The opening of Enniscorthy Astro Pitch.
The opening of Enniscorthy Astro Pitch.
Simon Bourke
Today at 12:40
One of the wettest winters since records began has left sports clubs across Co Wexford searching for somewhere, anywhere, to train and play matches. Such is the demand for suitable surfaces that the astro-pitch in Enniscorthy has attracted clubs from a variety of sports, all keen to maintain their fitness while their own waterlogged facilities dry out.
At the monthly meeting of the Enniscorthy Municipal District (EMD), Councillor Aidan Browne underlined just how popular the pitch had become since its official opening last year.
“When the town was flooded there was still matches going on up there, there have been roughly 40 matches over the course of the last three weekends,” he said. “To the detriment of at lot of soccer clubs there was actually an American Football match on there last weekend, and the GAA clubs are looking for it now too.”
Cllr Browne was responding to concerns raised regarding the finances of the pitch and whether the Wexford Football Alliance (WFA), appointed to manage the facility, was keeping records of the games played there.
“When the WFA signed the contract to take it over an app was to be created for the booking system, is that app now offside?” asked Cllr John O'Rourke. “No-one seems to know anything about. We were also told a financial report would be issued, what is the latest with that?
Reminding his colleagues that the pitch was developed due to €300,000 in funding from central government, Cllr Jackser Owens said that, given the expense associated with playing on the pitch, a “record of all the clubs who have played there and how much they’ve paid” should be provided.
“There was someone hired to create the app, that’s still happening,” replied Cllr Browne. “The problem at the moment is they’re so far behind schedule because of the weather but that’s a result of its success.”
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.