Down look for Christy Ring replay

WESTMEATH officials have reacted cautiously to the news that Down are to seek a replay of the Christy Ring Cup final.

The Ulster county have forwarded a letter of complaint to the Central Disciplinary Council (CDC) after Limerick referee Denis Richardson ended the first half two minutes early at Croke Park.

In the letter, Down made reference to the Offaly-Clare All-Ireland semi-final of seven years ago when Jimmy Cooney blew the final whistle two minutes at Croke Park.

GAA president Sean Kelly said on Monday he didn’t believe the 1998 game served as a precedent in this case. It remains to be seen if the CDC shares that view.

Westmeath chairman Seamus Whelan said:

“I can say to you that we will be dealing with that (the letter) when it will be brought before our management committee. In the meantime, we have a glut of hurling club fixtures to try and play as we’re only into round three of the championship so far, so our priority is getting that back on schedule.”

However, Whelan added that the county players were busy checking passports for the trip to the USA next month which Westmeath are entitled to after their thrilling victory at the weekend.

Fundraising has also began for the trip with plans for a golf classic already well advanced. Whatever the outcome to the Down appeal, Westmeath admit the whole controversy has taken some of the gloss off last Sunday’s success.

“We played Down in the Christy Ring Cup final and it was a good quality and sporting game, said Whelan.

“We were very proud to win the Christy Ring Cup and we celebrated it with a dignity that would have done the great man proud with an open bus into Mullingar.

“The victory has already impacted very positively on people in Westmeath. We’ve already had a number of invitations from teachers to bring the cup to schools throughout the county and we’ll continue with those plans until something changes.”

Meanwhile, Tomas Ó Flatharta is all but certain to succeed Páidí Ó Sé as the county’s senior football manager next month, as long as he is willing to assume the responsibility.

The Dublin-based bank official was a hugely respected member of Ó Sé’s backroom staff over the past two years, during which time the county won its first ever senior Leinster football title.

He intimated last month that he would be interested in inter-county management though adding that he would take some time to mull over his options.

With Tommy Carr, Dessie Dolan Sr and now John O’Mahony all having ruled themselves out of the running, the expectation is that Ó Flatharta will be the name proposed by the football executive to the county board for rubber-stamping early next month.