WESTMEATH GAA HAVE criticised Kilkenny for what they feel was “a clear refusal to play a properly scheduled and authorised fixture”, which saw Sunday’s Walsh Cup opener between the counties postponed.

Breedon Kevin Molloy Park, the original venue for the fixture, failed a morning pitch inspection as the freezing temperatures nationwide played havoc with the sporting schedule.

The game was then moved to St Loman’s 3G pitch at Dovida Lakepoint Park, which had been nominated by Westmeath as their alternative venue, only for the match to be abandoned minutes before its 2.30pm throw-in time.

Kilkenny manager Derek Lyng described the 3G pitch as “quite bare” and insisted that it was “not fit for purpose, not for an inter-county match”.

Speaking to KCLR, Lyng said: “It’s fine, you could do a few drills there and things like that, but I was speaking to our medical team and everybody else and I have to take the advice on board. Number one is player safety. These lads are after putting in a huge effort and I didn’t want to be going home today with a couple of injuries and lads losing out in the next couple of months after all that.

“I’m hugely disappointed for the players. They were really looking forward to today, as I was, and everybody else involved, but we had to make that decision and player safety is number one.

“I had a good discussion with the referee, and he completely agrees, and the decision has been made.”

Derek Lyng: 3G pitch was not fit for purpose. Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO

With no prospect of the match being rescheduled for a later date, the competition rules allowed for the winner to be decided by coin toss, with Westmeath ‘winning’ and advancing to the semi-finals.

“Kilkenny arrived at Dovida Lakepoint Park at the appointed time,” Westmeath GAA said in a statement issued on Sunday evening.

“However, their management subsequently decided not to fulfil the fixture, declining to warm up or commence the match and withdrawing from play.

“As a result of Kilkenny’s failure to fulfil the fixture at the nominated authorised venue, the match did not take place. Westmeath trained and completed an in-house challenge game in adherence to match-day preparation requirements.

“Westmeath GAA considers Kilkenny GAA’s actions to constitute a clear refusal to play a properly scheduled and authorised fixture, despite every reasonable and practical effort having been made by Westmeath GAA to facilitate the game in difficult weather conditions.

“Westmeath GAA rejects any suggestion that responsibility for the non-fulfilment of fixture rests with the organising authority or with Leinster competitions, and reserves the right to seek clarification, outcome determination, or further review under the relevant competition regulations.”