Ennis fuming at decision to order Ring Cup replay

Meath manager Martin Ennis is fuming at the treatment being dished out to Meath hurling following the decision of the GAA's Competition Control Committee to order a replay of last Saturday's Christy Ring Cup final in Croke Park.

Officials in Croke Park have ordered that Meath face Antrim again, this time in Newry next Saturday 11th June at 7pm.

Meath were declared champions after an apparent 2-18 to 1-20 win over Antrim, but an investigation by the CCCC concluded the game actually ended level and that an extra point had been awarded to Meath in error.

Ennis admits that there were many errors, but he has called on the CCCC to look into a 'point' from Sean Heavey in the 41st minute that was waved wide and he has hinted that he will have to confer with his players before agreeing to playing any replay.

'I'm very disappointed with the decision of the GAA's CCC to order a replay of the Ring Cup final, effectively putting Antrim and ourselves against each other over a mistake that was of their making,' Ennis told the Meath Chronicle.

'we have no intention of paying the price for the mistake of the GAA. Asking us to replay a game that we firmly believe we won last Saturday is very disappointing.

'We sought clarification from the CCCC about Sean Heavey's perfectly good point in the 41st minute, but it appears to me that they never even looked at that score. 

'I requested that the officials look at the point with Hawkeye at the time, but they refused, so what I want to know now is why did they refuse? I also want them to retrospectively go back and look at that decision.

'I'm also very disappointed that the GAA President made the comments he made this morning on RTE Radio. What was the point of having a CCCC meeting when it already appears as if the decision was already made.

'This really is shambolic and a farce and it is far from over yet. As a management team we are firmly against playing a replay to a game we have already won, collected the cup and celebrated. I will contact each of the players to get their views, but how can the players be in the right frame of mind or be physically right to play a game next Saturday. It's nothing short of a disgrace.