’Cheddar’ confident impressive Laois can bridge the gap to big boys

Around his native Portlaoise he’s known only as ‘Cheddar’ but there is nothing cheesy about Seamus Plunkett, the man charged with turning around the hurling fortunes of his native Laois.

Even before yesterday’s superb showing against champions Galway in the Leinster semi-final he and his backroom staff had already begun the transformation of a team and a county that had foundered badly in recent years.

In the Allianz Hurling League Laois won promotion to Division 1B, and in this championship they had won two rounds, albeit against opposition – Antrim and Carlow – that would hardly strike fear into the hearts of the big guns.