VANDALS did thousands of euro worth of damage to the cricket pitches at a top Dublin club this week.

Weedkiller was poured all over the playing area at the YMCA club in Sandymount on Wednesday night.

The club, which are warm favourites for the senior league, was due to play their first home game on Saturday against North County.

All eight pitches were damaged as the vandals zigzagged the weedkiller over the square.

"We’re disgusted and dismayed at this orchestrated attack on our club", said official James Fitzgerald.

"It is the start of our season and a huge amount of work has gone into preparing the facilities and a lot of that good work has now been undone.

"We have lodged a report with gardai in Irishtown and so we would appeal to anyone with information to pass it on to them.

"CCTV footage will be reviewed and we will leave no stone unturned to ensure the culprits are identified."

YMCA is the club of Ireland star Trent Johnston and former caps Alan Lewis, Albert Van Der Merwe and Jeremy Bray.

Last season it hosted a women's international and the RSA Senior Cup final.