While I've used tire plugs (the rope kind) to patch a tire enough to get home I prefer the type of plug/patch that's inserted from the inside.
Usually you can remove the tire from the rim, remove the plug with pliers and then use the plug/patch from the inside.
Important steps are to clean the hole with a reaming tool coated with lots of tire cement before pulling the plug/patch through from the outside. Be sure to abrade the inner surface where the patch head will be and of course use rubber cement over that area allowing it to dry before the final patching operation.
The tire makers usually recommend dropping the speed range one notch with a patched tire and that's probably a good idea for safety.
I've NEVER had a problem with this approach and like you, don't want to throw away an almost new tire -- especially one with a center line hole that's easy to patch.
Just my two bits worth.