Mike Finnerty
RECENT criticism of the playing surface at McHale Park, Castlebar has been disputed by both the sports ground contractor who maintains the pitch and Mayo GAA Board Chairman, Paddy McNicholas.
Down footballer Martin Clarke said earlier this month that, ‘it was one of the worst grounds I’ve ever played at, it was nothing but sand’ while there were also concerns expressed about the surface by RTE TV GAA analyst, Bernard Flynn, after the recent Allianz National Football League match between Mayo and Kerry.
However, Peter Killeen of Killeen Sports Grounds has defended the McHale Park sod, and has asked observers to reserve judgment until later in the season.
“I visited the ground the week before the Kerry game and I was very happy with the pitch, especially considering that there were three matches played under lights there during January and early February, all in bad weather,” he told The Mayo News.
“Frost has also had an effect on the top layer of the pitch so, of course, there was some remedial wok required. But, overall, I’m very happy with the surface.
“We did sand the pitch very heavily at the end of the year and got caught with the snow a little bit.
“But it’s also been fertilised since last week so people won’t know the pitch in a month’s time.”
Mayo GAA chairman, Paddy McNicholas, also believes there is no case to answer.
“I don’t think it’s a big issue. We’re aware of Martin Clarke’s comments but, to be honest, nothing has been said to us by any of the Mayo players or management about problems with the surface.”
Killeen Sports Grounds began implementing a pitch development programme in Castlebar last spring that was drawn up by agronomist, Colman Warde.
Peter Killeen believes that there have already been improvements but that the best is yet to come.
“We’re in year one of a programme that is designed to bring the McHale Park pitch up to the standard we want,” he said.
“We started this process last spring and the consensus would be that the pitch was transformed last summer. It was in super condition last year and had 80 games played on it, compared to 36 the year before.
“I’m very, very happy with the way it held up considering the winter weather we had, and the floodlit games played on it recently.”
