Croker

[rosnarun]

maybe they need extra time to disinfect and  clean up all the phlegm and inhalers as asthma seems to be such a big problem in rugby these day though their anti doping committees are so understanding

[stephenite]

Considering the fact that the game is 3 weeks away and there is only one more rugby game to be played there I can't see why each club couldn't be given 45mins each on the pitch.

Yep - a bit ridiculous. Even in runners as AZ mentioned

[Jinxy]

The pitch wasn't an issue last year.

[brokencrossbar1]

I'll bow down to people who have played there in recent years as I wasn't there last year when Cross was there.  If the general practice in recent years has been to let them on for a walk around/puck around etc, then that should ocntinue, particulary if a team has not been there before.

Posted by: stephenite 
Insert Quote
Not sure about 2005, but prior to the Crossmaglen game in 1999 Ballina were given a couple of hours at Croke Park. Not a training session per se but a look around - topped off with a free tour of the museum 

I don't know if we asked to get on the pitch that year, but shure we were there before so we knew what to expect   I am sure you'd swap your tour of the Museum for what I got

[ziggysego]

I think youse are all getting away from the original point of the thread.

[Gnevin]

The pitch wasn't an issue last year.

It was it needed to rest so the league finals weren't played their

[dodo]

Doesnt seem to be a problem in the JJB , Which has league and soccer or the San Siro which has two soccer teams playing on it week in week out . Didn't the GAA buy the artificial sun thing for the pitch ?

Well dodo the pitch has been a constant issue for 4 years now , and very heard every excuse under the sun , Too dry , too wet , too short , too long, Fat dubs  wrong studs

The artificial light improves the grass growth but is not as effective as direct sunlight. The fault would therefore be with the stadium design or else with the requirement to fit so many people in. The issue previously wasn't with the surface being incapable of taking matches but with the firmness of the pitch and this effect on the ball/sliotar and on injuries to players.

[Jinxy]

The pitch wasn't an issue last year.

It was it needed to rest so the league finals weren't played their

I meant it wasn't an issue for the championship.

[lynchbhoy]

Yes but they've got the new Sun light things to and play a lot more games on in hard/rough conditions that the GAA do and the quality of these pitchs has seemed to improve greatly in the last free years , I don't recalled the JJB being in rag order but don't watch much soccer so correct me if needed

Rugby leage is more akin to soccer in relation to the wear and tear in the pitch surface. there are no lineouts, no scrums or rucks.
Rugby due to its nature scuffs up the ground surface more than Rugby league, soccer or Gaelic games.
What is unfair is to try to have a decent game of hurling played on a pitch with a 'rugby hangover' on its surface.
Also hopping a ball in football while on a solo run is a bit of a lottery too - never mind the footholding conditions.

All Ireland club finalists should be allowed a run out in Croke park in full stud footwear - this weekend would be ideal - with no rugby fixture on.
When lansdowne road is completed , with no rugby to tear up the surface (sorry rugby apologists - I played the game too, it does rip up the surface, esp at this time of year) then this wont be a problem and there will be no fixture congestion. GAA SHOULD allow finalists the opportunity to train on the pitch though - this is a seperate issue I think.

[Gnevin]

Yes but they've got the new Sun light things to and play a lot more games on in hard/rough conditions that the GAA do and the quality of these pitchs has seemed to improve greatly in the last free years , I don't recalled the JJB being in rag order but don't watch much soccer so correct me if needed

Rugby leage is more akin to soccer in relation to the wear and tear in the pitch surface. there are no lineouts, no scrums or rucks.
Rugby due to its nature scuffs up the ground surface more than Rugby league, soccer or Gaelic games.
What is unfair is to try to have a decent game of hurling played on a pitch with a 'rugby hangover' on its surface.
Also hopping a ball in football while on a solo run is a bit of a lottery too - never mind the footholding conditions.

All Ireland club finalists should be allowed a run out in Croke park in full stud footwear - this weekend would be ideal - with no rugby fixture on.
When lansdowne road is completed , with no rugby to tear up the surface (sorry rugby apologists - I played the game too, it does rip up the surface, esp at this time of year) then this wont be a problem and there will be no fixture congestion. GAA SHOULD allow finalists the opportunity to train on the pitch though - this is a seperate issue I think.

The pitch in the RDS looks like a snooker table . All this stuff about cutting out the pitch is B/S the GAA spent millions the pitch should be able to take 2 and half Rugby games a year .

[GalwayBayBoy]

Yes but they've got the new Sun light things to and play a lot more games on in hard/rough conditions that the GAA do and the quality of these pitchs has seemed to improve greatly in the last free years , I don't recalled the JJB being in rag order but don't watch much soccer so correct me if needed

Rugby leage is more akin to soccer in relation to the wear and tear in the pitch surface. there are no lineouts, no scrums or rucks.
Rugby due to its nature scuffs up the ground surface more than Rugby league, soccer or Gaelic games.
What is unfair is to try to have a decent game of hurling played on a pitch with a 'rugby hangover' on its surface.
Also hopping a ball in football while on a solo run is a bit of a lottery too - never mind the footholding conditions.

All Ireland club finalists should be allowed a run out in Croke park in full stud footwear - this weekend would be ideal - with no rugby fixture on.
When lansdowne road is completed , with no rugby to tear up the surface (sorry rugby apologists - I played the game too, it does rip up the surface, esp at this time of year) then this wont be a problem and there will be no fixture congestion. GAA SHOULD allow finalists the opportunity to train on the pitch though - this is a seperate issue I think.

The pitch in the RDS looks like a snooker table . All this stuff about cutting out the pitch is B/S the GAA spent millions the pitch should be able to take 2 and half Rugby games a year .

The pitch at the Liberty stadium looks very good as well and both Swansea and the Ospreys play there so there is at least one game there every week. Sometimes more.