The Cork County Board are opening the stadium tonight by giving access to the entire stadium for the first games to be played there.

This before and after image shows the extent of the work that has been done.

Before & after...... #PaircUiChaoimh pic.twitter.com/rNl4jlqAZk

— SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh (@PaircUiCha0imh) July 19, 2017

Former Cork County Board chairman Bob Ryan said spectators going to the venue for the Premier intermediate hurling championship game between Blarney and Valley Rovers tonight will be able to access the whole stadium rather than just one section of the ground.

He told Michael Moynihan of the Irish Examiner: “Páirc Uí Chaoimh has been shut for a couple of years while the redevelopment has been going on and people are obviously keen to see the work that’s been done, so they’ll be able to wander around the stadium.”

Ryan, newly appointed as stadium operations manager, added that as of last weekend both stands in Páirc Uí Chaoimh were sold out for both All-Ireland SHC quarter-finals this weekend, Clare take on Tipperary on Saturday night and Waterford face off against Wexford on Sunday afternoon, with tickets selling fast for the terraces on both days.

American football and other sports are medium-term considerations for the new stadium, said Ryan, who added that Cork can expect at least four major games if the Irish Rugby World Cup bid is successful.

“American football, all of that is in the mix, and we’d be only too happy to get any deals and games we can in that regard.

“Obviously our key focus is on promoting our own games and looking after those, and ultimately the plan is that the stadium will feed in finance to build up Cork teams and underage development squads and so on.

“The Rugby World Cup, which we all hope will happen, would be huge.

“We’ve met several times with the bid team and we’d hope to have at least four major games in Cork during that tournament. That’s exciting.”