There is no such thing as a handy game, especially when your opponents in the quarter final of the championship are Urney. This game has the potential to go either way with both sides displaying somewhat indifferent form throughout the league season. As far as The Plunketts are concerned though, our championship run is well underway having put in a fine display against a fancied Augher in the first round. Two great league wins in the past two weeks against Edendork and Rock respectivley will only boost the players confidence even further.

“This is where we want to be” says senior manager Declan McCallan. “It’s great to be involved competitively at this time of the year. We have an opportunity to progress and this is the ideal position to be in after the club break with the inter-county championship.”

For now, it’s all about the present and McCallan is quick to point out the importance of Friday nights clash and the ability of our opponents. “This is a good Urney team that has shown good form in their last few games. We are certainly aware of that. What I am certain of is that preparations are going well and the lads have been training very hard under the guidance of Damien. We can only worry about ourselves and I suppose that it can all come down to what happens on the night.”

“You always look to progress. We beat Augher and the performance was good. We have a minor side in the championship semi-final, our reserves are in their respective semi and we look to join them there.”

Anyone who has made their way to see the lads training in recent weeks knows what he means when he says “the lads have been training very hard.” And as the evenings close in, in late August, you can be sure that McCallan is one of the last men out of Plunkett Park as the lights go out.

For McCallan though, he believes, as do we, that The Plunketts “Championship Lights” aren’t about to go out just yet.