Outrage over Killough pitch

Outrage over Killough pitch

16 January 2019

A LOCAL football club is at loggerheads with Newry, Mourne and Down Council over the condition of their pitch.

Killough FC, whose two teams play in the Newcastle League, may have to play all their remaining games this season away from home due to the state of the pitch at Mill Field.

Matters came to a head at the weekend when the match between Killough’s first team and Ballynagross was called off after the referee decided that the pitch was unplayable.

The council carried out remedial drainage work on the pitch before the start of the season, but Killough FC maintain that the ground is not fit to play on.

The club says there are major problems with the cross-field drainage ruts that have been filled with sand and ill-fitting goalposts that have not been installed correctly.

Since the work was carried out in August, only four games have been played at the ground.

Club secretary Christine Jones said the situation had become intolerable and described the whole affair as a “total disaster”.

She remarked: “The playing surface at Mill Field has never been right since the drainage work was carried out and neither have the goalposts,” she said.

“The council has placed us in an intolerable situation and our complaints to them have fallen on deaf ears.

“We have highlighted the risks to the council, but nobody has addressed our concerns and 

it will be too late when someone is seriously injured.

“We have a duty of care to our players and opposing teams and should not have to ask them to play on a dangerous pitch. The whole situation is a total disaster.”

A Newry, Mourne and Down Council spokesman said the council was aware of the problems at Mill Field.

“Newry, Mourne and Down District Council completed pitch improvement works on six different sports pitches during the summer as part of the council’s sports facility strategy,” he added.

“The works included drainage improvements, replacement ball stops and the installation of new goal posts. Due to circumstances beyond the council’s control the grass did not germinate on the drainage lines at Killough.  

“Following advice from the works contractor, the frequency of grass cutting was increased and topping up of drains to ensure the pitch was playable.”

The spokesman said: “The council has requested a meeting with the contractor to ensure a solution is found to address both the grass problem and the issue with goal posts at Killough.”

Newcastle League secretary Alan Craig is busy trying to find a resolution to the problems.

“The league has been made aware of issues currently surrounding the Mill Field facility after the Killough v Ballynagross was called off by the referee due to an unplayable pitch,” he told the Recorder last night.

“We are liaising with council officials and Killough FC in relation to finding a solution. The council have been very proactive in the upgrade of local football grounds lately and we are delighted to see this.”

Mr Craig added: “It is hoped that we will see the Mill Field facility in playable condition soon.”