'This cannot ever happen again' - Dundalk boss bemoans damage to Oriel Park pitch

Dundalk's Manager Ciarán Kilduff dejected after Drogheda score a late goal. Pic: ©INPHO/Nick Elliott.

Dundalk manager Ciarán Kilduff insists the debacle at Oriel Park last Friday cannot be repeated in the League of Ireland.

Sports Minister Patrick O’Donovan has suspended State aid for astro pitches and summoned the FAI top brass to his department in a bid to avoid the ugly scenes that marred the Louth derby.

Drogheda United have vowed to work with Dundalk to identify the individuals responsible for launching a barrage of flares onto the newly-laid surface.

Kick-off was delayed to allow fire brigade personnel clear the fireworks but the damage caused to the pitch by over 50 scorch marks has made it unplayable.

Dundalk don’t have a home game until March 13 but underage fixtures and training sessions will be affected by the repairs soon to get underway at a cost of around €70,000.

“I don't think this can ever happen again,” said Kilduff after his newly-promoted side held Shamrock Rovers to a 1-1 draw at Tallaght on Monday night.

“What people don’t see is what we came into on Saturday morning.

“We’re very proud of our pitch and don’t have it long but it was in terrible condition.

“We only have one pitch in Dundalk as a club. All of our academy teams and everyone uses it.

“So, everyone's seeing the optics of Friday night. But it's the knock-on of us arriving on Saturday morning. And the pitch is nearly unplayable.

“In hindsight, I'm surprised Friday’s game was allowed go ahead because the chunks taken out made it a health and safety issue now.”

Kilduff is just relieved that, unlike Rovers, their back-to-back games weren’t at home.

“We're probably lucky in the fact that we're away to Inchicore on Friday and then away to Galway so it gives us a little bit of time.

“You can't risk it in case Daryl Horgan or someone runs down the ring and stands in one of the patches that have been scorched.

“So, just going forward, I'd be more worried that if that ever happened on the night of a match, the game would be called off.”