Tiernan Lynch reckons Brandywell's plastic pitch has curtailed Derry City success

​Playing at home hasn't always been the advantage it should be for Derry City teams in recent years and under Lynch's watch he tellingly has enjoyed more wins on the road [10] in 2025 than on Foyleside [nine].

His class of 2026 has already lost two of their five matches at Brandywell so far and while those performances can't all be blamed on the controversial pitch, Lynch will be glad to see the back of the plastic surface after tonight's clash with Drogheda United.

It will be the final fixture played on the all-weather pitch which was laid in 2018 before the installation of a £1.4million state-of-the-art hybrid grass surface which will be funded by the club.

Lynch has no doubt the pitch, its unpredictable bounce and a spate of injury issues linked with the surface has prevented Derry from pushing on to the next level over a longer-term period.

It has also hampered the club’s recruitment under Lynch and his predecessor Ruaidhrí Higgins who had argued synthetic pitches are not suitable for professional sport.

Brandywell boss Lynch is certain his players will appreciate being back on the grass when they return to the Lone Moor Road venue after a temporary move to nearby Celtic Park at the end of April.

"From the players' perspective and the football we like to play and all that goes with it, it's definitely something that's very welcomed," said Lynch.

"The 3G can be pretty telling on the legs, hips, and joints. The boys prefer playing on the grass. This is a team that when firing on all cylinders, I think will play some really good football.

"It has without doubt curtailed Derry sides over the years and again, if you look at our record last year away from home compared to at home.

"So it's definitely something that will make a huge difference for Derry City Football Club - there's no doubt."