Minister suspends funding for astro turf pitches while awaiting plan to avoid flare damage

Mon, 23 Feb, 2026 - 18:46

Paul Hosford

Funding for League of Ireland teams to pay for astro turf pitches has been suspended until the sports minister receives "assurances" they will not be damaged by flares.

Flares were thrown onto a brand-new astroturf pitch at Oriel Park in Dundalk by Drogheda United fans as the two Louth sides faced off in the League of Ireland on Friday.

The two teams over the weekend criticised those actions, which also resulted in a 12-year-old supporter suffering burn marks on their face.

Patrick O’Donovan, who was at the match, said he was to meet with representatives of the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) and the League of Ireland this week about the issue. He said that, until he is satisfied that the facilities will not be damaged, he is pausing any applications in process from League of Ireland clubs.

"We cannot have a situation where synthetic material is literally set on fire in front of us ... who's going to pay the bill to replace it?" he asked.

"So, until such time as I get assurances from the League of Ireland and the FAI with regard to future government investment and the protection of that investment, it's paused.

"They have to come back to me with a plan, and they also have to come back now with a plan as to how the criminal damage in Dundalk is going to have to be repaired, to make sure that that field does not fray into the future and wind up in a situation where it is dangerous for players."

'Criminal' behaviour

He said the "spectacle" he saw on Friday night was criminal in its behaviour.

"I think it's best dealt with now by the gardaí, to make sure that those criminals are brought to justice and brought before the courts," Mr O'Donovan said.

Asked if he believes that games in the league will have to be played behind closed doors, Mr O'Donovan said that he is keeping an open mind.

"I'm going to see about what the League of Ireland and the FAI come back to me with in regard to proposals, because the current policy of trying to detect flares going into matches clearly isn't working," he said.

The current system clearly isn't working and, unless I feel that people are going to be safe to watch to a match, we're going to have to act accordingly

Mr O'Donovan said that he has been in contact with the minister for justice, Jim O'Callaghan, on the issue, saying that there are "significant issues with regard to reckless endangerment here that can't be ignored".

He went on to appeal to those who had been in attendance at the game to identify those who had injured the young boy.

"There are people who know who did this. We're not talking about Lower Manhattan here. These are two small towns in the same county," Mr O'Donovan said.

"It is well known who did this. And I would expect that people will co-operate now. People will say that the rest of the League of Ireland is going to suffer, but the reality is we need upward pressure on the FAI and the League of Ireland to change.

"We cannot have a situation where someone is set on fire. If this continues as it is, I mean, it won't be a pitch I'll be worried about. It'll be the death of somebody."

Mr O'Donovan added that the young boy had "suffered a serious injury by virtue of some moron who decided it was a good idea to throw a lit flare out onto a pitch in order to set it on fire and cause damage to Dundalk".