Kilkenny starts their Championship campaign by taking on Westmeath at home in UPMC Nowlan Park this Saturday.
While we await the GAA to announce the panels at 10 am tomorrow, we know that Weathmaeath will be without the services of Killian Doyle, Jack Galvin, and Niall Mitchell.
See also: Kilkenny manager Derek Lyng laments the GAA’s decision to name teams on Friday morning
The last time these two met in the Championship, Kilkenny came out resounding 16-point winners in Cusack Park. The Leinster champions cruised to victory in the second half with the goals coming easier and easier to come by due to the hosts’ exhaustion and Kilkenny’s ever-present ruthless streak.
Westmeath is coming into the game off the back of getting the better of Laois in the Division One Relegation Play-Off on a scoreline of 3-24 to 1-26. This was the match in which the star forward Killian Doyle went down injured.
Speaking to Midlands 103fm manager Joe Fortune says despite the injuries, he expects the team to give their all;
“My big message has always been that we get the most from the group of players that we have. If you leave that field on your shield or on your sword, based on the fact you have given everything you have for that jersey. I do not think you can ask for anything more.”
“We realise that when you have these significant injuries, they impact the panel. We have 36 or 37 lads there training on a really high level, in a really high environment, so you have to ask them to give everything they can.”
That game will be live on KCLR from 6pm, with coverage and build up starting on Scoreline from 2pm Saturday.
