories has ensured that promotion was achieved - that was the goal of the squad at the start of the campaign, so one would have to be pleased that they achieved that goal.

And yet, there is even more to be positive about. Tipperary have had to dig really deep in terms of resources to achieve promotion. Injuries and unavailability of players meant that the quality and depth of the squad has been tested greatly and the result is that perhaps more players than expected have been tried and tested in the most competitive environment available. That has to augur well for the championship campaign, one would think.

Let's not get carried away now though - the victory over London was executed but there were periods in the game when Tipp struggled to get to grips with the kind of game the visitors were bringing to the party. After a good start and that fine goal by Mark Russell, Tipperary were well in control and while London never really looked as though they would take over the game, Tipperary did not look as comfortable as they have, at times.

To be fair, London had nothing to lose and all the pressure was on the Tipperary lads as the expectation was that they would prevail. They knew victory was a must to go up and that in itself brings pressure.

The league campaign is not finished yet and next Saturday's final clash with Cavan in Croke Park represents a great chance to get some more silverware in the cupboard - the first since that historic Munster title in 2020. Tipperary seemed to have drifted quite a distance from the heights of that wonderful day in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, but that downward spiral has now been arrested and let's hope that the climb up the ladder can continue.

Winning next Saturday's final would be a real shot in the arm for Tipperary - any time you win something in Croke Park is a good day.

Of course, having already beaten Cavan in the league, Tipperary will be under pressure to repeat the feat. Cavan were left smarting having lost out to the Premier lads in their own backyard. They still topped the table in the league though and will probably carry the favourites tag on Saturday when they take to the field at Headquarters.

But, that means little enough when it comes to a final and this week David Power, Paddy Christie, Charlies McGeever, Declan Browne, Tommy Twomey and Elaine Harte will be emphasising to the players the importance of bringing their A game to what it is a real opportunity for Tipperary.