‘Suddenly it’s a horrible place to come, isn’t it?’ Amid changes Connacht try to keep their culture

While the surroundings at the Sportsground-turned-Dexcom-Stadium become more impressive, making it an inhospitable venue for visitors is still a focus

STARTING STRONG: Connacht’s Dylan Tierney-Martin scores a try in Saturday's pre-season clash with Glasgow. Pic: INPHO/Craig Watson

In his childhood, Dylan Tierney-Martin would head into The Sportsground and climb on top of the away dugout, banging the roof to celebrate every small Connacht win. The ground was different and special. As it continues to change all around him, he wants to preserve that.

A crane and the outline of the new stand at Dexcom Stadium are visible in the sky over the Galway ground as the new €40m development work continues. The high performance centre is expected to be completed by next March. The new stand remains a year away.