McHale Park finally under spotlights

CONNACHT Council secretary John Prenty believes that next Saturday night’s FBD League tie between Mayo and GMIT will act as the perfect dry run for the new McHale Park floodlight facilities ahead of next month’s glamour National League opener against last year’s All-Ireland finalists Down.

The Castlebar venue received the green light earlier this month to install floodlights after a protracted planning application saga and Prenty contacted Mayo county board officials after that development in relation to the feasibility of holding an FBD League game under floodlights.

“The GMIT game was originally scheduled for Ballinrobe but when Mayo got permission for the floodlights, I got onto the Mayo board and suggested they have a dry run ahead of the Down match. They don’t know what it’s like to hold a game under lights in Castlebar. If something happened with the lights on the night, it’s not a major disaster because it’s an FBD League game but it’s a different story if it’s in the National League in a big game against Down.