Both Carlow and Westmeath hurling bosses have reacted angrily to the GAA's decision to fix the Christy Ring Cup final for this Friday evening (7.30pm). Croke Park chiefs say they had little choice with their timing because all of the counties in action this weekend requested to play at headquarters. Westmeath hurling manager Johnny Dooley has called the decision an "insult" while Carlow County Board Chairman Pat Deering said he was "disgusted." "I don't know if they thought this through," Dooley opined. "It's not good enough. "This is a huge game for Westmeath and for Carlow. This decision is insulting to all of the 12 counties that took part this year." Meanwhile Deering was no less scathing in his reaction to the plan to have the Christy Ring Cup competition done and dusted by Friday night: "We're disgusted. It downgrades the competition. It's not so often Carlow get to an All-Ireland final and we're told that we have to play it in front of no-one. We'd rather play it at a different venue on a different day." Tweet

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