Suttonians and Sutton Park School are hoping to embark on a new era in the club’s history as they seek to lay a new astroturf pitch in Sutton Park, replacing their current surface laid in the school in 1998.
To see their dream of playing on a new surface come to fruition, they are among a group of three clubs seeking to apply for a loan from the Leinster Hockey Association’s facilities fund.
The new pitch will provide top class playing facilities for the 200 club members of Suttonians as well as all 400 students in Sutton Park school –with whom the club have secured a 20-year lease – aged between nine and 18.
Total cost of the resurfacing comes to €175,000 and, throughout the 2011/12 season, Suttonians and Sutton Park have been jointly raising cash to this end with a target of €75,000 in sight, raising in excess of €60,000 to date.
The expectation is that they will reach the target following their last two fundraising events of the coming season. These include an ASTRO-nomical night on May 25 in Clontarf Castle which begins with a cocktail reception at 7.30pm followed by a four-course dinner with music later in the evening. Tickets are €80 and can be obtained from Nicole Delaney on grantienic@gmail.com.
And the series of events conclude with a golf classic on June 22 in Howth golf club.
They are among three clubs who are aiming to improve their facilities in the coming year. Fingal applying to the LHA for a new shock pad and carpet at ALSAA while Monkstown are seeking to put in a new water-based pitch in Rathdown.
The Glenageary club are aiming to increase their current club membership from 370 to 670 with the new pitch being a key component. They are seeking a €120,000 from the LHA fund with a further €300,000 coming via a sports grant as they aim to raise the total cost of €800,000.
Clubs in the LHA will be invited to vote on each individual application at the LHA AGM on June 6
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| Pos | Team | Pld | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | • | Pembroke | 18 | 43 |
| 2 | • | Monkstown | 18 | 38 |
| 3 | • | TRR | 18 | 35 |
| 4 | • | UCD | 18 | 34 |
| 5 | • | Corinthian | 18 | 29 |
| 6 | • | Railway Union | 18 | 28 |
| 7 | • | YMCA | 18 | 24 |
| 8 | • | Glenanne | 18 | 14 |
| 9 | • | Fingal | 18 | 13 |
| 10 | • | Avoca | 18 | 2 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | • | UCD | 18 | 43 |
| 2 | • | Loreto | 18 | 42 |
| 3 | • | Railway Union | 18 | 40 |
| 4 | • | Hermes | 18 | 36 |
| 5 | • | Old Alex | 18 | 34 |
| 6 | • | Pembroke | 18 | 16 |
| 7 | ↑ | Glenanne | 18 | 14 |
| 8 | ↓ | Corinthian | 18 | 11 |
| 9 | • | North Kildare | 18 | 11 |
| 10 | • | Trinity College | 18 | 7 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | • | Rathgar | 15 | 37 |
| 2 | • | Clontarf | 15 | 24 |
| 3 | • | Suttonians | 15 | 22 |
| 4 | • | Dublin University | 15 | 19 |
| 5 | • | Kilkenny | 15 | 15 |
| 6 | • | Weston | 15 | 10 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | • | Loreto II | 18 | 44 |
| 2 | • | Pembroke II | 18 | 41 |
| 3 | • | Genesis | 18 | 32 |
| 4 | • | Old Alex II | 18 | 30 |
| 5 | • | Three Rock | 18 | 27 |
| 6 | • | Hermes II | 18 | 25 |
| 7 | • | Railway Union II | 18 | 19 |
| 8 | • | Trinity II | 18 | 13 |
| 9 | • | Bray | 18 | 10 |
| 10 | • | Newbridge | 18 | 7 |
May 18, 2012 5:57 am
Really?? says
Would a new state of the art pitch not be more utilized somewhere else rather than sutton?…no disrespect but they don’t produce international players from school level and they their in div 2so would maybe a pitch more centered in north Dublin be more efficient?… Just a thought!
May 18, 2012 9:39 am
@Really?? says
First off, it’s not a case of putting a pitch in one place and not another. The fund deals with each new pitch on a case by case basis so putting a pitch in Sutton would not deprive someone else.
More importantly, I think Sutton is exactly the kind of place where a good pitch would be needed. They have the only school with boys playing where hockey is the main sport, which had an Irish U18 last year, had I think three or four Leinster U16s, won an U14 cup, one of the only schools to win titles ahead of Wesley/Andrews in the past 10 years. Its exactly the kind of venue that should be supported.
From a southsider
May 18, 2012 10:20 am
Parsons says
Hi, I am teaching in a school in the northside that has no astro pitch and was wondering if the surface is reusable. If so what is happening to the surface of the pitch after it is taken up? I am trying to develop hockey in my school but it’s very difficult on a shale pitch. Thanks.
May 18, 2012 3:36 pm
Dave says
As far as I am aware the bulk of the cost and effort is in laying the base rather than the mat. There is also the expense of providing floodlights which you need to recoup the cost by externally renting in the evening. While I am all for re-cycling, I’m not convinced that transporting a worn mat across Dublin and trying to re-lay it would be viable.
The comment I would make is that Hockey is a minority sport and in most parts of the country Hockey needs to co-exist with other sports to make an astroturf pitch a viable prospect. The artificial pitches I’ve seen in GAA and Rugby clubs are completely different to hockey surfaces which doesn’t help if you want a council to provide a multi-purpose pitch.
May 18, 2012 11:50 pm
Facts says
@really…sutton doesn’t produce international players…they have had three…Danielle costigan,Steven doran,Harry Spain.
Not to mention numerous div 1 and ehl players,mick mc Guinness, James murtagh,Keith Crawford, I could go on!!! No school is more deserving of. Top pitch and as for a div 2 club they will be div 1 thsi time next year
May 19, 2012 1:17 pm
Ulsterman says
Congrats to Sutton for showing the dedication to fund raise to get the pitch for a school and club that are doing well.First under Bacchus and now under Scott Beattie, Sutton school have qualified for the Irish Schools Tournament regularly and are progressing very well with small numbers producing some quality hockey players.Surely the aim of any game is to spread and strengthen all areas that one plays in. So to have a pitch away from the stronger areas of Dublin can only be a good thing.As a regular visitor to the brilliant Hook web site i can’t help but notice the negative comments about all and sundry.Sometimes if you have nothing positive to say it is best to say nothing!
So fairplay to you Sutton and good luck with your new astro and spreading the great game that we all love even if others think you’re not deserving of it.
May 21, 2012 10:13 pm
The White Pele says
I think I speak for anyone who has had the pleasure of being hosted by Sutton Park school/Suttonians… we will miss the ol’ brillo pad!!! Best of luck with the refurbishment.
May 22, 2012 9:36 am
David Hasslehoff says
The beach has to go! Is there a team/player in Leinster who would vote against it!?!?
May 22, 2012 1:42 pm
Sandy McCrack says
I actually quite like it