best & worst e/l ground

**pete** · 04/05/2004, 2:25 PM

Since you asked for favourite as opposed to best/worst...

Favourite - Dalymount, I know 3 sides of ground are bad but has best stand by long shot, hospitable bars underneath & food that edible + i can walk home.

Least Favourite - Belfield bad cos no atmosphere from home or away fans but gonna have to give to Richmond Park cos always hassle at the game eventhough one of better grounds for atmosphere.

**Dodge** · 04/05/2004, 3:02 PM

Yeah but has the atmosphere, the histiry, even the shape to be great. All its mssing is the facilities...

**pete** · 04/05/2004, 3:09 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Yeah but has the atmosphere, the histiry, even the shape to be great. All its mssing is the facilities...

Yup nice tight ground to so fans on top of players. Also was better when Pats fans in the shed & us ont he camac so opposing fans could see ach other. Something which Dalymount suffers from too. Richmond just doesn't give impression has moved forward much in recent years aside from tarmac behind the stand & basic terracing on the camac.

**Dodge** · 04/05/2004, 3:19 PM

Well Pats fans have always been on the camac side. Mightn�t have been the singers but always there. The Shed suffers from the Tony o�Dowd fence which gives it the worst view in Ireland. IF that comes down, the SEI will return home.

The new stand (when it gets going

will massively update the ground (in most ways�) but finances are dictating that�ll be a while off yet�

For all its many faults I�d rather Richmond to any other ground. Its one of the few grounds in Ireland that actually feels like a football ground (Sligo is another)

**monutdfc** · 04/05/2004, 4:01 PM

Can't believe that nobody has mentioned Sligo Rovers. Covered stands running the full length of both sides of the pitch, and without loads of pillars to obscure the view.

**Dodge** · 04/05/2004, 4:30 PM

I mentioned them...

**R�iteoir** · 04/05/2004, 8:41 PM

They are considering shifting the seats to the back of the Des Kelly / School End at Dalymount - thereby putting them under cover...

Plus a few other improvements in the pipeline...

**Gary** · 04/05/2004, 9:40 PM

Best : Flansiro and I must say, i quite liked Terryland. Great pitch and loads of potential for building another stand or two.

Worst: Jackman park was without doubt the worst i have ever seen, though St Mels gives it a good run for the money. If it wasnt for the bar in St Colmans, that would fairly grim as well.

Best Trip: Longford

Worst : Richmond. Ive never seen City win there.

**4tothefloor** · 04/05/2004, 11:10 PM

The worst grounds have to be any of my own club Limericks - Rathbane, Jackman Pk, Pike Rvs SG, and in saying that, Rathbane is like the San Siro compared to the Pike. But you also have to bear in mind that Limerick couldn't\can't do anything with these grounds as we don't own them. Best ground would be Tolka, or Turners Cross. Never been to Flancare.

I have to say though that the Brandywell looks absolutely appalling on tv. No offence to Derry fans, but it looks like a right s.hithole, the pitch is like an accident created in the middle of, er, I don't know how to describe it. Looked terrible on EW the other night. The irony is, even though its the only ground with an A license, it looks the worst! (out of all the Premier clubs that is)

**the 12 th man** · 05/05/2004, 7:06 AM

buddy of mine played an fai cup match in a place called "tra na locha"(spelling ??) in donegal.he was playing for st james gate of dublin against a local team and it was a replay after a draw in dublin.

there was loads of needle involved and there was a big hostile crowd.he said the dressing rooms were miles from the pitch and you had to walk right through the oppositions supporters to get to the pitch !!!!!!!.he said they got pelted with chips, burgers and whatever came to hand.just imagine rovers playing a match up there

**dortie** · 05/05/2004, 8:59 AM

Dalymount and Turners Cross, both nice grounds.

The sheepshaggers cow shed in Balybofey has to be the worst followed by Belfield and Inchicore

**�anna** · 05/05/2004, 9:33 AM

The cross and the flansiro are the best IMO. Tolka is a kip with seats.

Worst would have to be Pike Rovers and St Mels,although Queenstown would be in the running too

**Aberdonian Stu** · 05/05/2004, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by �anna

Tolka is a kip with seats.

Have to agree there, I utterly hate Tolka even though it's all seater. The new stand is nice but I hate the rest of the ground.

Best is probably Flancare, but Dalyer is pretty good, just the uncovered side isn't great (sat there for the Rosenberg game).

Worst, aside from Tolka, would be Bray and Richmond. Both just ugly grounds with nothing appealing about them whatsoever (and yes I know I support a team that plays in Belfield but to be honest I prefer Belfield).

**markdit** · 05/05/2004, 11:49 AM

fave ground is waterford rsc, altho its only 1 main stand the rest isnt great but the view from the stand couldnt be better. worst is belfield

**A face** · 05/05/2004, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by markdit

fave ground is waterford rsc, altho its only 1 main stand the rest isnt great but the view from the stand couldnt be better.

I would have said that but the running track means you are very far away. RSC and Jodie stands are best in the league.

**Neish** · 05/05/2004, 1:10 PM

Best I've been to is probably Dalymount although from what I hear Flancare is the best.

Worst I've been to has to be Whitehall.

**the 12 th man** · 05/05/2004, 1:26 PM

Originally Posted by markdit

fave ground is waterford rsc, altho its only 1 main stand the rest isnt great but the view from the stand couldnt be better. worst is belfield

saw the match against shels on chorus sports tv.the atmosphere
and the pitch looked excellent.where did the big flags come from,anyone know???

**LukeO** · 05/05/2004, 1:37 PM

Leaving aside Dalyer (I don't want to be biased) here is how I would rank eL grounds

1. Flancare Park
2. Turner's X
3. Tolka (as �anna said it really is a kip with seats, i hate it)
4. Waterford (its a pity there's only one stand there)
5. Richmond
6. Brandywell
7. Showgrounds
8. Buckley Park
9. Terryland
10. Oriel Park
11. Century Homes
12. United Park (not fit for the premier div)
13. Kildare (very very small, but that little stand is allright)
14. Ballybofey
15. Belfield
16. Carlisle Grounds (kip, but with plans to improve)
17. St. Colman's
18. St. Mels (kip)
19. Pike Rovers (absolute kip)
20. Tallaght Stadium

I haven't been to all of the above, but I've been to most.

It's great to see clubs like Galway, Longford, Kilkenny, Athlone, Sligo etc. concentrating on getting their house in order and looking at the long-term future by having plans to improve their facilities rather than blowing all their money on some short-term success like Drogheda or Dublin City etc.

I still think the Jodi stand is by far the best stand in the league, but the rest of Dalyer needs some serious attention.