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Grow lights to be installed at Páirc Uí Chaoimh to help improve playing surface

Stadium manager Bob Ryan says they’ll be put in place later this year.

PÁIRC UÍ CHAOIMH stadium manager Bob Ryan has played down concerns over the poor state of the pitch following the weekend’s league double-header at the venue.

Waterford warm down after the game Oisin Keniry / INPHO Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO

The Cork footballers faced Cavan in Sunday’s Division 2 curtain raiser, before the county’s hurlers hosted Waterford in Division 1A, with the surface of the sandy-heavy field the subject of much criticism.

Ryan says the new Páirc Uí Chaoimh pitch needs time before the grass will grow properly, while the scheduling of double-headers in January and February did not help.

“The issue is very simple. It’s a new pitch with a lack of growth and we can’t do a huge amount about it,” Ryan told The42.

“It takes time for a new pitch to become established, it was the same when the new pitches went into Croke Park and the Aviva Stadium.

“There’s also a shading issue with the South Stand.”

A shadow caused by the South Stand contributed towards the sandy terrain on that side of the field on Sunday, as did the recent lack of rain.

Ryan expects the surface to improve over the coming weeks and confirmed that grow lights will be put in place at the end of the inter-county season.

“Putting in grow lights has to be done,” he continued.

Shane Fives with Christopher Joyce Oisin Keniry / INPHO Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO

“We’ll wait until the autumn to do that as we’re coming into the growth season now.”

Ed Sheeran is due to play three concerts in Páirc Uí Chaoimh at the beginning of May, with Ryan having previously stated that parts of the pitch will be re-turfed following those shows.

John Meyler’s hurlers will open their Munster campaign against Clare on 20 May, two weeks after the last of Sheeran’s concerts.

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