Jamesie O'Connor and Ollie Canning joined Dave McIntyre on Off the Ball to look ahead to a packed weekend of hurling action.
All-Ireland Champions Galway welcome Kilkenny to Salthill in a highly anticipated clash and O'Connor reckons the Tribesmen will be looking to make an early statement against one of their biggest rivals.
"At the moment, I think Galway are ahead of Kilkenny. Especially that first Championship match, in Salthill, I don't see Galway slipping up on Sunday.
"The nightmare scenario potentially looms where they beat them on the 27th May, they face them again in the Leinster final on the 1st July and possibly having to play them a third time in the All-Ireland final on the 19th August. Maybe Michael Donoghue would take that now!
"It's hard to beat a team once in the Championship, not to mind twice! And, three times, you'll see trying to beat any time three times in the one Championship season - you may get done once!
"So, I just don't see Galway slipping up at the weekend. Certainly against Dublin - cracks were exposed in the Kilkenny defence. I'm a big fan of Padraig Walsh - I think he's a fantastic hurler. I'm not sure about him at full-back.
"Certainly Liam Rushe exposed his size, and maybe, lack of experience in that position. Now, Kilkenny don't appear to have an alternative but Galway have plenty of weapons and plenty of different ways they can go after you in the full back line.
"Johnny Glynn can appear on the edge of the square and is a different threat to Joe Canning and Conor Cooney will provide a different threat assuming he starts there. So, I just think Galway were impressive for me and I think there was a bit of rust there in Tullamore but they gradually found their rhythm and they have massive fire power and class in that attacking unit.
"In Salthill, at home, they didn't get the opportunity to beat Kilkenny (last season) and Kilkenny have inflicted more pain on that Galway team than anybody else and I think the balance of power has swung and I think they'll be keen to drive that home on Sunday.," he added.
The full discussion is available here:
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