Tipperary Town side St Michael's bidding for fourth FAI Junior Cup crown on Saturday

FAI Junior Cup Preview

St Michael's v Newmarket Celtic 

at Jackman Park in Limerick, at 5pm this Saturday evening

This season was meant to be one of transition at Cooke Park. The first that St Michael’s would face without one of the club’s most decorated stalwarts, James “Chawkie” Walsh, either directing affairs from the centre of defence or the sideline, in almost a quarter of a century. It was a year that they would bring through some new young players, to bed them in and carry on the proud traditions of one of not just Tipperary’s, but Ireland’s foremost junior football clubs.

It was to be a year of rebuilding, lower key expectation without fear of criticism. But then in came another proud Saint in Johnny Cremmins and the rollercoaster simply started back all over again, leading the Tipperary Town club unexpectedly back into yet another FAI Junior Cup final, their ninth in their history.

Little could they have imagined when they lined out in their first round game against Two Mile Borris, a game they comfortably won by two goals to nil, that they would have put thousands of miles on the clock before they finished up facing off against one of their greatest rivals of recent times, Clare’s Newmarket Celtic, just up the road at Jackman Park in Limerick, at 5pm this Saturday evening, to chase down what will be their fifth national title should they prove to be victorious.

There is still a good blend of experienced players forming the backbone of the Saints squad. Players like Paul Breen, Christopher Higgins and the mercurial Jimmy Carr were part of the team that finally brought the Holy Grail to the “Back of the Church” in 2014, after they had spent forty years in the desert trying to emulate the team of ’74. But they’re joined now by the next generation. Players such as DJ Cremins, Rhys Byron and Antonio Rea, who’ll hope to taste success for the first but hopefully not the last time.

This year St Michael’s, have been, as they always are, a pragmatic and formidable defensive side, who rarely give up a goal easily, while on the attacking front Carr is the talisman who brings the likes of Ed O’Dwyer and Joey Mulcahy to life in front of goal.

Once again they are striding through the domestic league unbeaten and chasing both league and cup glory in Tipperary, as well as national honours. And they’ll need all those qualities against Newmarket Celtic on Saturday, as the Clare side have been regular opponents at both provincial and national level in recent years. They shared wins against each other for the first time in 2015 and 2016, in the FAI Cup open draw rounds, before facing off against each other in the final of the Munster Junior Cup, a game in which the Tipp side hit top form, effectively ending the game before half-time, with a three-goal blitz.

The only meeting since then was the final of the Munster League Champions Cup in 2019, in which the Saints triumphed again, albeit on penalties after a 1-1 draw. So, the Clare side will most certainly be hoping it will be third time lucky on the highest stage of all.

The staging of the game at Jackman Park on Saturday evening, will mean that a large crowd from both sides, as well as a significant neutral following is expected, and they will add to the atmosphere. It will almost be strange to be playing so close to home, having travelled as far away as Donegal, Dublin and Wexford to make it to the final, for the Tipp side.

Both teams will likely provide a spectacle to enjoy, and the whole of the soccer community in the Premier County will be behind the Tipperary Town Saints, cheering them on to what would be a huge achievement once again, standing at the pinnacle of Irish Junior Football.