Town win Tipperary derby with St Michael's to book place in Premier League for next season

Tipperary Town 3 – 1 St Michael’s

Tipperary Town assured themselves of Premier League football next season, and placed one hand on the First Division title, as they finished out their season with a good win against local rivals St Michael’s at the Arra Road on Sunday afternoon.

Town settled whatever nerves they might have had when they got off to the perfect start, with Marky Roche opening the scoring in just the second minute, cheekily back-heeling a Dylan Cummins cross to the net.

Shortly afterwards he brought a good save from Robbie McGrath in a one on one situation, as they threatened to overrun their opponents.

However, eventually St Michael’s played themselves into the game, and were level in the ninth minute when Town ‘keeper Eric Higgins misjudged a Dean Thompson shot and saw it fly past him to the net.
After that the game settled into a midfield battle, with few enough clear chances, the best being a Kevin Browne effort that stung the hands of Robbie McGrath in the Saints goal three minutes from the break.

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McGrath had to be alert again a minute into the second period to smother a ball at the feet of Vinny Godfrey, after he latched on to a Marky Roche flick-on.

But Tipperary soon began to take control and retook the lead just before the hour mark when Roche forced Adam Roche into a foul inside his area, and Michael Ryan Tadger converted the penalty, despite Robbie McGrath moving the right away.

Saints did win a few set- pieces after this, but huffed and puffed before Matty Moroney put the points to bed 15 minutes from time, when he created space on the left and finished well to the net for the league leaders.

Both sides used their benches over the last quarter of an hour but the game was over as a contest, and Tipp Town will now anxiously wait for results this weekend to see whether they go back to the Premier League as champions, or if a play-off awaits.