Four teams will exit the Hurling Championships this weekend as Round 1 of the Qualifers gets underway on Saturday night. Three games are set to take place that evening as Wexford face Cork, Dublin travel to Portlaoise to face Laois and Clare welcome Offaly to Ennis. On Sunday afternoon, Westmeath face Limerick in Mullingar.
On this weeks Rewind Podcast, Oisin Langan was joined by former Kilkenny goalkeeper Michael Walsh. The two time All Ireland winner is also working with the Westmeath backroom team.
There has been a professional attitude, brought by the new managerial team in Westmeath according to Walsh which has helped the team progress. The lack of matches against the big teams does count against the smaller teams though he added. The home tie with Limerick will be a boost to the county too and Walsh expects a big performance from the side.
Cork's game with Wexford is the most eye catching clash of the weekend, and have gone backwards since the league according to Walsh. Their mental state is weak he added after the two losses to Waterford in the League and Munster Championship. Wexford have also "gone back a bit" he added, in a game thats huge for both teams.
Dublin's game with Laois is huge for both sides, and Walsh expects Dublin to go into the game with all the pressure on them looking for the win. He feels the Galway loss was "very disheartening" for the team and Walsh feels Liam Rushe needs to return to the defence after Ger Cunningham used the former All-Star at full forward this season.
Clare go into their game with Offaly as heavy favourites, and the return of Colm Galvin adds pressure to the team according to Walsh. The Kilkenny native feels that Clare need to win the game comfortably to restart Davy Fitzgerald's sides campaign.
Walsh also spoke to Oisin about this weekend's Leinster final between Kilkenny and Galway in Croke Park. Kilkenny looked fresher according to Walsh and he expects his home county to reach the All-Ireland semi final.
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