The GAA today moved to clarify the reasoning behind scheduling the Christy Ring Cup final for this Friday night (7.30pm) at Croke Park.
The two counties involved, Carlow and Westmeath, were afforded the option of playing the decider prior to the All-Ireland football quarter-final on Saturday week, according to the GAA.
Given that this is the game involving Dublin, a large attendance would have been expected for the curtain-raiser but Carlow and Westmeath both declined this option.
And with headquarters hosting two triple headers (four football qualifiers, the Tommy Murphy Cup and Nicky Rackard Cup finals) this weekend, the Central Competitions Control Committee were apparently left with little room for manoeuvre.
"There was no choice but to play the Christy Ring Cup final on Friday evening, August 1st, if it was to be played at headquarters," a statement from the GAA explained.
It added that the counties were also offered the alternative of staging the match in Portlaoise on Saturday.
The association, meanwhile, has also claimed that reports of falling attendances in the championship this year have been misleading.
It pointed out that 966,722 supporters have passed through the turnstiles already this summer and expects the one million mark to be exceeded at Croke Park this weekend.
"Contrary to speculation earlier in the year attendances at the hurling and football championships to date are in line with previous years in this decade," added today's statement.