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THREE local football clubs are hoping to complete the development of new state-of-the-art floodlit 4G pitches – with the help of a £400,000 grant – before the end of this year.
Mountjoy United, Tummery Athletic and Fivemiletown United are planning to begin work on the ambitious developments in the coming weeks.
The projects are included in 17 such developments to be announced by the Irish Football Association. The projects will benefit from £5.66 million from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Grassroots Facilities Investment Fund administered by the Irish Football Association.
Two million pounds of the funding has been allocated for the 2023-24 financial year with the balance of £3.66 million to be spent in the 2024-25 financial year.
Annoucing the funding Irish FA chief executive Patrick Nelson said: “Good grassroots football facilities means a better experience for everyone participating in the game, at whatever level they’re at.”
It is hoped that work at Mountjoy can begin by the end of the current season.
Club committee member and past chairman for 17 years, Sydney Gilfillan, said the project will deliver for the club on a number of fronts.
“For a start hiring pitches at the likes of Omagh Leisure Centre and Youth Sport Omagh for our youth teams was costing a lot,” he said.
“Into the bargain with the development of a new pitch youth teams will now identify where Mountjoy is.
“The new facility, when completed, will allow us to host as many games as we need and the floodlights will be a great addition for senior training in the winter months.
“The new pitch will also benefit the wider community in that it will be available for hire.”
It is hoped that the project will be completed in time for the club’s 50th anniversary celebrations later in the year.
Fivemiletown United are planning to upgrade its current pitch at the Valley Stadium to an artificial playing surface with floodlights and have confirmed that work will begin shortly.
Club chairman David McQuigg said, “This heralds a new beginning for the local sporting community in Fivemiletown and the surroundings areas and will enable the club to offer sporting and fitness opportunities to many other clubs and organsations.”
Work on a similar project at Tummery Athletic’s Crawford Lane in Dromore is also expected to begin before the summer.
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