Championship hurling was back at Pearse Stadium for the first time in seven years on Sunday with Galway facing Kilkenny. The last time Galway played a home championship game in Salthill was a 2011 qualifier defeat of Clare.
Today was the first time Galway have hosted a home game in the Leinster Championship.
A fortnight ago, the stadium was the venue for very some different fare - Ed Sheeran played two nights there on May 12th and 13th. As has been often seen following concerts in Croke Park, the pitch has suffered.
In particular, the Aras end of the ground was especially bare of grass.
"For a player, from my own point of view playing corner-forward, I most certainly wouldn't like to be playing top of the right there today," former Waterford hurler John Mullane told RTÉ's Darren Frehill.
"It's the after-effects of the Ed Sheeran show. It's the first time Leinster Championship has come into Pearse Stadium, it's probably not good enough."
On the Sunday Game, Ger Loughnane was also critical of the pitch.
It's about a third of the pitch all the way up along. There's very little grass on it. It'll be very difficult to rise the ball there, especially to jab lift it.
It's going to slow it down and as well, the puck outs are going to land in the very worst parts of the pitch. It's just a pity on the historical occasion that it is.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport, Galway GAA CEO, John Hynes defended the condition of the pitch.
"It's a small area, the grass coverage hasn't come back as much as we'd expected. The pitch is in perfect condition for hurling and it's the same for both teams."
