Plastic Pitches

[bailestil]

I was reading about these plastic pitches and seen the photos of the St Brigids new one in Dublin and it looks a mighty job.

I remember playing on one in Dublin about 3-4 years ago, couldn't believe how good a surface it was and that it took a stud no bother.

Is there many of these pitches across ireland?
Surely they cost a fortune?

And finally, are they as slippery in the rain as you'd imagine?

[The Claw]

They are slippy in the rain when wearing runners but in studs or mouldies, they are excellent.
They are great for working on skills, especially in hurling, as the ball moves a lot faster across them, and the ball also stays dry in winter time. A word of caution though. too much training can leave players not used to the real pitch, eg. in hurling, if you fail to catch a ball, the sliotar bounces up off the sod a lot higher than grass, where it might not bounce at all.
You could see players misjudge the bounce of the ball as well, I found a football bounces much higher.
All in all though a great idea.

[J70]

The newer ones are fine. Anyone who's gone to UCD will be aware of how bad they can be with the sandy one they had beside the national hockey pitch, but you don't get too many of those types any more. I left before Brian Mullins installed the new five-a-side pitches behind the sports centre. Anyone played on them?

[The Claw]

The newer ones are fine. Anyone who's gone to UCD will be aware of how bad they can be with the sandy one they had beside the national hockey pitch, but you don't get too many of those types any more. I left before Brian Mullins installed the new five-a-side pitches behind the sports centre. Anyone played on them?

Yes, a tenfold improvement to the old ones. THey have balls of rubber between synthetic grass so they are softer and do not burn your skin if you fall. Great for a game of 5 a side.

I think Maynooth also have one as do Simonstown in Navan

[Orior]

I have a plastic pitch.

It fits on my kitchen table and we play subbuteo on it 

[Josey Whales]

i think these pitches are the greatest heap of shite. Rock solid with little give on them- the ball can bounce far too high. as reagrds hurling i hear brigids have a problem with sliotars going onto the dual carriageway alongside. the balll does move faster but give me grass anyday.

[dodo]

Thomas Davis in Tallaght have a new one on Kiltipper road. Looks great but never played on one.

[lynchbhoy]

Only trained on the St Brigids pitch once, but it is way better then I expected.
The problems with astroturf are negated by having longer plastic grass - really lifelike and the bounce is not as high as it once was for football at least (look at that Tyrone v Dublin skydome game to see the ball hop 10 yards in the air)

Grip is very good with long studs, as short stud boots are too short.

The pitch was wet - not sure if it has to be kept wet - which makes it almost as slippery as croker, but more slipery for the ball skiting off the pitch surface rather than players falling over.

Training there again tomorrow night, anything you want me to test out (apart from running)

[Sean3]

Brought a team out to play a match under lights against Ballymun on their pitch. Our lads spent most of the match completely misreading the flight of the ball while Ballymun were far more at ease, obviously.

[dubnut]

We had an all weather training pitch in my old club, that crappy gravelly stuff.
In the first year when it really rained and the all weather was flooded we would train on the grass outside!!??
Seriously. 

[whatever]

We had an all weather training pitch in my old club, that crappy gravelly stuff.
In the first year when it really rained and the all weather was flooded we would train on the grass outside!!??
Seriously. 

That pitch you are talking about is going to be dug up and got rid off because it doesnt blend in well with the castle that is being restored beside it

[whatever]

Thomas Davis in Tallaght have a new one on Kiltipper road. Looks great but never played on one.

we had a cup game out on this pitch last week, I wasnt there myself to say what the pitch was like but the lads on the team didnt like it at all.

[dubnut]

[That pitch you are talking about is going to be dug up and got rid off because it doesnt blend in well with the castle that is being restored beside it

It also tears the knees of you if you fall on it.
How many pairs of tract suit bottoms did you rip the knees out of over the years down there Whatever? Brutal stuff.
What are they putting in its place?

p.s. let me know when them sponsor cards come out.

[whatever]

got knows how many tracksuits bottoms where ripped, how many cuts the knees have from down there and we are still using it to train on.

Not sure what is going in, in its place. Due to the castle beside it, St. Molaga's, the all-weather pitch doesnt fit in with the look for when the castle is fully restored.

[dubnut]

Wohooo 100 posts, full member!
Would have been hitting 1000 now if the old board count was carried over