CONOR O’Driscoll laughs when he talks about Michael Pat Keohane’s return.

‘One last hurrah, maybe.’

St Oliver Plunkett’s hadn’t planned on calling the club legend out of retirement. They didn’t have much choice.

When they were short of numbers last month for their county confined junior B hurling championship clash with O’Donovan Rossa, the bat signal shone high above Ahiohill, hoping for the legend’s return.

‘We’d been asking him for a long time to come back because he’s got so much experience,’ O’Driscoll explains.

‘He’s still in great shape for his age, he’s very versatile and he can play anywhere.

‘Just before the Skibbereen game we had a serious shortage. On top of all our injuries, we had another three lads unavailable. At one stage it looked like we’d only have one or two subs.

‘We knew that if we got him back involved he’d stick it out because he’s very competitive by nature.’

Michael Pat Keohane playing football for Plunkett's.

Keohane is chasing a third county junior B hurling title, having won his second in 2023 – 21 years after his first in 2002. It highlights not only his longevity, but also the pull of Plunkett’s, a cornerstone of its community.

‘He’s the sort of fella that when he’s involved, he’s involved fully. He handles himself very well within the group,’ O’Driscoll adds.

‘I’m sure his wife would probably be happier if he wasn’t involved, but we eventually twisted his arm! One last hurrah, maybe.’

O’Driscoll admits he hasn’t been tempted to lace up his boots again and follow Keohane’s example.

‘I did a little bit in 2023 and a small bit again last year, but every time I went back, I’d pick up an injury,’ he says.

‘Look, I played long enough. There are plenty of other fellas coming through now.’

He is giving back to Plunkett’s off the pitch as coach of the hurlers, who face Castlemagner in the county confined junior B hurling semi-final this Sunday in Coachford (3pm).

‘This is my second year with the junior team. I hadn’t done much before this, to be honest. I did a little bit of underage here and there, but I never trained an underage team for a full season, so I’m still learning on the job really,’ he says.

‘I’m still fairly new to it, but I like it. It’s a big difference from being on the field to trying to organise things.’

St Oliver Plunkett's Michael Collins in action against O'Donovan Rossa in the Co-op Superstores Confined JBHC.

O’Driscoll hasn’t had time to think about his transition from player to coach, and explains it was a needs-must situation last season.

‘I fell in as a selector last year initially. We had a trainer organised and that fell through. We searched and searched and searched but couldn’t find anyone, so I ended up taking on the coaching role.’

With manager Conor McCarthy spearheading operations, O’Driscoll is part of a backroom team that includes Derry Crowley, Derry Collins and Niall Aherne as selectors.

There’s plenty of experience on the sideline, and also on the pitch as Plunkett’s chase a county title they last won in 2023. Since then, they campaigned in junior A, but are back at B level now.

Given the turnover of players, maybe this is the grade to help Plunkett’s young guns find their feet?

‘It’s hard to know. We were up junior A from 2002 right up until 2022, so we’d spent 20 years there before coming back down twice in three years,’ O’Driscoll says.

‘Numbers got tight. A lot of that junior A team from around 2010 to 2017 moved on and it took a while for younger fellas to establish themselves.

‘Three years ago there was probably more of a mix between youth and experience. Now the vast majority of the team are young lads.

‘I’d say they’d love to get back up out of junior B if they could, but we’re not really looking beyond the next game. We’re just taking it one game at a time.’

Next up is Castlemagner in the county semi-final. En route to here, Plunkett’s beat both O’Donovan Rossa and Bantry Blues in their group, while losing to Delanys. In the quarter-final, inspired by Roy O’Driscoll with 4-2, they hit Ballyphehane for 5-14 in a ten-point win.

‘We’re happy enough. We’re delighted to be in the semi-final regardless of what happens now,’ he says.

‘The league went reasonably well, but we’ve had a lot of injuries. I think we’ve used nearly 30 players between league and championship.

‘It’s a good and a bad thing. We’ve found it hard to get a settled team because this time of year you’ve the Leaving Cert, college exams, silage and different things like that.

‘We’ve two lads gone to America now as well. Seán Crowley played against Ballyphehane and left for America the next day. Finn Moroney played in the first round against Bantry and he’s gone on a J-1 too.

‘Then we had another five or six injuries between hamstrings, ankles and backs.

‘There have been a lot of changes and lads moving around different positions, but to be fair the players seem to enjoy it as well. There’s a bit of freshness in it and a bit of variation.’

Coach Conor O'Driscoll.

Plunkett’s started the season without former captain Ronan McCarthy and Seán O’Donovan, as both moved to Australia, Eddie O’Driscoll retired, David White is now in Dublin, and Conor McCarthy stepped back from playing when he took over as manager.

But what Plunkett’s do have is muscle memory from 2023 when they won this competition, beating Ballyclough in the final. They know the trappings of the business end of the competition.

‘I think it is an advantage. Most of the lads were involved three years ago so it’s not something they’re afraid of and it’s not overawing them,’ he says.

‘At the same time, there are probably six or seven starters gone from that team. A lot of fellas who might have been on the bench three years ago are starting now, so they’re anxious and eager to drive on and make their own mark.

‘There’s still a nice bit of freshness there compared to what we had three years ago.’

And Plunkett’s have Michael Pat Keohane too, a club legend whose commitment sets the standard for those around him.