Carlow pull plug on O'Byrne Cup game against Westmeath

The Westmeath v Carlow O'Byrne Cup game has been cancelled with Carlow pulling the plug on the fixture.

The game had been due to take place tomorrow in Lakepoint Park in Mullingar tomorrow (Saturday).

However, this morning Leinster Council issued a statement announcing that the game was cancelled and will not be rescheduled.

It subsequently transpired that Carlow were not in a position to field a team for the game.

A spokesperson for Carlow GAA explained that a combination of circumstances had created the situation.

Carlow lost out heavily to Kildare on Thursday night -a result which meant the Westmeath v Carlow game would have no bearing on the competition as Kildare, who had also beaten Westmeath, had qualified as Group winners.

Carlow GAA said a number of players had played Sigerson Cup games earlier this week and then featured in the O'Byrne Cup game on Thursday.

With further Sigerson Cup games scheduled for next midweek, players would have had four games in a week.

The spokesman added that there were also Covid issues in the squad and with the game 'a dead rubber', it was decided to withdraw.

"We would have been down to the bare bones," he admitted, adding that there were also the Covid issues relating to travel and matchday for what was "a meaningless match"

Westmeath GAA learned of the cancellation this morning.

The game would have provided Jack Cooney with further opportunity to blood some new talent, whilst giving seasoned squad members game time, ahead of the league opener against Wicklow.