Three battle for best Ground Award

Ferrycarrig Park, Terryland Park and Tolka Park will battle for the honour of being named as the home of the eircom League of Ireland’s best pitch after the three stadiums were shortlisted for the 2008 Groundsman of the Year award.

The shortlist was compiled following feedback from referees and players, with Ferrycarrig Park, Terryland Park and Tolka Park found to have been the surfaces players and officials rated as being the best in the league.

The overall winner will be decided by a judging panel from the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG), who will visit the three grounds this week before deciding on the overall winner.

This is the third year that the FAI, in conjunction with the IOG, have awarded a Groundsman of the Year award. Tommy Shiels was named as Groundsman of the Year in 2006 for his work at the Brandywell Stadium, while last season the award was won by Noel Connolly, Groundsman at Terryland Park.