Séamus Plunkett

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]

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.

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.^{[citation needed]}

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]

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

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

Portlaoise

• Laois Senior Hurling Championship (1): 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1989, 1991

Laois

• National Hurling League (Division 2A) (1): 2013