Cork to face Munster rivals Tipperary in opening round of 2021 Lidl National Football League
HOLDERS Cork will commence their 2021 Lidl National League Division 1 campaign with a home fixture against Munster rivals Tipperary.
The Rebelettes, who won the top-flight crown in 2019, are also pitted with TG4 All-Ireland Senior Champions Dublin in Division 1B – with the counties set to meet in Round 2 of the League in an eagerly-anticipated clash.
Another Munster outfit, Waterford, are the fourth team in Division 1B, with Donegal, Galway, Mayo and Westmeath set to do battle in Division 1A.
Three rounds of group fixtures will determine the four semi-finalists – with the top team from Division 1A meeting the second-placed team from Division 1B, and vice versa.
The same semi-final principle will apply across the divisions, while the bottom placed teams in each group, with the exception of Divisions 4A and 4B, will take part in relegation play-offs.
Divisions 1, 2 and 3 will each see one county relegated, with the winners of the Finals in Divisions 2, 3 and 4 earning promotion.
Dublin, the four-in-a-row TG4 All-Ireland Senior winners, will commence their 2021 Lidl NFL campaign with a home fixture against Waterford, who they defeated in the 2020 Championship.
In Division 1A, there’s a Connacht derby between Mayo and Galway to get the action underway, with Donegal at home to Westmeath.
In Division 2A, 2020 TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate winners Meath face off against Kerry in their opening game, with Clare at home to Wexford.
There’s an all-Ulster Division 2B for the 2021 Lidl National League season, with Monaghan at home to Cavan and Tyrone hosting Armagh in the opening round of games.
In Division 3A, the action gets underway with Down at home to Sligo, while Fermanagh make the trip to Roscommon.
Division 3B is comprised entirely of Leinster teams, with Laois at home to Kildare, and Longford hosting Wicklow in Round 1.
In Division 4A, Leitrim entertain Louth in Round 1, with Derry at home to Antrim in an Ulster derby.
And in Division 4B, a three-team group, Carlow entertain Offaly in an all-Leinster affair in the opening round.
Limerick are afforded a bye in Round 1, before opening their season away to Offaly in Round 2.
The Round 1 fixtures are set for the weekend of Sunday, May 23, and the three rounds of group fixtures will be played on consecutive weekends, with semi-finals and relegation play-offs scheduled for the for the weekend of June 12/13.
There will then follow a two-week break ahead of the Lidl National League Finals – to be played on the weekend of June 26/27.
Division 1A
Round 1 - 23rd May 2021
Mayo v Galway
Donegal v Westmeath
Round 2- 30th May
Donegal v Mayo
Galway v Westmeath
Round 3- 6th June (Bank holiday weekend)
Westmeath v Mayo
Galway v Donegal
Division 1B
Round 1- 23rd May
Cork v Tipperary
Dublin v Waterford
Round 2- 30th May
Cork v Dublin
Tipperary v Waterford
Round 3 - 6th June (Bank holiday weekend)
Waterford v Cork
Tipperary v Dublin
Relegation Playoff - 12th/13th June
Semi Finals - 12th/13th June
Final - 26th/27th June