AFTER almost three long years away from their Ballygomartin Road home, the wait will finally end for Woodvale.

The North Belfast club have been playing exclusively away matches since the end of the 2009 season, but after the completion of a £300,000 re-development scheme, they will be back with a bang underneath forecasted blue skies against Muckamore.

A new drainage system has been installed, ensuring Ballygomartin Road should become one of the driest outfields in the NCU, and the venue has also been fitted with a brand-new square of new pitches.

The entrance to the ground itself has also been transformed, ensuring that one of Ireland's most atmospheric cricket venues has a more modern feel.

Club official Leslie Irwin says there is an air of heavy anticipation ahead of today's game, with Ballygomartin Road also due to host a Junior Cup tie against North Down tomorrow.

He said: "Our last game at the ground was in September 2009 so it's been a long time coming.

"Obviously it's a struggle for your first and second eleven to have to play all their matches away from home. It creates lots of different problems, it's not easy travelling away every week for games, and it's not ideal not having a base for practice either.

"However, credit has to go to the players, they have stuck at it over the last couple of years and they're getting their reward now. It's not easy for Woodvale as regards the youth element either, we don't have a bespoke feeder school up here like other clubs do but we still have a thriving youth policy with youth practice for under 11 to under 15 on Wednesday nights and the elite development squad on Fridays. Simon Johnston is doing a great job there."

Leslie highlighted the role of several people in making the re-development dream become reality.

He said: "It would be remiss at this point in our regeneration not to mention the many who contributed to where we are now with the ground re-development. Ray Palmer and Stephen Whitehead deserve high praise for their dogged determination and stickability in delivering this project over two very challenging years, Bill Humphries MLA for his support during the application process, Sport NI for having the foresight in agreeing that cricket can be a thriving sport in north Belfast and finally Tim Browne for the many hours spent directing and communicating many of the final details to ensure we achieved cricket in May 2012.

"We will be providing a smashing facility and there will be so much for young cricketers going forward. I think there is a bright future for cricket in north Belfast."