Wins for Cashel Town and Bansha Celtic in fight for Tipperary Premier League survival

Clonmel Credit Union Premier League

Clonmel Celtic 1 - 2 Cashel Town

Cashel Town gave themselves a fighting chance of escaping the gaping relegation trap door with a win away to Clonmel Celtic in their final game of their Premier League season on Sunday afternoon.

The two teams seemed tentative, with neither creating anything of note in the first quarter of the game, and it must have seemed ominous for the visitors when they fell behind in the 26th minute to a goal from a long-range effort by Rory O’Dowd.

This was the only goal in a tepid first half, but credit has to go to Cashel, who came out fighting in the second period and levelled the game within five minutes of the restart when Darragh Browne scored at the second attempt after Fabian Kerton saved his initial effort.

It got better for Cashel ten minutes later when Browne showed some neat control before firing a fine effort to the top corner, to get his second goal and put his side in front.

The home side rallied after this but just didn’t create enough chances and Cashel held on for what could be a vital three points when the tables are compiled at the end of the season.

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Two Mile Borris 2 – 3 Bansha Celtic

With Cashel Town picking up three points in Clonmel, it was vital that Bansha Celtic got something from this game in Newhill, and they delivered with a fighting performance that saw them come from behind to pick up the points.

Borris started well, exerting most of the early pressure and got the opening goal in the 22nd minute, albeit from a fortunate source. Jack Hackett had made some ground on the wing, and when he flashed a cross into the Celtic area he saw the ball deflected to the net by a visiting defender to give the home side the lead.

But they only held that advantage for five minutes or so, as Bansha drew level when a cross into the Borris area was headed back across goal by Darragh Egan, and Eoin Halpin bundled the ball to the net from close range.

On the half-hour Two Mile Borris thought they had re-established their lead, only to see Jamie Lee’s shot strike the crossbar and rebound to safety.

But Lee was involved in the next score when, three minutes before the break, he found Darren Ivors alone in the area, and the striker made no mistake with his header from ten yards.

A goal behind at the break, Bansha Celtic redoubled their efforts in the second period, and were level for a second time after just five minutes when, taking advantage of the stiff wind, a long-range strike by Robbie Byron found the net.

Both sides pressed forward looking for the winning goal after that, but the significant score in the game came 15 minutes from time when Bansha Celtic were awarded a penalty kick and Darragh Egan made no mistake from the spot to secure the precious points for his side.