THE CORK COUNTY Board announced this afternoon that a new pitch is to be installed at Páirc Ui Chaoimh in time for the 2020 Allianz Leagues.
However, with work on the playing surface due to begin next week, Cork’s upcoming meeting with Roscommon in the Super 8s has subsequently been moved to a different venue.
Instead, the Rebels will take on the Connacht champions in their secondary home venue, Páirc Uí Rinn. The fixture is scheduled for a 4pm throw-in on Sunday, 4 August.
“Works are due to begin on the project during the week commencing 22 July, and the contractor has indicated that this start date is critical to achieving maximum grass growth and ensuring the availability of the pitch for all of Cork’s home Allianz League games in 2020,” explained a Cork GAA statement issued this afternoon.
The playing surface at Páirc Uí Chaoimh has been problematic since the redeveloped venue was reopened in 2017. The 45,000-capacity stadium recently hosted the Munster senior football final between Cork and Kerry, as well as Cork’s Munster’s senior hurling championship fixtures against Tipperary and Waterford. However, Leeside’s flagship venue will now be out of commission until next year.
The new surface — which will be installed by SIS Pitches — will be “in line with the most up-to-date pitch construction technology and performance available today,” according to the County Board, who added that the tender price has come in within the €95.8m redevelopment figure quoted previously.
“I am delighted that work is commencing this month as indicated earlier in the year, when the decision was announced that the pitch would be closed for replacement after the Munster finals,” said Cork GAA chairperson Tracey Kennedy.
“We cannot ask our teams and supporters to endure another season where our flagship stadium is unavailable to host the games it was built for, and it is absolutely critical now that we have a high-quality, winter-proof pitch available to host all of the inter-county and club fixtures that we wish to play at Páirc Uí Chaoimh each year. I am confident that SIS will provide that for us.
“I acknowledge and share the disappointment of many that our senior footballers cannot play their home All-Ireland quarter-final Phase 3 game against Roscommon in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, and if there was any way in which the match could have been accommodated without risk to the future success of the new pitch, it would have been done.
“However, our focus has to be on safeguarding our pitch for all our teams far into the future. We look forward to welcoming our own and our visiting supporters to Páirc Uí Rinn for the game.”
While the two venues are only separated by approximately a mile, Páirc Uí Rinn’s capacity is significantly smaller at 16,400, according to the Cork GAA website.
Following their defeat to Dublin last weekend, Cork will be hoping for a positive result against Tyrone at Croke Park this Saturday to ensure that they remain in contention for a place in the semi-finals by the time Roscommon head south on the first weekend in August.
- Originally published at 16:15
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The significance of the greater capacity of Pairc ui Chaoimh will be decided this weekend – if both Cork and Roscommon lose then the game will be a dead rubber and Pairc ui Rinn would likely be more than big enough.
@Gearoid: All down to whether Cork can spring a surprise on Tyrone. Can’t even entertain the notion of the Rossies beating the Dubs in Croker.
@Gearoid: The significance of greater capacity of any GAA stadium in the country is a question that has always baffled me. 2 or three games a year when full and then just lying there for the rest of the year rotting away.
@Tommy C: I’d love to see a Munster rugby match played there.
Would it be possible to allow the super 8s to be played in Pairc Ui Caoimh this year and instead play the league games in Pairc Ui Rinn next year? Then they can focus on having it ready for the Munster Championship next year?
@Fellainis Fro: I’d imagine they want to make the most of the warm summer months to maximize grass growth. Also that pitch is shite it’s not even capable of hosting a super 8s game.
@Shane Russell: 1/3 of the pitch is almost constantly overshadowed and grass growth reflects it
@Shane Russell: Have you ever heard of heat lamps? Croker use them all year round, as does every soccer stadium in the world…. “lets forefit an All Ireland championship match… cos that 2 weeks will be vital, to host the league games next year”
This is just so Irish , hey the new stadium needs a new pitch after barley 2 yrs and how many matches on it ?? , the mind boggles
@Declan g: new stadium, same pitch unfortunately!
@Declan g: I might have been better if they had planted barley
@Jeremy McCarthy: it’s a poor effort at a new stadium too. It looks like a 60 years old stadium, or a dog track.
@Mick paisley: especially since over 100 mill was spent on it. At least have a rugby international on it ffs
@Uinsionn: Let the rugby crowd get their own grants and raise their own money. When their house is in order and with the “team of us” behind them, they’ll build their own in no time
That’s not very Corkness…or is it?
@lousybush: They need a new definition for Corkness I think.
@Porter Paddy: at least it will be home grown not like the so called hallowed ground of croke Park that’s grown in England and shipped in.
@Ken MacEoin: wrong, the GAA recently started growing their own turf in north county Dublin.
@Ken MacEoin: where ever it came from you’ll go a long way to see better. Some top world soccer clubs have come to see the surface to copy it.
95 million!! That’s scandalous they could have paid for a bed in the new children’s hospital with that money
If it was hurling on in a few weeks they wouldn’t move it ! Absolute joke.. at least hold on to see the result of the Tyrone game first and then make a decision
@Johnny Mads: Hurling has actual supporters in Cork.
@Anyone But Cork: Oh my gaaawd. I’m just appalled at that comment. And don’t even get me started on your profile and flag… you wouldn’t be…no… you’re not some sort of troll are you? Oh jaysus you just might be ! Fair play to you Tommy boy. Good man yourself
Would be nice to see the same result as the last time Rossies played Cork in Pairc Ui Rinn. Hon the Rossies!
Would be nice to see the same result as the last time Rossies played Cork in Pairc Ui Rinn.
If they don’t get it right after this then there is going to have to be some serious questions asked.
@Mark Fitzgerald: They should have done a proper job on the pitch when the renovations was happening.
In fairness there shouldn’t be any issue when new pitch is installed and its maintained correctly.
Pitchs all over the world can be maintained even with large stands overshadowing them ,POC should be no different.
Cork GAA dont give a flying f**k for Football. this coming out four days before a must win game against Tyrone is not going to help the Football team.
@Fear Uisce: Even the boys at Croke Park have washed their hands of it! Came down took over realised how big a problem it is, packed their bags and headed home. Were afraid of having to put more money to bail it out. Now Frank seems to be back in charge. Cork GAA will be poor for a long time. No free hurley this year
@Fear Uisce: it’s an absolute disgrace. Huge game coming up.
@Denis K: I’m sure those same goons would be critical of the goings on in the FAI. There’s nothing different here.
I still say that Christy must be laughing that they named the Lodge after him
Pairc Ui Rinn should be more than adequate for the 2 men and a dog that turn up to watch the dead rubber with the Rossies.
And with the footballers out, and Cork interest in senior inter-county games at an end, the groundsman can spend the rest of the year making Frank’s Páirc beautiful.