Turner’s Cross wins Pitch of the Year Award

Cork City have another trophy in the bag ahead of their penultimate league game of the season tomorrow night against Bohemians, with the club’s home ground Turner’s Cross winning the Pitch of the Year Award.

This is the second time that the ground has received the accolade, awarded by the Irish Institute of Sports Surfaces (IISS), having been a winner previously in 2011. Nominations came from League of Ireland referees and players, in association with the Professional Footballers Association of Ireland.

Fran Gavin, Director of the SSE Airtricity League said: “It is appropriate that Turner’s Cross has won this award again, and there is no doubt that the on field success at Cork City FC can be attributed in no small part to the condition of the pitch and the tireless work of the staff in the Munster FA in maintaining the pitch to the highest of standards.”

The award, which is organised by the FAI and IISS, and sponsored by Greenday Environmental Services, will be presented prior to the FAI Ford Cup Final at Aviva Stadium on November 2.

The competition began in 2007 following the takeover of the National League by the FAI. Initially it was known as the Groundsman of the Year Award but was renamed Pitch of the Year in 2009.