Tullamore to host Christy Ring final

The 2008 Christy Ring Cup final will now take place in Tullamore on Sunday afternoon (throw-in 6pm), after both counties requested to have the game rescheduled.

The GAA originally fixed the Carlow v Westmeath decider for Friday night at Croke Park, but neither county was satisfied with that fixture.

Westmeath manager Johnny Dooley said he was "disgusted" by the scheduling of the final for Friday night, calling it "a joke".

Along with many other observers, he felt that Croke Park would be "empty" for a 7.30pm throw-in on Friday.

Carlow boss Jim Greene said the decision for a Friday night game was "madness of the highness order" and insisted that the Ring Cup final should be part of a treble-header at Croke Park on Sunday week.

However, in a statement released earlier today, the GAA's Central Competitions Control Committee confirmed that the final has be moved to Sunday evening with a new location of O'Connor Park in Tullamore.

The match referee will be Noel Cosgrove of Tipperary and extra time will apply if necessary.

Westmeath are the reigning champions, having beaten Kildare by 2-15 to 0-13 in last August's final at Croke Park.

The Lake county were also the inaugural winners of the second tier hurling competition back in 2005, while Sunday's game will mark Carlow's second appearance in the final - they lost the 2006 decider to Antrim.

This will also be the first time the Ring Cup final has not be played at Croke Park.