Dubs up first! Kildare given 4 home games in fixture plan for 2018 National League

Kildare will open their Division 1 National Football League campaign with a visit to headquarters as they take on Dublin in the first game of the new league season in Croke Park. In what is a repeat of the 2017 Leinster final, the Lilywhites will get another chance to pit their wits against the three-in-a-row All-Ireland champions on January 27.

The draft fixture plan was released by the GAA this afternoon.

Cian O'Neill's side will play their first home game a week later when they play host to Monaghan, but they face tricky away trips to Donegal and Kerry in rounds four and six.

The fixture scheduling has been somewhat kind to the Lilies however, with four home games against Monaghan, Tyrone, Mayo and Galway pencilled in for the league.

Allianz Football League Division 1

Round 1: Saturday, Jan 27th: Dublin v Kildare; Sunday, January 28th: Galway v Tyrone, Kerry v Donegal, Monaghan v Mayo

Round 2: Saturday February 3rd: Mayo v Kerry, Tyrone v Dublin; Sunday, February 4th: Donegal v Galway, Kildare v Monaghan

Round 3: Saturday February 10th: Dublin v Donegal; Sunday February 11th: Galway v Mayo, Kildare v Tyrone, Monaghan v Kerry

Round 4:Saturday February 24th: Mayo v Dublin, Monaghan v Tyrone; Sunday February 25th: Donegal v Kildare, Kerry v Galway

Round 5: Saturday March 3rd: Dublin v Kerry, Tyrone v Donegal; Sunday March 4th: Galway v Monaghan, Kildare v Mayo

Round 6: Saturday March 17th: Mayo v Tyrone; Sun, March 18th: Galway v Dublin, Kerry v Kildare, Monaghan v Donegal

Round 7: Sunday Mar 25th: Donegal v Mayo, Dublin v Monaghan, Kildare v Galway, Tyrone v Kerry