Plunkett denies Banner walkout

CLARE senior hurler Conor Plunkett last night denied that he had left the panel, following his side’s Munster championship first-round defeat by Cork on Sunday last.

With veteran Seanie McMahon having announced his retirement last year, Plunkett had manned the centre-back position through most of Clare’s league campaign, but lost out to Diarmuid McMahon (Seanie’s first cousin) on Sunday last, a definite disappointment for the Clarecastle star. Barely had the final whistle sounded, however, when the rumours — the latest in a series designed to undermine manager Tony Considine — started.

Plunkett was gone, it went, walked out, as had panellist Daithi O’Connell, who had done very well at full-back and centre-forward Fergal Lynch, replaced before half-time by newcomer, Bernard Gaffney.

Rubbish, said Plunkett, who added that he had been talking to Daithi O’Connell, who also had taken no such decision. At the time of writing Fergal Lynch had not been reached, but Tony Considine had heard nothing either. “No-one has contacted me,” he said, “But look, what is a manager supposed to do?

“You’re always going to have fellas disappointed after a Championship match. The only way you can keep everyone happy in a panel of 30, every one of whom wants to play, is to start 20 and bring on 10. Can’t be done.”

Brushing aside the rumours, which, he says, are affecting his family far more than they’re affecting himself, Considine went on to speak of his disappointment at Sunday’s defeat, admitting that he had expected a much better performance from his side.

“Oh God I did. We didn’t play the way we’re capable; we had trained so well, put in a huge effort, and we didn’t get the return that we should have.

‘‘No-one feels that more than the lads themselves. I did think going into the game that Cork would be vulnerable, though I knew it wouldn’t be easy.

‘‘After four All-Ireland finals on the trot, after losing last year’s final, a change in management, several new faces, I just felt that coming into the first round in Munster this year they might be vulnerable.

“That’s what I was gearing on, and that’s not to take anything away from Cork — we would only win if we played well, if we played smart.

‘‘Unfortunately, we didn’t, and I don’t want to get down on the boys here. We had plenty of possession, at least the equal of Cork I’d say, but they made better use of theirs.

“But look, that’s reality, that’s the Munster championship. Experience is crucial at this level, and we had a lot of new guys yesterday, in very critical positions. It’s been said many times I know, but there’s only one way to get experience, and that’s by playing. Guys like Brendan Bugler and Kevin Dilleen yesterday — a lot of people might have been wondering about two new lads starting in midfield, but they have to get experience some time, why not now?

“Then of course you have to give credit to Cork. You’re up against players of the calibre of Ronan Curran, surely the best centre-back in the country for the last few years. We tried everything to break him down in that area, win possession, but he’s such an outstanding player, this was always going to be difficult. John Gardiner did very well alongside him as well. Jerry O’Connor and Tom Kenny in midfield also, everyone knows how good these two are.’’

Another Clare target was Cork full-back Diarmuid O’Sullivan — again, failure. “Yes, people talk about his vulnerability at full-back — how many forwards have cleaned him out, over the years? You name them — very few.’’

Notable on Sunday, was the lack of support for Clare, heavily outnumbered by the Cork supporters in a disappointing attendance of just over 23,000.

“I don’t want to talk about those who weren’t there, but I do want to thank those who turned up. When you’re on top everyone wants to follow you, but the greatest supporters are those who follow you when you’re in the valley. They went to Thurles yesterday and like the players, they gave it everything, really lifted the team when they fell way behind in the second half. But we’ve been down before.

‘‘Before the breakthrough in 95 Clare were being beaten every year, very heavy defeats in some years, but people kept on coming back.

“Our first game in the round robin is a difficult assignment, Antrim in Belfast, that will be a tough game, and let no-one be in any doubt about that. We’re playing Galway then in the Park (Cusack, in Ennis).”

A meeting with an old friend, new Galway manager Ger Loughnane. “That’s right, and we’re still friends, probably always will be and this game isn’t going to change that, though we will be competitive. Tony Griffin is coming back on June 25, in time for the first round of the qualifiers, which is great news.

‘‘He’ll be tired, it’s a massive cycle, across half of Canada, but in fairness to him he set out to do something that’s very important to him. Every fella has his own things in life that he must do. He’s a fitness fanatic, but even he’ll have felt the effects of an effort like that – he’ll have an arse like a horse’s collar after it! But I’m telling you now, we’ll improve, we’ll definitely improve.”