Dexcom Stadium(formerlyThe Sportsground) is the home of Connacht Rugby. It opened in 1927 and has been used to hostConnacht Rugbymatches since. Dexcom Stadium is able to hold up to 8,129 people without temporary seating. Whengreyhound racingtakes place at the stadium and adjoining premises, they trade as theGalway Greyhound Stadium.
 View from College Road | |
 | |
| Location | College Road,Galway,Ireland |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 53°16′44″N9°02′23″W/ 53.2790°N 9.0397°W |
| Public transit | Galway railway station |
| Owner | The Galway Agricultural & Sports Society Ltd. |
| Capacity | 6,129 (expandable to 8,129)[1] |
| Record attendance | 9,120 (Connacht vs Toulouse, 19 November 2011)[2] |
| Surface | Pitch (3G synthetic surface) |
| Opened | 1928 |
| Tenants | |
| Connacht Rugby Greyhound Racing Ireland | |
| Website | |
| Rugby | |
History
edit20th Century
editIn 1928, the Sports Ground or the Sports Field as it was also known opened. The first rugby team to use the ground wasGalwegians RFCwho used the ground after moving from the Grammar School grounds.[3]In the 1930s, it hosted the varsity matches[4]and Connacht Senior Cup matches for theUniversity of Galway.[5]
Renovations (2011–2016)
editUp until 2011, the regular capacity of The Sportsground was 5,500. The stadium was modified and extended in 2011, and again in 2016, instigated by the success of Connacht Rugby. The facilities include the:
- Main Stand – which has enclosed corporate facilities and covered terrace underneath
- Clan Terrace – a covered terrace on the clubhouse side of the ground
- Covered Stand – a covered seated stand to the side of the main stand which holds 300 people
- Uncovered terracing – at the Bohermore and College Road ends of the ground
It recorded its record attendance on 19 November 2011, when a crowd of 9,120 watched Connacht take onToulousein the team's first everHeineken Cupmatch at home.[2]
Connacht's participation in European rugby's most prestigious club competition, theHeineken Cup,for the first time in the 2011–12 season spurred a new phase of development at the Sportsground to extend formal capacity to 7,500 supporters.[6]The existing Clubhouse Terrace was knocked down to be replaced by the new covered "Clan Terrace". This terrace primarily houses season ticket holders. Ancillary work was also undertaken behind the terrace which saw the construction of a new bar (The Clan Bar), food outlets and restroom facilities on the clubhouse side of the ground. A temporary covered and seated "West Stand", adjacent to the existing main stand was also erected for the season.[6]This series of improvements came on the back of developments which theIRFUhad helped to fund in the preceding years, such as a new playing surface, a new clubhouse and floodlighting, while a new gymnasium had been built in 2008.[7]
In 2011, planning permission was granted to redevelop the Clan Terrace by building a seated tier above the terrace. This was ultimately not completed.[8]
In the summer of 2016, work was completed on an additional seated and covered stand which can hold 300 people. The stand, situated next to the Main Stand, increased the ground's regular capacity to 8,100.[9]Following a naming rights deal, it was christened as the Grant Thornton Stand.[10]
Redevelopment (2022–present)
editIn October 2018, Connacht unveiled plans for a €30m redevelopment of Dexcom Stadium to turn it into a 12,000 seater stadium with the redevelopment to also include a high-performance training centre.[11][12]Plans were submitted to Galway City Council the following December with full planning permission secured in May 2019.
In January 2020, the Government announced funding totalling €20m towards the project, with €10m coming from the Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund, and a further €10m from the Project 2040 fund in line with the Government's commitment to "balanced regional development".
Following a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Phase 1 of the redevelopment began after the 2021/22 season with the installation of a new 3G pitch and LED floodlights.
In 2023, Connacht Rugby Stadium Limited entered into a new lease with Greyhound Racing Ireland. Connacht Rugby Stadium Limited acquired the exclusive naming rights to the property.[citation needed]
On 19 January 2024, Connacht Rugby confirmed that Phase 2 of the redevelopment would begin in March, with building works beginning on the new high-performance centre beside the existing gym. Construction on the new North Stand is due to begin after the 2023/24 season, which will involve the demolition of existing Clan Terrace and Clubhouse.
International rugby
edit| International Rugby Union Matches | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Home | Score | Opponent | Report | |
| 1 December 1984 |  Ireland B |
23–20 |  Scotland A |
||
| 1 November 1994 | Ireland Development |
13–20 |  United States |
[13] | |
| 25 January 2013 | Ireland Wolfhounds |
10–14 |  England Saxons |
[14] | |
Other sports
editThe venue has occasionally hostedGaelic gamesfixtures, including the1932 All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship Finaland the 1942 Galway County Hurling Final.
WhenTerryland Parkwas being renovated in 1993,Galway Unitedplayed at the Sportsgrounds for the first part of that season. It also hosted Galway's first game in European competition in the1985–86 European Cup Winners' Cup.
Greyhound racing
editSee also
edit
References
edit- ^"ABOUT CONNACHT RUGBY".Connacht Rugby.Archived fromthe originalon 1 March 2021.Retrieved27 April2021.
- ^ab"French aristocrats spoil the party".Irish Times.Retrieved28 October2021.
- ^"Rugby".Galway Observer.29 December 1928.Retrieved21 March2024– viaBritish Newspaper Archive.
- ^"Dudley Cup for Cork".Belfast Telegraph.19 December 1930.Retrieved21 March2024– viaBritish Newspaper Archive.
- ^"Connacht Rugby Cup".Galway Observer.11 March 1933.Retrieved21 March2024– viaBritish Newspaper Archive.
- ^ab"Artist's Impression of the Sportsground Redevelopments".Connacht Rugby.Connacht Catch-Up. 13 July 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 27 March 2012.
- ^"Connacht Excited About Redeveloped Sportsground".Irish Rugby.13 July 2011.Retrieved7 January2018.
- ^"2nd Phase Connacht Branch Stadium Development".3D Graphic House.Archived fromthe originalon 29 July 2013.
- ^"A new seated stand is in place at the Sportsground for Connacht's upcoming season".The42.31 August 2016.Retrieved7 September2016.
- ^"Connacht Secure Naming Rights Deal For New Stand".Irish Rugby.September 2016.Retrieved7 January2018.
- ^"Connacht rugby unveil ambitious plans for €30m redevelopment of the Sportsground".Irish Independent.8 October 2017.Retrieved9 October2018.
- ^"New Sportsground the missing piece in Connacht jigsaw".Irish Independent.9 October 2017.Retrieved9 October2018.
- ^"Irish forge strong link with rugby in America".Irish Times.Retrieved7 October2021.
- ^"Saxons rally to beat Wolfhounds".espnscrum.Retrieved7 October2021.