Dublin chairman Gerry Harrington has revealed plans to develop two major training facilities in 2009. The Cork native was returned to the chair after seeing off the challenge of John Bailey at Monday night's annual convention, and immediately turned his attention to a proposed new EUR12 million Centre of Excellence in Rathcoole and a hurling hub in Clontarf. South Dublin County Council recently granted planning permission to the Rathcoole project and Harrington is hopeful that the sod will be turned in March or April of next year, with the state-of-the-art training centre due for completion in 2012. "It will be hard to raise funds, but prices will come down and builders and developers will be looking for work," Harrington predicted. "Our forecast to complete the project is EUR12 million. In 2009, we would like to develop pitches and then we could move along with the building." The Clontarf project is being undertaken in conjunction with Dublin City Council and the FAI. "It will have a full-size floodlit pitch, dressing rooms and a hurling wall. It will cost us EUR800,000-EUR1 million," he explained. Tweet

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