GAA demand for astro grows but not for big matches

A register of synthetic turf fields, which have passed certain standards, has been compiled by Croke Park.

Jude Devoy in action on the forward line for Midleton CBS against De La Salle, Waterford in the Harty Cup Round 3 at Fethard. Picture: Larry Cummins

The demand for GAA artificial pitches is increasing because of the split season, but they will only ever be required for lower-level games and training sessions. That’s the opinion of FBD Semple Stadium groundsman Pádhraic Greene, who acknowledges their importance especially in the first and fourth quarters of the year, which are difficult times for grass pitches.

“With the split season, there is more demand on natural grass pitches and there is a trend of clubs going down the astro route and they are helping to take some of that load off the natural turf.

“It was a pity the dome blew down in Mayo. It was a great addition to the west of the country, which gets battered weather-wise. By now, you would think somebody would have come up with one in more of a central location in the country. If you had a central venue there for the likes of your Harty Cup games and your college games, you're guaranteed that the game is going to go ahead. Whereas on your natural pitches, there's the elements you have to deal with.” 

However, Greene doesn’t envisage a major inter-county game being played on a synthetic pitch. “I'm going to say a straight out ‘no’. You cannot. This is only my own opinion. I don't think anybody wants to play a big game on a synthetic pitch. You cannot beat the natural surface.

“Yes, more teams have been doing their training sessions on them at this time of year as grass pitches are out of play because they've been wrecked. But, at the same time, most inter-county panels, they all want to train on grass pitches.” 

Greene explains a register of synthetic turf fields, which have passed certain standards and are the only astro surfaces on which GAA-sanctioned games should be played, has been compiled by Croke Park.

Head injury criterion, shock absorption and rotational resistance for a studded sole are among the criteria that must be satisfied before the GAA can permit a game to be played on the pitch. “There is a synthetic standard that all new astros have to comply with,” remarks Greene. “So, it's not just a simple case of, ‘We're putting in an astro.’ If you want to play games on a synthetic, there are standards to be met. There is upkeep involved in an artificial pitch too, wear and tear, hygiene etc. The usage hours on synthetic pitches, especially in the winter, is obviously high.

“There are pros and cons to the synthetic surface. The game is a lot faster on the synthetic surface because of the ball, the way it moves on it. From an injury perspective, I don't know if there's any scientific proof that there's more injuries on the synthetic versus natural but there are different injuries.”

The hallowed Thurles venue will be in use these next two weekends and may be in the frame for All-Ireland club semi-finals in December and January. “We have the Munster club camogie final this weekend and the Munster club hurling final the following weekend,” mentions Greene.

“Tipperary next year have seven home games between hurling and football as far as I know and that’s going to be a busy window when you don’t have natural growth or recovery. That is the time of year when pitches come under more pressure.

“For me, match pitches are match pitches and training pitches are training pitches. Can they be both? I don't know. To do all the donkey work that's needed on the pitches with all your twisting and turning, you can wreck a good pitch in no time.

“Here in the stadium with the warm-ups, we try and encourage the teams to go to Dr Morris Park, or we implement a system where they go to Dr Morris Park to do the heavy warm-ups and then they get 15 or 18 minutes on the pitch before throw-in.

“Some guys don't like that they have to go elsewhere to do a warm-up, but at the same time, it's for the best interest of not just their team. Every team that comes here, they think they're the most important team, but we’re looking at the longevity of the pitch so that everybody gets to play it in the best possible condition.”