Ballinhassig AFC break new ground with opening of astro

The first week of November marked a historic moment for Ballinhassig AFC as the club quietly opened its new full-size, FIFA-standard all-weather pitch at Gortnaglough.

There was no fanfare, no speeches, and no ribbon to cut, just the sound of excited young players charging onto the pristine surface for the very first time.

Once the surface was certified and ready, around 50 boys from the U11 and U12 squads became the first to train on the new astro, followed that same evening by the U16 boys, U8 girls, and the Junior and U18 teams. 

“Seeing the excitement on their faces said it all,” was how chairman Ger Spillane summed it up.

A more formal, public opening is planned, but not until the ESB completes the much-anticipated three-phase electricity connection. For now, a temporary generator powers the lights, and the club hopes to align the official launch with its annual week-long Festival of Football, an occasion fitting for a development of this scale.

The new pitch is nothing short of transformative. Built to full FIFA specification, the surface boasts exceptional quality carpet, advanced shock absorption, and one of the best LED floodlighting systems available. Alongside the pitch are new boundary fences, ball-stop netting, covered dugouts and an accessible walkway, all designed to ensure both safety and comfort for players and supporters.

This project has been three years in the making. A minor setback involving the pitch carpet delayed progress by a month, but the club still hit its target opening thanks to the extraordinary efforts of those involved.

Hourihan Sportsfield Development, SIS Pitches and McSherry Lighting received special praise for working through challenging conditions to keep the project on course.

For a rural community like Ballinhassig, this development represents far more than improved playing surfaces, it's a once-in-a-generation leap forward. Now, for the first time, Ballinhassig AFC can guarantee reliable, year-round training for all age groups.

Before this, cancelled sessions were the single biggest issue we faced. Momentum would break, kids would get frustrated, and coaches struggled to plan. This changes everything.” 

With 24 teams and membership still growing, particularly among girls, the new pitch will be essential while there are plans to play more men's matches on Friday nights.

The astro sits on the club’s own seven-acre grounds at Gortnaglough, replacing a grass pitch that had become unusable for much of the season. 

The club is not stopping here. 

NEXT STEP

The next phase of development is on accessibility and inclusion. Proposed upgrades include accessible toilets and family rooms, girl-friendly dressing rooms, extended parking, a perimeter walking path and a covered spectator section. 

Founded in 1979 when local boys from Ballinhassig, Ballygarvan and Meadstown joined forces to enter the new West Cork League, the club has grown dramatically. Today it fields around 400 registered players across 24 teams, including three teams at U12, one of which competes in Division 1 of the Cork Schoolboys League. 

Its catchment area stretches into Waterfall, Riverstick, Ballinora, Ballygarvan, Curraheen, Carrigaline and parts of Kinsale. 

The senior men’s team currently sits top of Munster Senior League Division 2, with promotion a real possibility.

For the club’s long-standing chairperson, who first played for Ballinhassig in the 1970s, the new astro marks another milestone in a lifetime of involvement. He credits generations of volunteers whose foresight and commitment laid the groundwork for this moment.

“Everyone mucks in,” he said. "No matter how small the contribution, it all counts.” 

The pitch is the result of extraordinary collaboration, fundraising committees, parents, coaches, local businesses, community groups, sponsors and friends of the club all played vital roles. Support from Cork County Council, the Department of Sport’s Capital Sports Grant, the Carrigaline Municipal District, the FAI, the Munster Senior League and various elected representatives was also instrumental. Clann Credo helped bridge the final funding gap.

Together, these efforts have delivered a facility that will shape the club for decades to come.

As one volunteer put it: “This is more than a pitch. It’s our future.”