Dolan confirmed this evening that he expects to return to the Westmeath set-up on Tuesday, but is not expected to line out for Westmeath in a challenge game against Mayo that night.

The 2004 All-Star attacker scored a goal for his club Garrycastle in their 3-12 to 1-7 win over The Downs in the Westmeath Senior Club Championship, and afterwards confirmed that he is returning to the inter-county scene.

"I just have to talk to Pat Flanagan. I have to ring him later on, but I'm hopeful I will be going back in on Tuesday," Dolan said.

He said that he has not been in touch with Westmeath officials about his return, but that he has spoken to Flanagan about coming back to the squad.

"I don't think I will be talking to the County Board for a while, but I was in touch with Pat during the week," he explained.

"He just said see how things go (with Garrycastle) for Sunday first. I came through the game without any major injuries or anything like that.

"I've a bit of work to do on my fitness for inter-county football. I've been out for a long time, and it is a different level altogether.

"It's just about keeping the head low for a few weeks, seeing how I get on and seeing if I can get a game."

And Dolan says he has the utmost respect for Flanagan as a manager.

"I have good time for Pat, he was a selector with us before. I always got on well with him.

"He gave me a ring and we just talked about it. I suppose we will have further talks later and see how we get on."

Meanwhile, experienced net minder Connaugton is a major doubt for Westmeath's Leinster quarter-final against Wicklow on June 6, after injurying his calf muscle.

The All-Star goalkeeper initially picked up a knock in training earlier in the week, but aggravated the injury midway through the second half of Tubberclair's 1-9 to 0-8 loss to Athlone in the Westmeath Club Championship on Saturday night.

"Last Monday night I was training with the county and I just felt something happened to my calf muscle," Connaughton confirmed.

"I had to stop training. I just rested it during the week. I felt grand in the warm-up before the game on Saturday.

"Then in the game I came out with a ball, and I felt it go altogether again, so I don't really know what the problem is."

And Connaughton says that he will have to wait until later this week before he knows the full extent of his injury.

"My club physio said it could be a tear in the muscle, or it could be just spasms. I have to wait to see what the county physios and the county doctor Gerry Flynn say about it now," he added.

"I don't know how bad it is, or what it is really at the moment to be honest. It's just a frustrating thing at the moment.

"I'm hoping it's nothing serious. We are out in the Championship on June 6, and that's the day I want to be ready for.

"At this stage I don't know. Hopefully, it is something minor and I won't be out for too long."