McDonnell: Louth rivals should consider ground-share

Louth rivals Dundalk and Drogheda United consider collaborating on a ground-share, according to ex-Pat's manager Johnny McDonnell.

Dundalk dispatched Drogheda United 4-1 in Oriel Park on Friday, gaining revenge for their 1-0 loss in the televised game in Head in the Game Park in March.

That Drogheda venue, McDonnell argues, in a discussion on League of Ireland facilities on the RTÉ Soccer Podcast, is not fit for purpose in the Premier Division.

"Drogheda should be bulldozed. It should be knocked down, the place. It's gone. The dressing rooms are the same as when I played there for the Shamrock Rovers B team at 18. They're the same, they've just been painted.

"I'm not slating Drogheda. The place just needs to be knocked down. The pitch itself is a fine pitch but just the surroundings. RTÉ showed the (Louth) derby there a month ago. The match was good but the surroundings, and if people are looking in at that, they're saying 'Is this the national league? The premier league?

"I know there was talk of building a stadium, could Dundalk and Drogheda share a ground? Dundalk, in fairness, I know they've the facility on the far side of the pitch but they've that old stand as well.

"If they could share a ground, build a proper stadium of 8 or 9,000. Maybe they can come together, get the finances, supported by the government, and get a proper stadium in."

Ex-Dundalk player Gary Rogers says the facilities on offer in the League of Ireland even trail those north of the border in the Irish League.

"When I started in the league, I remember sitting beside Stephen Geoghegan in a dressing room and he was saying 'this is the same as when was I here.'

"The facilities let us down. The product is good on the pitch. When you look at the product in a