“We’re asking the people doing this to please stop!”
A local Dublin football club have slammed vandals who tore up their pitches with a car, saying that they are “absolutely speechless.”
Sheriff YC, based out of north Dublin, shared a clip of the immediate aftermath of an incident where a car drove onto their pitch in nearby Fairview Park, destroying it in the process.
The incident occurred just hours after the club’s teams finished a match on Sunday, April 21.
In a statement on Facebook, the club wrote: “As a club we are absolutely speechless.
“Sunday afternoon and a car is able to get into Fairview park and destroy the pitches once again!
“Some of our teams only left the park at 1pm after their game and by 3pm this had happened! This is why redevelopment of the Alfie Byrne is crucial the kids of the inner city need a safe space to play football!
“We’re asking the people doing this to please stop! Think of the kids who need to use these pitches to train and play matches on. This season has been one of our worst for vandalism on our pitches.”
‘Absolutely speechless’ – Club slams vandals after pitch left destroyed by car
Speaking to the Irish Independent, Fine Gael councillor for Dublin’s North Inner City Ray McAdam said: “I’m glad none of the kids were hurt. Sheriff had just finished playing their matches at lunch time.
“This incident happened not long after. I am relieved none of the kids, coaches, or teams were hurt.”
Councillor McAdam revealed that he had contacted An Garda Síochána and Dublin City Council following the incident on Sunday.
“I’m outraged by the utter stupidity of somebody taking a car into one of our city centre parks and destroying playing pitches in Fairview Park,” he continued.
“To those who are involved in this madness, stop it, nobody finds it funny. No one thinks you are smart, and nobody is supporting you in doing this.”
This isn’t the first time Sherriff’s local pitches have been targeted by vandals this year.
In January, extensive damage was done to pitches primarily used by the youth football team after joyriders drove a car onto the land and crashed it into a tree.
The vandalism was compounded by the fact that just a few months earlier, the same pitches, located on the Alfie Byrne Road, were heavily damaged after a local half marathon was hosted on them during wet weather.
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