Hurling Qualifiers: Phase 1 Previews

There are two Phase I All-Ireland Hurling Qualifiers taking place this Saturday, with Westmeath hosting Waterford in Mullingar, and Wexford taking on Carlow in Wexford Park.

All-Ireland Hurling Championship Qualifiers Phase I Previews

Saturday, June 30

Westmeath v Waterford, Cusack Park, Mullingar, 5pm

The second game of a an exciting double header at Cusack Park, Mullingar on Saturday sees Westmeath and Waterford go head-to-head with a place in Phase III of the Qualifiers at stake.

Westmeath have a history of putting it up to the big hitters at Cusack Park - just ask Galway - but Waterford will make the trip full of confidence after last Saturday's solid performance in Tullamore, where Maurice Shanahan scored 0-13 in a four-point win over Offaly.

The Lake County were in Ruislip, where they struggled at times in the first half but eventually wore the Exiles down and eased to a 1-15 to 0-11 win. That was Westmeath's first win from eight attempts in the Qualifiers, while the Déise have a much more impressive record of played eight, won six and lost two.

Waterford manager Michael Ryan has drafted in Richie Foley and Pauric Mahony, with Jamie Nagle and Jamie Barron make way. Westmeath boss Brian Hanley has opted for an unchanged side.

The sides last met in the championship back in 2006, when Waterford won a qualifier tie in Mullingar by 3-22 to 1-14.

Wexford v Carlow, Wexford Park, 7pm

The winners of the meeting of Wexford and Carlow in Wexford Park on Saturday night will be just one game away from a place in the last six of the All-Ireland Championship, as they will go into Phase III of the Qualifiers.

They met at the same stage in the 2012 Championship, with Wexford recording a convincing 4-12 to 0-14 victory, Rory Jacob hitting 2-3 of their total. They also met in Division IB of the Allianz Hurling League earlier this year back on February 24, with Wexford taking a 2-15 to 0-16 win.

The two counties share a lengthy border along the Blackstairs Mountains, and have a considerable hurling rivalry, but anything less than a Wexford victory would be greeted with shock and despair in the Model County.

Carlow, under the management of John Meyler, slipped into Phase I of the hurling qualifiers after losing to Laois (2-18 to 0-13) in the Leinster quarter-finals, but they have already achieved a championship win this season, beating London in Round 1 of Leinster, 4-17 to 2-13, on May 18.

Wexford lost to Dublin after a replay in the Leinster quarter-final, but bounced back last weekend in the qualifiers preliminary round, with goals from Rory Jacob, Paul Morris and Podge Doran helping them past Antrim, 3-18 to 0-17.

The two counties' U21 hurlers met in the Bord Gáis Energy Leinster Championship semi-final on Wednesday night, with Wexford advancing on a 1-12 to 0-9 scoreline.

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