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GAA Needs A Number Of 4G Pitches And Stadiums

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is it time for the gaa to develop a handful of 4g pitches and stadiums?
lets face it,days like today are not days for hurling or football on a grass pitch and i dread to think the muckfest that the 3 games later will be,although croke park and limerick might be better pitches and portlaoise i suspect.
the gaa could do with a handful (not 1 in every county) of 4g pitches and stadiums which could maybe comfortably hold a national league match.
pitch wear issues go away,you could play 10-20 matches on it a week on them with no problem,helping overcome fixture backlog if there is a day like today,worst case scenario you play the matches tomorrow.

perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3841 - 14/11/2020 12:28:32    2308650

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Replying To perfect10:  "is it time for the gaa to develop a handful of 4g pitches and stadiums?
lets face it,days like today are not days for hurling or football on a grass pitch and i dread to think the muckfest that the 3 games later will be,although croke park and limerick might be better pitches and portlaoise i suspect.
the gaa could do with a handful (not 1 in every county) of 4g pitches and stadiums which could maybe comfortably hold a national league match.
pitch wear issues go away,you could play 10-20 matches on it a week on them with no problem,helping overcome fixture backlog if there is a day like today,worst case scenario you play the matches tomorrow."
By all means develop pitches in places for training purposes or for smaller venues but wouldnt have biggest inter country pitches as full 4G pitches.
Like Pairc Ui Chaoimh has an all weather on the back pitch there.
I think you could and should have at least 1 in every county.

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 1636 - 14/11/2020 14:09:50    2308679

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Replying To perfect10:  "is it time for the gaa to develop a handful of 4g pitches and stadiums?
lets face it,days like today are not days for hurling or football on a grass pitch and i dread to think the muckfest that the 3 games later will be,although croke park and limerick might be better pitches and portlaoise i suspect.
the gaa could do with a handful (not 1 in every county) of 4g pitches and stadiums which could maybe comfortably hold a national league match.
pitch wear issues go away,you could play 10-20 matches on it a week on them with no problem,helping overcome fixture backlog if there is a day like today,worst case scenario you play the matches tomorrow."
No. They ruin knees, especially 4g pitches (no pellets, just rock hard carpet). There's a reason top athletes from big soccer teams refuse play on them (Arsenal, Barca etc in recent years rested best or more injury prone players playing v certain Russian and Scandinavian teams). They shred patellar tendons.

Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 926 - 14/11/2020 15:00:00    2308700

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What are the health issues or pros and cons versus a grass pitch ?

IssacBall (Derry) - Posts: 42 - 14/11/2020 15:03:26    2308703

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Studies showed that in youth footballers playing on 4G pitches in USA there was an abnormally high incidence rates of cancer in goalkeepers compared to both outfield players and compared of similar demographics who don't play soccer.

The high incidence rate was attributed to a great number of time spent on the floor on 4G pitches and the higher chance of ingesting the rubber pellets which are predominantly made from recycled tyres. These rubber pellets contain a number of carcinogens.

A high impact sport like Gaelic Football would not be suitable on a 4G pitch in my opinion and at the very least there would be rigorous analysis done to assess potential risks.

SurelyToGod (Donegal) - Posts: 195 - 14/11/2020 15:21:03    2308709

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Replying To Crinigan:  "No. They ruin knees, especially 4g pitches (no pellets, just rock hard carpet). There's a reason top athletes from big soccer teams refuse play on them (Arsenal, Barca etc in recent years rested best or more injury prone players playing v certain Russian and Scandinavian teams). They shred patellar tendons."
A lot of the American Football teams switched to artificial surfaces in recent years because it makes it easier to rent the stadiums for concerts and events etc. Im not sure what the science is behind it but they are now having big problems with non contact injuries, ACL tears and the like. It was always an injurious sport but the number of high profile players going down with these injuries in recent years is crazy. There is surely a connection.

GeniusGerry (Kerry) - Posts: 1957 - 14/11/2020 15:35:54    2308715

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No. They ruin knees, especially 4g pitches (no pellets, just rock hard carpet). There's a reason top athletes from big soccer teams refuse play on them (Arsenal, Barca etc in recent years rested best or more injury prone players playing v certain Russian and Scandinavian teams). They shred patellar tendons.
Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 806 - 14/11/2020 15:00:00Do you have link to studies about specifics on injuries from these pitches

Studies showed that in youth footballers playing on 4G pitches in USA there was an abnormally high incidence rates of cancer in goalkeepers compared to both outfield players and compared of similar demographics who don't play soccer.

The high incidence rate was attributed to a great number of time spent on the floor on 4G pitches and the higher chance of ingesting the rubber pellets which are predominantly made from recycled tyres. These rubber pellets contain a number of carcinogens.

A high impact sport like Gaelic Football would not be suitable on a 4G pitch in my opinion and at the very least there would be rigorous analysis done to assess potential risks.

SurelyToGod (Donegal) - Posts: 185 - 14/11/2020 15:21:03 what studies show that? Do you have link to those studies in the US?
Especially cancer as this link says that isnt true at all. link

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 1636 - 14/11/2020 15:54:34    2308731

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I think it'd definitely need a lot of research before commiting to it, that is for sure.
It might be the solution though. I'd wonder though would hurling cut up a 4G pitch though, they might not wear as well as people think.
Once its not one of those hockey pitch style things, it would be worth looking in to.

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 864 - 15/11/2020 13:21:58    2309126

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Replying To StoreysTash:  "I think it'd definitely need a lot of research before commiting to it, that is for sure.
It might be the solution though. I'd wonder though would hurling cut up a 4G pitch though, they might not wear as well as people think.
Once its not one of those hockey pitch style things, it would be worth looking in to."
A hockey pitch isnt 4G and have you seen a 4G pitch not sure how you could think they would cut the pitch up?

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 1636 - 15/11/2020 14:23:32    2309161

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Replying To KillingFields:  "A hockey pitch isnt 4G and have you seen a 4G pitch not sure how you could think they would cut the pitch up?"
yeah,the only thing i can see is would repeated hits with a hurl eventually deteriorate the pitch if it was being hacked at repeatedly.
still it'd be better than most pitches in november!

perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3841 - 15/11/2020 19:18:02    2309530

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It will be interesting to see how the connacht airdome goes. Its a very cost effective way of having a covered pitch.
The modern covered stadiums have a translucent cover that allows grass grow. The one in dunedin in new Zealand is quite interesting. With climate change it would be something to look at, though would be expensive to create a covered gaa pitch. It would have been nice to consider casement Park for this though cost would just be too high I suppose.

The pairc ui chaoimh pitch was a disaster initially though with the money spent since, it's in great shape now and despite the torrential rain last week it held up great. What might work is maintaining a very decent Croke Park style pitch or two in every province. Omagh being the obvious choice for one of them in ulster. Spend plenty money on it's redevelopment and its ongoing maintenance and use as much as possible. It would work for pretty much all neutral matches in ulster whether club or county.

Ulsterchamps_32 (Donegal) - Posts: 336 - 15/11/2020 20:47:33    2309629

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Replying To KillingFields:  "A hockey pitch isnt 4G and have you seen a 4G pitch not sure how you could think they would cut the pitch up?"
Hockey pitches are sand based and aren't 3/4g as you say. A hurl would do serous damage to a 4g pitch and they cost a fortune. Wouldn't do as much damage do a 3g pitch (pitch with rubber pellets in it ) but you'd have to refill it a lot due to hurls digging it up and pellets going off the pitch.

Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 926 - 15/11/2020 21:20:13    2309654

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Replying To perfect10:  "yeah,the only thing i can see is would repeated hits with a hurl eventually deteriorate the pitch if it was being hacked at repeatedly.
still it'd be better than most pitches in november!"
Would it? Theres a few in UL for GAA and theyve been there a few years and the pitch hasnt deteriorated much
Now theyre lifetime can be around 20 years(far from certain how long)
I dont see how hits with a hurley would hurt the pitch too much to shorten lifespan that much

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 1636 - 15/11/2020 21:21:21    2309655

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Shame the wont use the Connacht Dome for games.

brisbane (Galway) - Posts: 486 - 15/11/2020 21:27:05    2309662

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5g pitches are the best, the only wear and tear is on players ankles and knees.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4434 - 15/11/2020 21:38:37    2309669

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Replying To GeniusGerry:  "A lot of the American Football teams switched to artificial surfaces in recent years because it makes it easier to rent the stadiums for concerts and events etc. Im not sure what the science is behind it but they are now having big problems with non contact injuries, ACL tears and the like. It was always an injurious sport but the number of high profile players going down with these injuries in recent years is crazy. There is surely a connection."
American football more than any other sport could not give a toss about the welfare of players

Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1106 - 15/11/2020 21:50:44    2309684

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Replying To Breezy:  "American football more than any other sport could not give a toss about the welfare of players"
I'd agree, it's a business, richest league in the world, where money is put above all else.

It doesn't change the point I was making about the artificial surfaces leading to more injuries though.

GeniusGerry (Kerry) - Posts: 1957 - 15/11/2020 23:48:45    2309739

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Replying To perfect10:  "is it time for the gaa to develop a handful of 4g pitches and stadiums?
lets face it,days like today are not days for hurling or football on a grass pitch and i dread to think the muckfest that the 3 games later will be,although croke park and limerick might be better pitches and portlaoise i suspect.
the gaa could do with a handful (not 1 in every county) of 4g pitches and stadiums which could maybe comfortably hold a national league match.
pitch wear issues go away,you could play 10-20 matches on it a week on them with no problem,helping overcome fixture backlog if there is a day like today,worst case scenario you play the matches tomorrow."
Take this year out of it and tell me the last year a championship game was played in November. You have way too much time on your hands.

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 5166 - 16/11/2020 00:55:29    2309746

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Replying To arock:  "5g pitches are the best, the only wear and tear is on players ankles and knees."
There is little in the difference in some regard between 4g/5g
https://www.softsurfaces.co.uk/blog/3g-4g-5g-6g-artificial-synthetic-grass-pitches-explanation/#:~:text=A%205G%20Football%20Pitch%20is,filled%20all%20weather%20pitch%20specification.

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 1636 - 16/11/2020 11:27:55    2309906

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Replying To Greengrass:  "Take this year out of it and tell me the last year a championship game was played in November. You have way too much time on your hands."
well you don't have enough to read or interpret my posts.
i said that these are needed to be big enough to hold a league match.i never mentioned championship matches.
they are also needed for club matches which is what i was implying but clearly your brain didnt function to the required level

perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3841 - 16/11/2020 16:54:41    2310221

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