O'Brien looking forward to the ‘step up’ against Dublin
Manager Kevin O’Brien is looking forward to a big game against Dublin next Sunday in the knock-out stages of the Leinster U20 hurling championship after last Saturday’s emphatic win over Carlow.
“It’s a game we are looking forward to and it‘s where I feel we should be as a county, playing these teams. We will prepare well for it and put our best foot forward,” he said.
“The most pleasing part is the work rate. They’re a great group, they work for each other. Carlow are a good side, but we made them look average. The work rate and the plan was good.”
He’s not perturbed with having some key players who are also part of the senior side and feels this shows the progress the players have made.
“That’s the beauty of having players who are good enough to play senior. I’m involved with development at U14 and at U20 and the job is to get players through to play senior and we want the very best for the players. If it means they are good enough to play senior, they are good enough,” he observed.
“They are great and it’s great to have bright future with players like David Williams. Their attitude and manners is what pleases me most. They are a lovely group and there are no egos. They remind me a bit of the likes of Brendan (Murtagh) and John Shaw - those two lads were the very same. They have done it all and they are so grounded, so we are in good hands.”
David Williams said: “We know ourselves if we keep working hard the opportunities will be there and the scores will come. We have created loads in the last two games and we are starting to take them. We know how good this group can be, and what is expected from us, we just have to take it one game at a time.
“We enjoy what we are doing, it’s one game at a time and we just have to get the recovery right.”
With the Westmeath senior hurlers facing Offaly the previous day in a crucial Joe McDonagh Cup game in Tullamore (3pm) and the minors playing the Faithful County on Saturday evening (5.30pm in the Faithful Fields, Kilcormac), it's a big weekend for hurling in the county.