A crucial midlands Leinster Senior Hurling Championship round robin series battle awaits, but Westmeath don’t have any ‘inferiority’ complex with Offaly according to Aonghus Clarke.

Michael Ryan’s improving Westmeath outfit remain hopeful of landing a top two spot to secure a place in the knockout stages of the province.

“The first game is fierce important especially with us having a home game first,” Clarke said about Sunday’s Cusack Park clash with Offaly.  “It is against Offaly, who at the start would probably be seen as the favourites.  The first game is massive for us to get momentum.

“Even last year we got a bit of momentum by winning the first two, even then the pressure was off us for the last game.  We still had momentum going further into Leinster.

“A lot of people would perceive Offaly to be above us, but from my age coming up we would never have that inferiority against them.  We would've beaten them at underage and they never would have been better than us at my age.

“Historically people perceive Offaly to be better, but in my underage days we didn't have that.  There is no inferiority complex from my perspective anyway.

“I would have lost to them by a point at minor level with the last puck of the game. I haven't played them much in the Senior Championship.  I know traditionally they would be higher up, but within our squad we wouldn't have that as much.”

In 2011 Clarke was involved when Westmeath defeated Offaly at minor level.  “I was on that team, we would have beaten them twice and lost to them once at minor level.  It isn't really there that they are a higher team than us.  I know they are 1B, they are favorites, but there isn't much between any of the teams.”

Clarke is adamant that the round robin series offers counties such as Westmeath an ideal opportunity to demonstrate their ability.  “Yeah, I do, I think the round robin is great because it isn't just a one-off game,” Clarke admits. 

“When we played Laois it was all or nothing to get to 1B, that was it and it was win or lose.  In this the best teams will come out, whoever is playing the best and takes their chances over the three games will get through. Even if you have a bad half in one game you still have a chance to recover.

“That is why this game is important, the first one because you could be going down to Kerry with a win and a bit of momentum.”

Clarke stressed the significant ‘work’ that has been carried out in the underage ranks by Westmeath hurling enthusiasts during the past decade.

“In fairness a lot of work has been done,” Clarke acknowledges.  “When they started the development squads under 13 and 14 there was a lot of emphasis on one manager bringing a team from then until minor level.  They worked fierce hard with them. 

“By the time we got to minor level there was a lot of confidence in the team.  We were playing the Offalys and Laois' and we were beating them.  I suppose a lot of work was done, it did pay off at minor, we probably were unlucky on one or two days.  We lost to Kilkenny by two points, we bet Offaly that year.

“One of my friends watched the game back around three weeks ago.  He couldn't believe how we lost it, he said it was unreal.  That is coming into the senior now because a lot of them lads are now in the senior set-up.  With Offaly and Laois it maybe is different to the Kilkennys and Galways. 

“Even this year with the few new lads, some of the minors from last year.  They don't have any fear at all.  They come in nearly expecting to start in the senior squad.  When they aren't they are nearly thrown back by it.  They have been successful, they beat Wexford last year. 

“It wasn't just one or two teams that beat Offaly, it is continuing.  We are close to them teams at senior level, but we aren't getting over the line either at senior level.”

That is why the Offaly match is loaded with importance.  “We need that scalp for confidence to help us over the line," Clarke commented. 

"This weekend is great, Kerry and Carlow are teams we would have been meeting anyway.  If we did beat them to general people it wouldn't be seen as a shock.  If we beat Offaly this weekend it would be something we can gain confidence from.”