There were red faces in Croke Park yesterday when the new pitch came in for heavy criticism from Kerry boss Jack O'Connor and officials had to admit it is not quite up to scratch.

Showers saw the recently installed surface play like an ice-rink in the first-half, O'Connor descring it as “a nightmare scenario.”

Problems with the surface at this critical stage of the season have raised questions about the GAA's wisdom in installing a new pitch in the wake of the recent U2 concerts.

Stadium director, Peter McKenna, admitted that there are some issues with the surface in certain conditions and said the GAA will undertake work on the pitch this week to try to improve it before next Sunday's hurling finals.

"There was slipping in the first half that you wouldn't be entirely happy with," McKenna said.

"One suggestion is that the grass cover is too lush, we could do with thinning it out but that's not something we're going to do between now and the finals."