Following their league success last weekend, Westmeath will now focus on the Joe McDonagh Cup for the first time, according to manager Joe Quaid.

The Lake County make a return to top flight league hurling for the first time in 32 years following their HL2A final win over Kerry in Cusack Park, Ennis last Sunday.

Having lost a number of finals and promotion/relegation play offs in recent years, Westmeath made sure of their passage back to the top flight with a merited win over the Kingdom.

Quaid told the Westmeath Examiner that all the focus was on the league, but stressed that attention is firmly on the championship now.

“I’m being brutally honest when I say that we haven’t even actually thought about the Joe McDonagh Cup yet,” said Quaid.

“When I met Billy Foley (chairman) and the lads at the start of the year, my main focus was on the league. I said that winning the league would give you a few months’ preparation for the championship by playing against the top teams.

“But don’t get me wrong. I want to win everything. If I am playing a game of cards, I’ll want to win it. And I have a gang of lads in there who are winners.”

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