The champagne is on ice at Plunkett after Saturday’s 3-1 win over Suffolk all but sealed their promotion to 1B.
For the players, it was celebration time on the pitch at Lenadoon, but for joint managers Eoghan McGonigle and Liam Burns, the jubilation was slightly more muted, as they await official confirmation that they are up.
The hitch lies with their abandoned game at Shorts at the turn of the year, which they were leading 1-0 well beyond the 70-minute mark before it was halted as violence broke out.
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With no sanctions expected for Plunkett, the three points will move them onto 53 and beyond the reach of Greenisland, the only side other than Holywood who can prevent them finishing in the top two.
“Provided we get the Shorts points, it will leave us on 53 points which means Greenisland can’t catch us,” explained McGonigle.
“So that would leave that other promotion spot between themselves and Holywood. They have to play each other the week before we go to Greenisland, so Greenisland will have a big say either way.
“We beat Greenisland a few weeks ago which was a big result, and yesterday in theory takes to to 53 points, so in theory, we’re up.”
With that being the case, McGonigle saluted the effort and commitment of his entire squad, who delivered promotion in their first full season in Intermediate football.
“We’ve had a couple of wee hiccups,” added the Plunkett boss, “but I think every team is in the same boat, this season’s been a bit strange, you’re dealing with other challenges with Covid, and players who, having been locked up for so long, their priorities are a bit different, they are maybe taking weekends away.
“We’ve used 31 players in the first team squad this year, which says a lot. Normally, your first team doesn’t really go beyond 20. So to use that many players and be in the position we are in, we’re delighted, and it’s something to build upon.
“We’ve a good foundation there, a reserve team, we’ve now a development team – a third side – we’ve got two under-18s and two under-17s, so we’re well-equipped.
“There’s healthy numbers coming through and clearly quality too.”
Gary Dunlop, Geno Reid and Eoghan Hamill got the goals to send Plunkett up at the weekend.
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