Séamus Plunkett
Personal information
Irish name Séamus Pluincéid
Sport Hurling
Position Full-forward
Born 1961
Portlaoise, County Laois, Ireland
Nickname Cheddar
Club(s)
Years Club
 Portlaoise
Club titles
Laois titles 7
Inter-county(ies)
Years County
1980–1988
 Laois
Inter-county titles
Leinster titles 0
All-Irelands 0
NHL 0
All Stars 2

Séamus "Cheddar" Plunkett (born 1961) is an Irish former hurler who played as a full-forward for the senior Laois county team.

Plunkett made his first appearance for the team during the 1980-81 National League and was a semi-regular member of the starting fifteen until he left the panel after the 1988 championship. During that time he had little success.

At club level Plunkett is a seven-time county club championship medalist with Portlaoise.

In retirement from playing Plunkett became involved in team management. He served as a selector and manager with Portlaoise and various Laois underage teams, before first taking over as manager of the Laois senior hurling team in 2012.[1]

Playing career

Club

Plunkett played his club hurling with Portlaoise and had a lengthy career.

Having lost the 1980 championship decider to Camross, both sides met again the following year's final. In a thrilling game Portlaoise denied Camross a sixth successive county title. It was the first of four successive championships for Plunkett and Portlaoise.

Five-in-a-row proved beyond Portlaoise as Camross defeated Plunkett's side by just a single point in 1985.[2]

Two years later Portlaoise were back as the kingpins of county hurling. A 2-13 to 1-5 trouncing of Clonad gave Plunkett his fifth championship medal.

After surrendering their title the following year, Portlaoise faced off against Camross again in 1989. A thrilling draw was followed by a 0-12 to 1-4 victory for Portlaoise. It was Plunkett's sixth championship medal.

Camross got the better of Portlaoise again in 1990, however, Plunkett's side reached a fifth successive championship decider in 1991. A defeat of Clonad gave Plunkett his seventh and final championship medal.

Inter-county

Plunkett made his senior debut for Laois in a National Hurling League game against Kilkenny during the 1980–81 campaign. It was a winning debut as Plunkett contributed 1-1 in a five-point defeat of "the Cats". Plunkett was a regular during Laois's various National League campaigns throughout the 1980s; however, he had little success in the championship.

Managerial career

Laois

Plunkett was ratified as manager of the Laois senior team on 18 December 2012.[3] His first National League campaign in charge saw Laois suffer just one defeat in the group stage before winning the Division 2A final and promotion to Division 1B following a 3-14 to 1-9 defeat of Westmeath.[4] Plunkett's side later nearly pulled off a shock defeat of reigning Leinster champions Galway in the provincial semi-final.[5]

Laois's 2014 league campaign saw Plunkett's side preserve their position in Division 1B before narrowly losing to Clare at the quarter-final stage.[6] For the second year in succession Laois nearly pulled off a shock victory over Galway, however, Plunkett's side eventually lost by two points.[7]

In 2015 Laois enjoyed a mixed league campaign but eventually survived in a relegation battle with Antrim.[8] On 28 May 2015 Plunkett announced his resignation as manager after two of his panel members played a club game against the wishes of management.[9] He later reversed his decision and returned as manager less than a week later.[10]

Plunkett succeeded Eddie Brennan as Laois manager when Brennan resigned in November 2020, beginning a second spell in charge, with Laois proposing him in December 2020 and confirming the appointment on 1 February 2021.https://www.skysports.com/gaa/hurling/news/30554/12154736/laois-re-appoint-seamus-cheddar-plunkett-as-senior-hurling-manager[11] He announced his departure in June 2022.[12]

Kilkenny (club)

In November 2022, it was announced that Plunkett had taken over as manager of Kilkenny intermediate club St Martin's.[13]

Personal life

Plunkett's nickname is "Cheddar", which stems from his schooldays in Portlaoise.[14]

Honours

Player

Portlaoise

Manager

Laois

References

  1. ↑ "Plunkett to manage Laois hurlers". Hogan Stand. Lynn Group Media. 15 December 2012. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  2. ↑ "Laois hurling finals since 1984". Laois GAA. Archived from the original on 16 May 2003. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  3. ↑ "Plunkett ratified in O'Moore County". Hogan Stand. Lynn Group Media. 18 December 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  4. ↑ "Brophy double KO's Westmeath". Hogan Stand. Lynn Group Media. 14 April 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  5. ↑ Diarmuid O'Flynn (17 June 2013). "Canning gets Galway out of jail". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  6. ↑ "Laois impress Davy but Clare experience counts". Irish Examiner. 31 March 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  7. ↑ "Galway swoop late to deny brave Laois a famous win". Independent.ie. Independent News & Media. 1 June 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  8. ↑ "Laois victory relegates Antrim to play-off for survival". Irish Examiner. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  9. ↑ Cóilín Duffy (28 May 2015). "'Cheddar' Plunkett resigns as Laois hurling manager for personal reasons". Independent.ie. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  10. ↑ "He's back! Seamus 'Cheddar' Plunkett returns as Laois senior hurling manager". Independent.ie. Independent News & Media. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  11. ↑ "Plunkett rubber-stamped as Laois manager". Hogan Stand. 1 February 2021.
  12. ↑ "Cheddar Plunkett steps down as Laois manager". The42.ie. 18 June 2022.
  13. ↑ "Swift return to management for 'Cheddar' Plunkett". Hogan Stand. 10 November 2022.
  14. ↑ Michael Foley (30 May 2014). "Great Cheddar". The Times. Times Newspapers. Retrieved 15 July 2019.(subscription required)
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