For the second time in three years, O’Donnell Park in Letterkenny has been short-listed for the GAA County Pitch of the Year award.
St Eunan’s have been notified that O’Donnell Park has been selected in the top six pitches.
Two years ago, the first year of this award, St Eunan’s was pipped to the prize by Semple Stadium.
Once again, though, the Letterkenny venue – immaculate under the care of the team led by Vincent and Andrew McGlynn – has made it onto the shortlist.
O’Donnell Park will be inspected by Stuart Wilson, Croke Park’s Pitch Manager, and by by Dr Stephen Baker of the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) next week.
The winning county will be invited to Croke Park to receive the award from the GAA President, John Horan, and the chairman of the National Pitch Work Group, Kieran McGann, during half time of a championship match being played in Croke Park later this year.
Senior inter-county football made its return to the Sallaghraine venue in 2007 and the ground is a secondary pitch that hosts an Allianz League game each spring.
This year, O’Donnell Park hosted Donegal’s Division 2 game against Fermanagh.
O’Donnell Park is also the home of the Donegal senior hurlers and regularly hosts club championship fixtures.
The awards scheme is part of a wider initiative to improve the standards of playing surfaces around the country and to share some of the expertise and experience used at Croke Park.
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