Tyrone have pulled out of their Christy Ring Cup promotion / relegation playoff against Down which was fixed for the Athletic Grounds on Saturday evening.

The Red Hands defeated Fingal at Croke Park last Saturday week to capture the Nicky Rackard Cup, having also claimed the Allianz League Division 3B title earlier in the season. But manager Mattie Lennon has decided to withdraw his team from Saturday's game because he feels they haven't had enough time to prepare for it.

"After winning the Nicky Rackard Cup, we would have love to have gone straight into the Christy Ring for 2015 and that'd still be our ambition," he is quoted in the Irish Daily Star.

"We would have liked more time to prepare properly for Down. As things stand at the moment, simply fulfilling that fixture with Down would be absolutely no benefit to the development of hurling within Tyrone."

It means last year's champions Down have retained their Ring Cup status without pucking a ball. Tweet

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