Dundalk's pitch and ground discussion thread.

[Ezeikial]

Good to read Daniel McDonnell in today's Indo previewing the Dundalk v St Pats match and highlighting the Oriel Park pitch as a factor for St Pat's. Buckley mentioned in the Presidents Cup post match post match interviews also.

Great that the hype continues and hopefully it spooks the Saints again tonight

[colonelwest]

I think we should paint the pitch black and white just to annoy people even more than usual

[White Horse]

Good to read Daniel McDonnell in today's Indo previewing the Dundalk v St Pats match and highlighting the Oriel Park pitch as a factor for St Pat's. Buckley mentioned in the Presidents Cup post match post match interviews also.

Great that the hype continues and hopefully it spooks the Saints again tonight

If anything the pitch should suit Pats as they are one of the few visiting team that play football on it.

However, once you get something into your head....

[seand]

Twas the pitch that got two Pats players sent off on Friday.

[Mr_Parker]

New pitches use green pellets which improve the cosmetic appearance of the pitch.

I would expect Dundalk to use green pellets should they lay a new artiifical pitch for next season.

Green pellets cost substantially more than black.

[geysir]

It should be noted that Dundalk would have a greater advantage with a grass pitch against the visiting team. It is a fact that Dundalk play better on grass, therefore visiting teams would in all likliehood be hammered mercilessly into the (organic) turf. Other clubs should be pleading with Dundalk to keep the plastic.

[Sheridan]

The pitch is woeful, lads.

[Charlie Darwin]

It should be noted that Dundalk would have a greater advantage with a grass pitch against the visiting team. It is a fact that Dundalk play better on grass, therefore visiting teams would in all likliehood be hammered mercilessly into the (organic) turf. Other clubs should be pleading with Dundalk to keep the plastic.

We'll only be able to make a true comparison once Dundalk start visiting the likes of Russia and Ukraine in the Champions League.

[Nesta99]

The pitch is woeful, lads.

Total disaster!

[Nesta99]

We'll only be able to make a true comparison once Dundalk start visiting the likes of Russia and Ukraine in the Champions League.

Crusaders not a possibility? or many of Scandanavian sides either..

[Charlie Darwin]

Crusaders not a possibility? or many of Scandanavian sides either..

Crusaders doesn't count because all their players go on holiday for European games. I will permit you to play in Scandinavia.

[Mr_Parker]

Crusaders not a possibility? or many of Scandanavian sides either..

Crusaders pitch is not comparable. It is of different construction.

As a point of interest, while there already is at least 4 artificial turf pitches across the 3 top leagues in the North, there are currently 13 clubs with planning applications in for artificial turf pitches, with most of those for their primary pitch.

[seand]

Crusaders pitch is not comparable. It is of different construction.

As a point of interest, while there already is at least 4 artificial turf pitches across the 3 top leagues in the North, there are currently 13 clubs with planning applications in for artificial turf pitches, with most of those for their primary pitch.

What's the attitude like to the artificial pitches up north Mr Parker? Do you have to put up with as much whining?

[GCdfc]

Whining because it doesn't look pretty (green with a strong hint of black) and it allows football to be played. What a backwards nation we are where people prefer pitches that looked pretty (green with a strong hint of brown) and don't allow football to be played.

[Mr_Parker]

What's the attitude like to the artificial pitches up north Mr Parker? Do you have to put up with as much whining?

There was at the start, mainly from 2 managers, but it has eased off considerably. Most of those who argued against lost their arguments given the state of their own grass pitches. The main arguments were that they caused more injuries, which is nonsense. The latest is some fans pointing at a couple of cases in the USA where people have claimed cancer concerns from the rubber crumb, ignoring of course the numerous diseases etc you can get from a soil based pitch.

Most clubs and fans have now realised that they give little or no advantage, are here to stay and just get on with it.

[Dodge]

From having seen games on both surfaces, Cliftonville's is far superior to Dundalk's. It might just be newer but it played truer

[Nesta99]

Most clubs and fans have now realised that they give little or no advantage, are here to stay and just get on with it.

Who'd have thought it, progressive thinking in Northern Ireland!

[Mr_Parker]

The key with artificial turf is what is underneath it and good regular maintenance. Too many I've seen obviously don't have the regular brushing or deep cleaning that is required.

[El-Pietro]

Pitches in the North that I've seen all seem to be far better quality than Dundalks. I've little issue with artificial surfaces (though like most I'd prefer grass where possible). I understand that they make sense form a cost point of view, and I'm sure far fewer games are called off in the Irish League than would be done so on grass, but the ball doesn't bounce right.

People say it isn't maintained properly, I don't know, but City have played at Dundalk, Crusaders and Cliftonville and from what I saw the Dundalk pitch was the worst of the three by some margin.

[outspoken]

We played Shels in pre season on the Astro in Lexlip and it was one of the best I've seen, no spraying up of those little pellets, even bounce, true passes, if everything pitch in the league was an Astro of that quality it would only be good for us.