Laois officials still hopeful Plunkett will return as manager

Laois GAA top-brass have not given up on Seamus Plunkett returning as county senior hurling manager.

Plunkett is believed to have quit the post after two squad members lined out in a club game on Monday night against his wishes, less than two weeks before their Leinster quarter-final meeting with neighbours Offaly at O’Moore Park on June 7.

Plunkett emailed his letter of resignation to Laois chairman Gerry Kavanagh on Wednesday afternoon and the board executive were unsuccessful in contacting the Portlaoise native before circulating news of his departure yesterday morning.

Although a member of the Laois U21 hurling management ticket, Plunkett was not present on the sideline for their Leinster U21 championship fixture against Carlow at O’Moore Park on Wednesday night. An emergency meeting of top-brass took place directly after the game.

The desire of the board executive is that Plunkett return as manager given the progress enjoyed during his two-and-a-half-year reign — the O’Moore hurlers pushing Galway all the way to the line in their 2013 and 2014 Leinster championship meetings.

“Laois County Board would like to thank Seamus for his contribution to Laois hurling over the last number of years and look forward to working with him again in the near future,” read the statement released yesterday.

2014 Laois hurling captain Matthew Whelan is believed to be one of the two players whose alleged disobedience sparked Plunkett’s shock resignation —the statement of Laois GAA cited unspecified “personal reasons”.

Centre-back Whelan and panellist Jim Fitzpatrick defied management’s orders when togging out for Borris-Kilcotton in a practice game against a Tipperary club on Monday.

Whelan donned the number six shirt 24-hours earlier in Laois’ 1-20 to 1-17 win over Westmeath in their final Leinster SHC qualifier.

Selector and Limerick native Ger Cunningham has been appointed interim manager. Cunningham, who steered Newtownshandrum to All-Ireland club hurling success in 2004 and delivered Fitzgibbon Cup glory to UL in 2011, has been involved with the Laois set-up for the past two years.