League Champions of Munster - Tipperary side St Michael's crowned in penalty shoot-out

Munster League Champions Cup final

St Michael’s 1 – 1 Villa FC (Waterford)

TSDL Premier League champions St Michael’s showed discipline and resolve to withstand a late rally from Villa FC of Waterford, to take this game to extra-time, and win a nail-biting penalty shoot-out to take the Munster Champions Cup final at Celtic Park in Clonmel on Sunday.

This has been a highly successful competition for the Tipperary League, and was the third win by the Saints, in five outings in the final, making them the most successful individual team, and the TSDL the most successful Junior League in the competition since it was conceived a decade ago.

Clonmel Celtic, the hosts for this final, have also had their name on the honour list in the past.

The game itself was played at a frenetic pace from the start with both teams having early chances. The Waterford striker Cam Browne looked dangerous every time he got on the ball, and the Saints partnership of Jimmy Carr and David Slattery showed flashes of brilliance when they were given the opportunity in return.

But it was Villa who took the lead in the 15th minute when a long ball from Luke Walsh saw Dean Walsh slip behind the Saints' cover, and although his initial shot was brilliantly saved by Aido Walsh in the St Michael’s goal, the ball rebounded back onto the striker and into the net, much to the bemusement of the watching Tipperary supporters.

After that the pattern of play resumed with both sides having chances, but increasingly their respective defences getting on top and dealing with what was thrown at them.

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Half-time came with Villa having slightly the better of matters at a cold and windy Celtic Park.

The pace was upped at the start of the second 45 minutes, and Russell Quirke went close five minutes in, but the ball got stuck in his feet from a Jimmy Carr cross. Aido Walsh was then called back into action to keep the deficit at a single goal as Villa began to look for a second that might be enough to shut off the game, but their efforts came to nought and they conceded minutes before the hour mark, when David Slattery forced the ball home from close range to make it 1-1.

This saw the momentum change with the Tipperary side having a period of dominance around the middle of the field, but again clear chances were at a premium and neither side rally did enough to suggest they deserved to win the game in normal time.

The game was opening up with twenty minutes to go as both sides looked for a winning goal, and DJ Cremins was on hand in the final minutes to clean a Dean Walsh effort off the line.

The final chance in regulation time also fell to the Waterford side when a back header from Dylan Walsh three minutes from the end came back off the bar.

This was it and the teams were left to prepare to play another 20 minutes to see if they could break the deadlock. Both sides had one big chance in extra-time, with Villa’s coming when substitute Regix Madika found Cam Browne who looked sure to score but Aido Walsh made a superb save to keep Saints alive.

A Joey Mulcahy free in the first minute of the second period of extra time came back off the bar, which might have been the score to snatch the game for the Saints. And although the TSDL side were reduced to ten men near the end, they had the experience and wherewithal to ensure they could regroup and do enough to force the game to penalties.

In the shoot-out, St Michael’s showed all that experience again, holding their nerve and were successful on a 4-3 scoreline much to the delight of their fans at the game.