Cheddar hails Laois troops but hits out at GAA for lack of help to middle tier Counties

Cheddar Plunkett saw his Laois charges come through a real test of character last Sunday as they edged out Antrim by a point to put to bed any fears of relegation to Division two of the hurling league.

Speaking after the game, he lauded the character of his team and was thrilled to get such an important win especially after disappointing results against Kilkenny and Waterford.

"I nearly say the same as I said in Parnell Park last year (match v Antrim), when a team is playing with real heart and chasing everything, you will always stay in the game.

"Antrim missed a score or two at the critical time that could've put two in it and then we would have needed a goal.

"But I think a lot of people doubted the heart and spirit that is in this team, particularly after the last two displays against Kilkenny and Waterford.

"I am looking at hurling a long time and I know that even in those games, we did some really good things and five or ten minutes capsizes us.

"I just thought it was a great battle but it is just a match won. We are trying to win every match but in saying that, there is certainly something to work off in terms of the heart and spirit that is in the team.

"If you don't have that, you can have all the game plans in the world but it won't really work for you. So I am just delighted. "I'm savagely proud of the group of players that we have in there and we will give our heart and soul to this.”

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Laois had Jack Kelly dismissed just 23 minutes into the game but the Laois response was exceptional. Plunkett agreed that his team “emptied themselves”.

"I just think we got our shape, with a man down, right. At the start of the second half, Antrim got the first couple of points but we settled down.

"We had to concede a line of the field being a man down but at the end of the day, it is all about the players.

"They emptied themselves on the day, contested ball and tackled well. These are not typical league matches, these are battles and everyone knew what was at stake.”

The Laois boss, while delighted with the win was quick to pay tribute to Antrim insisting that the GAA have done precious little to help the likes of Laois and Antrim.

"I have great gra for Antrim, they are in the same position as ourselves and nobody in the GAA gives a fiddlers about our counties, it is up to ourselves to do something about it.

"I have great regard for the Antrim's, Carlow's, Westmeath's and ourselves. We know for the last 20 or 30 years we are in that middle tier.

"All of us believe we have the ability to stay up but we need support to do that which is not forthcoming. "I am manager of Laois but it would give me great pleasure to see Antrim bursting through this ceiling as well.”

14 man Laois produce heroics to egde out Antrim to guarantee Division one safety

NATIONAL HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 1B