Croke Park Surface + H2O ...

[CavanCola]

The surface conditions today in Croke park were very poor.

I think its unacceptable to have 30 lads out playing on a dangerous surface like that today in an All Ireland Semi Final. Surprised that there was just one major injury when Bray hurt his shoulder... although I saw Darren O'Sullivan slip and do the splits at one point. I'd say his adductors will be painful tomorrow! 

Apart from being dangerous I thought that it ruined the Game as well.

[Archie Mitchell]

It certaintly did ruin the football a bit. I think the pitch has to take some of the blame. Compare today to the games last year involving Kerry and Galway and Tyrone and Dublin. Alot more rain fell and players were able to perform to a reasonable standard without slipping and sliding all over the place.

[INDIANA]

Its unacceptable to have the surface ripped up mid-season for music concerts. Nothing short of a disgrace in my view.

[Jinxy]

We all know that once you have slipped and fallen on your arse a couple of times on a wet pitch it completely changes how you approach the game. You can't shoot from certain angles as you know your standing foot won't hold, you can't play the ball into space because it will fly 30 yards after a single bounce. I have to say I'm a bit bemused at the number of people lamenting the poor quality of todays fare as if it was simply a case of bad play from both teams. Look at the forwards on both sides today and then look at the scoreline. The conditions i.e. the pitch, was shocking today. On a wet day with the pitch we had before U2 came to town, we would have had no problems. It was like an ice rink today.

[INDIANA]

We all know that once you have slipped and fallen on your arse a couple of times on a wet pitch it completely changes how you approach the game. You can't shoot from certain angles as you know your standing foot won't hold, you can't play the ball into space because it will fly 30 yards after a single bounce. I have to say I'm a bit bemused at the number of people lamenting the poor quality of todays fare as if it was simply a case of bad play from both teams. Look at the forwards on both sides today and then look at the scoreline. The conditions i.e. the pitch, was shocking today. On a wet day with the pitch we had before U2 came to town, we would have had no problems. It was like an ice rink today.

My fear is that it took 2 years to get the pitch right on a wet day and now its back to square one. All for the sake of a jolly up.

[comethekingdom]

But the GAA were to rip up the pitch at the end of the season anyway!

[INDIANA]

But the GAA were to rip up the pitch at the end of the season anyway!

still leaves you 8 months to get it right. rather than 4 days like this time. Shocking lack of regard for the players and fans.

[Bogball XV]

But the GAA were to rip up the pitch at the end of the season anyway!

that's fine, but at least it would get a while to bed in, i agree with indiana it was a disgraceful decision to rip the pitch up mid season and is indicative of Croke Park managements drive towards profit maximisation.
I was talking to a friend who had to pay €5 to bring a six month old into croker today (whether the kid should have ben there or not is another story).

[Donnellys Hollow]

Some of the slipping and slideing today in both matches was comical. I thought initially after this new pitch was put in that it was down to players wearing the wrong type of boots but big questions have to be asked about the surface now. Even the ball seemed to be zipping and accelerating away from players off the turf.

[orangeman]

I'm not sure about the surface - the rain ruined it. I'm not sure that the new surface had much to do with it.

Why was it that only some players were slipping and sliding ? Was it the footwear ??

[armaghniac]

I am not sure how heavy the rain was today, but a drizzle or light rain and make a pitch slippery without really calling drainage into question.

The U2 concert raised real money and gained positive feeback for the GAA, but it could have been held in 4 weeks time.

[Jinxy]

I'm not sure about the surface - the rain ruined it. I'm not sure that the new surface had much to do with it.

Why was it that only some players were slipping and sliding ? Was it the footwear ??

Remember the biblical downpour during the Kerry/Galway game last year?
Jones Road was under water and the pitch was still perfect.

[orangeman]

I'm not sure about the surface - the rain ruined it. I'm not sure that the new surface had much to do with it.

Why was it that only some players were slipping and sliding ? Was it the footwear ??

Remember the biblical downpour during the Kerry/Galway game last year?
Jones Road was under water and the pitch was still perfect.

Good point alright. And that's was real rain.

[timmykelleher]

The surface conditions today in Croke park were very poor.

I think its unacceptable to have 30 lads out playing on a dangerous surface like that today in an All Ireland Semi Final. Surprised that there was just one major injury when Bray hurt his shoulder... although I saw Darren O'Sullivan slip and do the splits at one point. I'd say his adductors will be painful tomorrow! 

Apart from being dangerous I thought that it ruined the Game as well.

I thought that was Donnacha Walsh and he was subbed almost immediately after.
I was presuming he had injured himself but it was not mentioned.

[orangeman]

The surface conditions today in Croke park were very poor.

I think its unacceptable to have 30 lads out playing on a dangerous surface like that today in an All Ireland Semi Final. Surprised that there was just one major injury when Bray hurt his shoulder... although I saw Darren O'Sullivan slip and do the splits at one point. I'd say his adductors will be painful tomorrow! 

Apart from being dangerous I thought that it ruined the Game as well.

I thought that was Donnacha Walsh and he was subbed almost immediately after.
I was presuming he had injured himself but it was not mentioned.

He came very close to gwetting a bad injury alright. But he was lucky.