The Laois senior hurling manager Eddie Brennan has said "it's a pity" the O'Moore County don't have more time to prepare for an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final against Dublin following their Joe McDonagh Cup success.
They beat Westmeath in Croke Park earlier in the decider by 3-26 to 1-21, and in the process booking their place in next year's Leinster Hurling Championship.
Speaking after the victory to Midlands 103, the four-time All-Star winner with Kilkenny said, "it would be remiss of us to drop our standards. It's going to be hard, you get so psychologically up for a match like today.
"There is an element that the boys have to go celebrate that. It's not just giving out about it for the sake of it, but its a pity in a way, that we're not allowed proper time to get ready for that match.
"Dublin now have three or four weeks rest, we have to do it in a week. I'm not whinging about it, I'm just saying it would be a good thing going forward to really give us a good chance. I can't wait for it to be honest".
Laois led in the decider from the third minute when Rathdowney-Errill hurler Ross King found the back of the net. However, Brennan believed the first 35 minutes were tough:
"They hurled to their ability, it was a grind in the first half for a while. There was what I would class as the 'Croke Park mistakes' kicking in. The one thing I said to the lads going out was don't worry about making mistakes, it's what you do next".
It's the second year in a row that Westmeath have lost in the final of the Joe McDonagh Cup, losing to Carlow last year by five points. The Lake County manager Joe Quaid says to Midlands 103, that it's a bitter pill to swallow:
"My thoughts and my heart is with the Westmeath lads in there today. They're crestfallen. It's hard to lose up here once - I've said it before it's the greatest arena in the world when you win. It's the worst arena in the world when you lose, as a GAA person.
Westmeath will now play Cork in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals. Both games will take place next weekend, with Laois and Westmeath getting home advantage.
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