Thomond Park still in crisis

The war of words between Shannon and the IRFU continued yesterday over the vexed state of Thomond Park in advance of today's meeting between representatives of all the relevant parties (the union, as owners, co-tenants Shannon and Bohemians, the ground contractor and the ground agronomist) at the troubled venue.

Shannon's executive also met last night to discuss the crisis - there's no other description for the situation now - which has placed severe financial restraints on the AIB League champions due to the absence of any games there so far this season.

Also prominently positioned on last night's agenda and presumably today's is the question of alternative venues.

As things stand, the prospect of Thomond Park hosting games in the immediate future - the co-tenants have four more scheduled AIL games there this month - is very much in the lap of the gods. The ground's agronomist, Eddie Connaughton, who is also employed by the union to oversee Lansdowne Road, concedes that the pitch probably requires at least one week of dry weather for it be playable.

The Met Office confirm that 58 per cent more rain fell in the Limerick/Shannon region during the last three months than is the norm. Last summer's rainfall delayed the re-digging and re-seeding of the pitch until June. The crux of the problem then seems to be the decision to forestall the installation of the drainage system until next summer's second phase of Thomond Park's redevelopment.

This, as an IRFU spokesperson stressed yesterday, was done "at the behest of the Munster Branch that Thomond Park be ready for European Cup matches in September."

However, as the Shannon secretary Frank McNamara not unreasonably points out: "They are the people who own the pitch. Why are they acceding to the requests of others?" Connaughton admits: "Of course that was a gamble and in hindsight perhaps the drainage could have been installed last summer. You can argue with that decision at the moment, but you have to make them at the time you make them." As to the complaints from Buccaneers and the IRFU that Shannon should have had more contingency plans in place, McNamara said: "We were advised by the union's representatives up until last Friday that all efforts were being made to ensure that the pitch would be playable."

However, given their alternative "home" venue of Coonagh can only accommodate 2,000 spectators at a push, other contingency plans will have to be put in place, such as hiring another Limerick rugby ground.

Further disruptions to the AIL's programme have resulted from Ulster's continuing involvement in the European Cup and, on foot of their semi-final with Stade Francais being moved to next Saturday, a total of eight AIL games have been re-arranged for later in the season.

Division One: Ballymena v Terenure College, March 27th. Division Two: Dungannon v City of Derry, tba; Ballynahinch v Malone, January 11th (7.30). Division Three: UCD v NIFC, January 30th; Instonians v Dublin University, January 8th (7.30). Division Four: Omagh v Banbridge, March 27th; Bangor v Waterpark, March 27th; Collegians v CIYMS, March 27th.