Roof of Cork City's football stadium blows off... the day before Cork hoped to lift title

Photo: Twitter

Denise Calnan

The roof of Cork City's home football stadium has blown off as Storm Ophelia battered the south coast this morning.

Photos posted on social media show the roof of the Derrynane Stand at Turners Cross blowing off, and parts of it flying into nearby back gardens.

A heavy metal advertising sign is pictured in one person's front garden, while the stand can be seen blowing off in another person's video.

The team were due to play Derry City in their home ground tomorrow evening, as Cork close in on victory in the League of Ireland.

In Douglas, the roof of Douglas Community School's PE hall also blew off.

While in Passage West, the roof of the community's GAA club was also broken apart and severely damaged in the storm.

Speaking to Independent.ie, Cllr Shane O'Shea, from the South Douglas Road in Cork, said he hopes the worst of the storm is over.

"I think the worst is probably over," Cllr O'Shea said.

"It is calming down now, compared to the last hour.

"But we got a fair old battering.

"The stadium at Turners' Cross has been damaged, and part of the stand has blown into people's gardens.

"The gym roof at Douglas Community School is also gone.

"I'm in work here on Tramore Road and we're gauging the weather by the trees across the way."