Egan slams treatment of Roscommon players for league match against Down

Roscommon intermediate ladies’ football manager, Finbar Egan, has slammed the treatment of his players after they were forced to play Sunday’s Division Three League game against Down on an astro-turf pitch in Belfast at short notice.

The original venue — Páirc Esler in Newry — was deemed unplayable on Saturday, and the match was subsequently moved to Cherryvale 4g pitch in Belfast.

But, despite staying overnight in Dundalk on Saturday, Roscommon only arrived at the venue just 40 minutes before throw-in.

“It was nonsense. They even sent us an Eircode for a different place, so we were 20 minutes driving around Belfast. They sent us around the countryside. We left Dundalk just after 11 o’clock and we didn’t get here until 1.20 p.m. for a match at 2 p.m..

“Changing the game to here was a joke. There are no dugouts, nothing. We’re just standing on the side of an astro-pitch getting drenched. I know it’s great that we got a pitch, but Down have done this to two other counties already this year.

“The dressing rooms were a joke. We’ve come away with three or four injuries. The stats prove that there are way more injuries on astro-turf pitches, especially in ladies’ football. Kate Nolan is just back from a serious knee injury, and we’ve lost her again.

“Someone told me that there was an U-20 match played in Páirc Esler yesterday (Saturday), and that ruled it out for today. But it was dry here last night, and it was dry again this morning. You can draw your own conclusions,” he said following his side’s three-point defeat.

A spokesperson for Down LGFA said that there was no other venue in the county available for the game as a result of recent heavy rainfall.