Sixteen games, five sports: Páirc Uí Chaoimh facing hectic schedule

The most challenging aspect is expected to be the quick turnaround between Saturday week’s Munster Champions Cup clash with Racing 92 before the Cork premier senior and intermediate hurling finals the following afternoon.

Workers will have approximately 14 hours to return the pitch to a hurling field from the rugby clash. If there is no rain, a sugar-based paint that is easier to remove will be used to line the rugby field before it is redesigned for the Glen Rovers-St Finbarrs and Ballincollig-Dungourney deciders.

As was the case for Munster’s Champions Cup game against Gloucester, in-built sockets for the rugby goalposts will be used as they will be when Ireland’s women's soccer team face Kazakhstan in next Tuesday evening’s World Cup play-off.

The surface was in fine condition for last Sunday’s PSHC semi-final double-header having had its annual renovation in early August following the Zach Bryan concerts there at the end of June. The hybrid pitch is stripped to remove the dead surface material gathered up on it over the previous 12 months.

The overhaul is required to ensure proper drainage coming into the autumn and winter months and the business end of the club championships.

Sources are confident the pitch will be more than able to cope with the activities ranging from this Friday’s county premier senior football semi-finals to the hurling-shinty men and women’s games on October 24 to the provisionally arranged senior A football and hurling deciders on November 1.

The pitch was also in use earlier this week for Rebel Réalta, a Sciath na Scoil sports and activity day for children with additional needs, as well as another low maintenance event.

Pitch invasions remain the single greatest cause of damage to the surface. Like other stadia, Páirc Uí Chaoimh authorities place a mesh barrier around the front rows of the stands to discourage people from entering the playing area after games.

As a form of crowd control that is only used when games are not sold out, it has proven successful as it allows stewards to concentrate on supervising the gates. However, popular county finals such as Sunday week’s all-city PSHC affair will test the protocol.

Páirc Uí Chaoimh was voted GAA pitch of the year in 2022 and ’24 and is considered the best in the association outside of Croke Park. In July 2019, just two years after the stadium reopened following its reconstruction, the pitch was made unavailable for six months following criticism of its standard in Cork’s league double-header against Kildare in football and Wexford in hurling.

Reconstructed by SIS, a synthetic stitch makes up 5% of the sod to reinforce the natural grass. Its roots bind around the fibres that makes the surface more robust.

POPULAR PÁIRC 

Starting this Saturday, SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh will host 16 games in 23 days across five sports.

October 10 Cork PSFC semi-finals Carrigaline v Nemo Rangers 5.15pm; Clonakilty v St Finbarrs, 7pm.

October 13 Women’s World Cup play-off Ireland v Kazakhstan, 7.30pm.

October 17 Champions Cup, Pool 3 Munster v Racing 92, 8pm.

October 18 Cork PSHC and PIHC finals Glen Rovers v St Finbarr’s, 4pm; Dungourney v Ballincollig, 2pm.

October 23 Cork PJHC final St Catherine’s v Kilshannig, 7.30pm.

October 24 Shinty Internationals Ireland v Scotland camogie 4pm, hurling 6pm.

*October 25 Cork PJFC and PSFC finals 2pm and 4pm.

*October 30 Cork IAFC final 7.30pm.

*October 31 Cork IAHC and PIFC finals Aghada v Bandon, 5pm; football final 7pm.

*November 1 Cork SAFC and SAHC finals Football final 2pm; Carrigtwohill v Erin’s Own, 4pm.

Cork PJFC, IAFC, IAHC, PIFC, SAFC and SAHC finals have been provisionally fixed for the stadium with those dates and times.