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.