League crucial for new look senior hurling side

Westmeath senior hurling boss Kevin O’Brien is starting out with a new look side next season as several of the old guard have departed.

On Sunday, January 4, Westmeath face Kilkenny in the Walsh Cup and it will be an early opportunity for new players to shine.

Speaking at last Thursday’s launch of teg as the county’s main sponsors, O’Brien said there has been a great response from the younger players who are keen to help the county make progress. Both Tommy Doyle and Robbie Greville have retired, while a lot of other familiar faces will no longer be part of the side, including Darragh Clinton, Niall Mitchell, Aaron Craig and Davy Glennon.

“To be honest, there were only probably two retirements; the rest of it was just players who had come to the end of their careers. What we've brought in is Conor Shaw, Darragh Egerton, Josh Coll, Darragh Smith and Peter Murphy.

“We've brought in a lot of good young lads that I would have known from before, and then with Conor and Darragh coming back in, it's a great help. Naoise McKenna's in, Morgan Gavigan's coming in, so there's a lot of good lads who are well able to hurl along with lads that have been there a while,” said O’Brien.

“It's going really well. The feedback from the players is very good; they're really enjoying training. Ollie Baker spoke to the group last Sunday morning and spoke about this being their team and the identity, and you could see that the lads were buying into it, which is great.

“We had a really good session on the pitch afterwards and it's been very impressive now from the management team looking at it. We're very impressed with the lads and the effort from the lads; it's really good. It's very good so far and we couldn't be happier.”

O’Brien is upbeat about the strength of his squad and while there are major changes, the talent pool is strong.

“We've a strong base there. We were just going through the forwards the other day: you're looking at David Williams, Killian Doyle, David O'Reilly, Darragh McCormack, Peter Clarke and Eoin Keyes, tearing it up at training. There's loads of quality there, and then with the players that are coming in behind, we've got good strong numbers and the hard part is going to be letting some of these lads go, which unfortunately has to be done. There's good strength in depth.

"We're away to Kerry in the first round of the league on the first weekend of February and that's the game we're aiming for. That's where all roads lead to: to try and put our best foot forward in that Division 2 and try and get out of that and move on. Hopefully it goes well and it keeps going the way it's going. So far it's very positive."

O’Brien said the players will set their own targets for the season ahead.

“Niall Stack is the sports psychologist. When the players have their first session with him, they're going to set the goals and we'll help them get there. They haven't done that yet, but there's a great group of lads. As I said, they're having great fun and it's very enjoyable, and the feedback we're getting from the players is that they're enjoying it. That's what we want; they have to be enjoying it.”

He’s happy to be back with Westmeath, facing his first year as senior boss having previously managed the county’s U20 hurlers.

“I have to say it's good getting back out there now. I have been doing a lot of underage work the last few years, and the U20s as well. I have been working with underage teams and helping out in The Downs and Clonkill and everything. It's great, I am enjoying it - if you're not enjoying it, there's no point in doing it.”

Westmeath’s McDonagh Cup campaign was revealed recently in the draw and they will have some tricky away matches, but O’Brien feels the first three rounds are crucial.

“We have London away and then we've Laois and Carlow at home. Those three games are very important. We have Antrim away and then the last game is Down away.

“A lot can be made out of draws and who you have and when. It's about winning those games. You're looking to get maybe that eight or nine points to get you into a final and that's it,” he observed.

“We have to play what's in front of us. The lads know that. They've seen the draw. We all know it. But first and foremost it's the Kerry game. We won't look beyond that; first round of the league. We will try and help the players get there. Whatever goals they set, we're there to support them in it,” he concluded.