Westmeath hurling manager Michael Ryan says he anticipated the high-level performance from his side last Sunday against Offaly.

Ryan's team scored a remarkable 14-point victory over the Faithful men, marking their first Leinster championship win over their neighbours in 40 years, and while Ryan predicted a strong showing from his side, he admits he was surprised by the result.

"I saw the performance coming, from the point of view that our training was very, very good," Ryan told The Irish Times. "But I certainly in no way saw that margin of a win. Nobody in our camp predicted that final score or anything like it. That was a big surprise to us.

"We felt going in that we were in a good place, that our tactics were good, that our training was going well and our hurling and our attitude and our spirit was all good. But having said that, we were very surprised by the scoreline."

Next up for Westmeath is another high stakes clash against Kerry in Tralee, where the winners are likely to advance into the last eight of the province.

"This is big stuff. The winners will probably be qualified - probably, not certainly. Both teams are coming in with a win each so it's a big game," Ryan added.

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