Carlow have successfully objected to their controversial defeat by Westmeath in last week's Leinster championship match. The match has been re-fixed for tomorrow week in Tullamore but Westmeath are expected to appeal the decision to the GAA's Management Committee.

The Leinster Council vote on the amendment by Westmeath - to reject the Carlow motion - saw it defeated 19-6. Longford was the only other county to support Westmeath, although two of the provincial officers also voted with the county.

Reaction was swift with Westmeath chairman Seamus Whelan declaring the decision "amazing" and "a watershed which would impact on every divisional board and every county board in the country".

In the interests of the GAA in general, he stated, "this decision must be fully tested". The county has the option of bringing their case to management or the full Central Council, but it was confirmed afterwards that the appeal would be lodged with the Management Committee.

The outcome came at the end of a long evening in Croke Park which had seen the meeting of the Games Administration Committee over-run and delay Leinster Council's deliberations on the matter. At one stage Leinster chairman Seamus Aldridge and secretary Michael Delaney were called into the GAC meeting which was considering the report of referee Niall Barrett.

It was Barrett's actions which precipitated last night's deliberations. In sending off six players, four from Carlow and two from Westmeath, and issuing 20 yellow and red cards, the Cork official found himself at the centre of the biggest controversy of what has become a year of recurring disciplinary nightmares for the GAA.

Of the six players sent off, three merited immediate red cards and were accordingly dealt with by GAC. Westmeath requested that their player, Kenny Lyons, have his case dealt with immediately and he received a month's suspension. The two Carlow players, Brian Farrell and Sean Kavanagh, have asked for an oral hearing.

The other three players dismissed, Carlow's Johnny Kavanagh, Ken Walker and Rory O'Connell of Westmeath, were deemed by the GAC, according to Aldridge, "incorrectly sent off".

Referee Barrett claimed that he had been advised to apply the existing rules more severely. Munster Referees Co-ordinator Paddy Cronin, who was eventually revealed as the source of this advice, disputed the claim at GAC according to Leinster chairman Seamus Aldridge.

Carlow's case was presented by county secretary Tom O'Neill on the grounds that Barrett had misinterpreted the rules and that Carlow had been disadvantaged by the misinterpretation.

"We played under an interpretation of rules contrary to the Official Guide and under which no other game will be played this championship. No matter how minor the foul, the referee deemed it a cautionable offence. The playing rules were not complied with and neither was the section of the referees' handbook dealing with persistent fouling."

Westmeath chairman Seamus Whelan responded that his county's team had been more disciplined and that that had to be taken into account.

County secretary Paddy Collins, who was in the awkward position of also being chairman of the Central Referees Appointments Committee which had entrusted the fixture to Barrett, supported the argument.

"Does council accept that the referee's decision is final? Is there any member who can state that the result would have been any different if the referee had been less harsh? Does council believe that where there's any incorrect or faulty application of rules, the result can't stand."

He went on to point out that the council had never, in his memory, re-fixed a match without the agreement of both sides.

A motion to take the vote on secret ballot was rejected.