UCC pitch “a write-off”

UCC will be forced to replace their all-weather pitch at The Mardyke following November’s flooding devestation, it emerged today. The university’s acting director of physical education and sport, Christine O’Donovan, confirmed that the facility is not repairable and must be replaced as part of a general clean-up operation that could cost up to €6million. “The synthetic pitch is a write-off,” she told the Evening Echo. “Tenders went out for quotes to replace it with a water-based pitch, the same as Church of Ireland’s in Garryduff. “Hopefully the contracts will be signed in the coming days. You’re talking about eight to 10 weeks to complete once work starts, weather- permitting, of course. “It has to be completely dry and frost-free when they’re laying the surface. Some of the perimeter fencing has also been compromised and the safety netting must be replaced, too.” Ms O’Donovan also described the level of devastation when the River Lee burst its banks, causing long-term damage to the sports grounds in general, particlularly the Mardyke Arena and running track. “The works department worked around the clock to clear the damage,” she said. “The double gates were blown open by the force of the water and a tree trunk was washed up, so that needed to be cleared. “There were dead fish on the pitch afterwards, but it was the general state of the place that got to you, the slime, the dirt, the smell. It was just horrendous.”