NAME: Mark Plunkett DATE OF BIRTH: 16/7/69 HEIGHT: 6ft 2" WEIGHT: 14st 5lbs CLUB: Tullamore COUNTY: Offaly HONOURS: All-Ireland Under 21 football medal in 1988 INTER-COUNTY DEBUT: Offaly versus Meath in Croke Park 1988 PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT: Irish Permanent BS, Tullamore TOUGHEST OPPONENT: At inter county level all are tough FAVOURITE GROUNDS: O'Connor Park, Tullamore FAVOURITE POSITION: Centre field SPORTING AMBITION: To be a member of the Offaly team who wins the Sam Maguire soon BOYHOOD HEROES: Matt Connor FAVOURITE PLAYER: Maurice Fitzgerald (the most skillful player in the country, the skill of the game to me is what it's all about) BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON CAREER: Parents WAYS OF IMPROVING THE GAME: More emphasis put on the skills of the game DISLIKES ABOUT THE GAA: Inability to change with the times BEST GAME SEEN: 1982 All-Ireland final PLAYERS WITH A PROMISING FUTURE: Ken Kelleghan, Offaly HOPES FOR 1992: To help take Offaly out of the wilderness and lead them back to the top where they belong YOU HIT THE GAA SCENE WITH A BANG IN 1988. AN ALL-IRELAND UNDER 21 MEDAL AND A GREAT PERSONAL DISPLAY AGAINST MEATH IN CROKE PARK, THINGS HAVE GONE A LITTLE SOUR SINCE: Yes, things have gone sour, but the panel know we have to be patient. Take the likes of Colm O'Rourke and Mick Lyons for example. Look how long they were being beaten, but they kept going until eventually it came right. We are determined to stay at it for as long as it takes OFFALY SEEM TO PRODUCE A GOOD FOOTBALL TEAM EVERY DECADE. CAN THE MINORS OF '90 AND THE UNDER 21S OF '88 GO ON TO EMULATE THE '60/'61, '69/'70 AND '79/'80 SIDES? Offaly at the moment have a panel of players capable of reaching the same heights as Offaly teams in the past. All it takes is getting that breakthrough and we will be on our way IT IS WIDELY FELT THAT HURLING IS MAKING MORE AND MORE AN IMPACT ON OFFALY GAA CIRCLES, SPREADING RAPIDLY NORTHWARDS INTO THE OLD FOOTBALL STRONGHOLDS. IS THIS TRUE? It is true that with the decline of Offaly football, the hurlers came to the fore YOUR OWN CLUB IN THE NORTH OF OFFALY HAS ENJOYED CONSIDERABLE HURLING SUCCESS OF LATE: Yes, in the same way that hurling has taken off in OFfaly, it has also taken off in Tullamore, who now play in the senior championship and are doing quite well for themselves CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR CLUB, TULLAMORE? Tullamore is big club in both football and now hurling. The club, football and hurling teams aside, are really built around a very successful social centre. Some people say that too much emphasis is put on the centre and not enough on the teams going out on the field. I personally believe Tullamore should be a far more successful club on the field of play and am determined along with the rest of the players to change things YOU ARE NOT A NATIVE OF TULLAMORE BUT PLAYED YOUR EARLY FOOTBALL OVER THE BORDER IN LAOIS. WHY DID YOU TRANSFER TO OFFALY? My father was an Offalyman, all the family always followed Offaly and it was always a great wish to play for an Offaly team BRENDAN HACKETT IS RECOGNISED AS ONE OF THE BEST YOUNG TRAINER IN THE GAME. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE OFFALY MANAGER? He is an excellent trainer and an excellent organiser who has done a lot for Offaly football. All the players hope we can reward him with the results he deserves OFFALY TEAMS ARE ALWAYS COMPARED TO WINNING SIDES OF THE PAST. IS THIS A HINDRANCE? No, I do not think this is a hindrance. The present Offaly team have a lot to live up to and I feel some day soon it's all going to come right THE MIDLANDS HAVE BEEN DEVASTATED WITH EMIGRATION AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE DECLINE OF BORD NA MONA. THIS HAS OBVIOUSLY WEAKENED THE OFFALY CAUSE: I think there are enough Offaly footballers in the county to bring back success, it will just take time and a lot of experience FINALLY, OFFALY'S CHANCES FOR 1992: Offaly play Dublin on May 31st in Tullamore. Offaly are not afraid of Dublin and have always done well against them. Paddy Cullen and his team have a good side but have done nothing except in the league and sure no one really cares about the league, the championship is the big one. You don't have to be a genius to know that there won't be much money on Offaly that day - everyone, both inside and outside the county say it's going to be easy for the Dubs. But Offaly versus Dublin in Tullamore - well time will tell all Taken from Hogan Stand magazine 24th April 1992 Vol 2 No 52 Tweet

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