GAA: Croke Park stadium director Peter McKenna has denied that the state of the GAA's primary surface will be a problem when Irish soccer and rugby internationals are staged at the ground next year.
McKenna has had to defend the Croke Park pitch for the second time in as many weeks after widespread criticism over the weekend.
"It's very slippery," said Cork's Joe Deane after Sunday's All-Ireland hurling semi-final. "There just seems to be something up with the surface. I know it was wet today (Sunday) but you could see with the football (on Saturday) as well that fellas were falling all over the place, no matter what boots they were wearing."
Cork manager John Allen and Waterford manager Justin McCarthy echoed Deane's remarks. Clare manager Anthony Daly branded the pitch "dangerous" after Colin Lynch sustained an ankle injury in the All-Ireland quarter-final win over Wexford on July 23rd.
In response, McKenna recommended that players no longer use bladed studs. "I talked extensively to Frank Murphy and the recommendation is players should wear six-studded boots and should adjust the stud length depending on the hardness of the surface on the day," he said.
"Blades are used by soccer players. We're not trying to make excuses but there are contributing factors. It is an organic surface, a natural pitch, and depending on different weather conditions it can be so-so.
"We are looking at the complaints, which have come from some very respected individuals. We will look closely at it this week and assess the criticism."
The Croke Park pitch was laid in the spring/summer of 2002 but several complaints and safety concerns have been raised because of its concrete effect.
The pitch's natural grass has been reinforced with artificial grass fibres, much like English soccer grounds Anfield, Upton Park and Villa Park.
A similar surface will also be laid in the new Wembley stadium next year "so professional soccer players would have played on this surface and would know to change their boots accordingly," said McKenna.
Because of the compressed GAA schedule this year, to accommodate the Ryder Cup at The K Club from September 22nd to 24th, Croke Park held five games over two days last weekend and another five are due to take place next weekend. It has also hosted three major concerts (Billy Joel, Bon Jovi and Robbie Williams) this summer, which required covering the pitch.
McKenna pointed to the pitch invasion by Dublin fans after the Leinster football final and the lack of rainfall this summer as reasons for the current problems. "The slipping is confined to particular areas but five games in 30 hours is too much and unheard of on any other similar surface. Playing the hurling before the football is a possible switch for the future.
"Pitches like Anfield - which has been there for three years now - are used on a game-on, game-off system (weekly). Croke Park took some toll over the weekend."
Without an extensive bout of rainfall in Dublin this week the pitch will continue to be a problem for players, particularly by next Sunday's All-Ireland hurling semi-final as four games, including Saturday's football quarter-final between Dublin and Westmeath, will take place before the hurlers of Clare and Kilkenny take the field.
"We need the grass to fully saturate. It would be a good help to have rain on it this coming week. We will be using the sprinklers but they just don't produce the same volume as natural rainfall."
As Croke Park is such a unique surface, the 10 teams participating are granted a 20-minute training session in the week leading up to a game. "The Tipperary minors are in tomorrow but Dublin are familiar enough with the pitch and will not be coming in. These sessions also take their toll," McKenna added.
Croke Park use the same consultants, English-based company Hewitt Sportsturf, who laid Arsenal's Emirates Stadium pitch and are due to begin work on the new Wembley surface.
