A TRIP to Tralee in the opening round of the Allianz Football League is the first task facing new Derry manager Mickey Harte.
The Oak Leafs have failed narrowly in the past two seasons to make an All-Ireland final, but as Harte proved with his native Tyrone, National League success can be the bedrock to Championship glory.
It will be Derry’s first top flight game in the League since 2015 and they have been right down to Division Four and back since then.
A match away to the 2022 All-Ireland champions and this year’s runners-up is as tough as it gets for Harte’s men and will give them and will come six months after they were edged out of the All-Ireland semi-final by the Kingdom.
There’s a repeat of this year’s other All-Ireland semi-final on the opening weekend when Monaghan travel to Dublin to face the All-Ireland champions after running the Sky Blues close in the last four of the Championship in manager Vinny Corey’s first year in charge.
Armagh, relegated from Division One alongside Donegal, host Louth in a derby match to kick off their Division Two campaign while the Tir Chonaill men will be at home to Cork.
Fermangh travel to Meath and Cavan are away to Kildare in Division Two while Ulster’s Division Three hopefuls Down and Antrim are both on the road, taking on Wicklow and Limerick respectively.
Read more: Championship rankings could be decided on incomplete National League campaign
JANUARY
Saturday January 27
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Division 1: Kerry v Derry (5.30pm); Dublin v Monaghan (7.30pm)
Division 2: Meath v Fermanagh (2.30pm); Kildare v Cavan (5pm); Armagh v Louth (6pm)
Division 4: Laois v Longford (6pm); Tipperary v Carlow (6pm)
Sunday January 28
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Division 1: Galway v Mayo (1.45pm); Tyrone v Roscommon, (3.45).
Division 2: Donegal v Cork (1.45pm)
Division 3: Limerick v Antrim (12.30pm); Clare v Sligo (2pm); Offaly v Westmeath (2pm); Wicklow v Down (2pm)
Division 4: London v Wexford (1pm); Waterford v Leitrim (2pm)
FEBRUARY
Saturday February 3
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Division 1: Mayo v Dublin (7.30pm)
Division 2: Armagh v Meath (6pm); Fermanagh v Kildare (6pm)
Division 3: Down v Limerick (6pm)
Division 4: Carlow v Waterford (6pm); Wexford v Laois (6pm)
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE
Division 1B: Galway v Westmeath (2pm); Dublin v Tipperary (2.30pm);
Division 3A: Sligo v Cavan (2pm)
Division 3B: Lancashire v Longford (1pm)
Sunday February 4
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Division 1: Monaghan v Kerry (1pm); Roscommon v Galway (2pm); Derry v Tyrone, (3.45pm)
Division 2: Louth v Cork (1pm); Cavan v Donegal (4pm)
Division 3: Antrim v Offaly (2pm); Sligo v Wicklow (2pm); Westmeath v Clare (2pm)
Division 4: Leitrim v London (1pm); Longford v Tipperary (2pm)
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE
Division 1A: Clare v Cork (1.45pm); Kilkenny v Wexford (1.45pm); Offaly v Waterford (1.45pm)
Division 1B: Limerick v Antrim (2pm)
Division 2A: Kerry v Carlow (1pm); Laois v Down (2pm); Meath v Kildare (2pm)
Division 2B: Roscommon v London (12.30pm); Derry v Tyrone (1.30pm); Wicklow v Donegal (2pm)
Division 3A: Louth v Monaghan (2pm); Mayo v Armagh (2pm)
Division 3B: Warwickshire v Leitrim (1pm)
Saturday February 10
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE
Division 1A: Wexford v Offaly (5pm); Cork v Kilkenny (7.30pm)
Division 2A: Down v Kerry (1pm)
Division 2B: Donegal v Derry (2.30pm)
Division 3A: Cavan v Louth (2pm)
Division 3B: Leitrim v Fermanagh (2pm)
Sunday February 11
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE
Division 1A: Waterford v Clare (1.45pm)
Division 1B: Antrim v Dublin (1.45pm); Westmeath v Limerick (2pm); Tipperary v Galway, (3.45pm)
Division 2A: Carlow v Meath; Kildare v Laois (2pm)
Division 2B: London v Wicklow (1pm); Tyrone v Roscommon (2pm)
Division 3A: Armagh v Sligo (2pm(; Monaghan v Mayo (2pm)
Division 3B: Longford v Warwickshire (1pm)
Saturday February 17
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Division 1: Derry v Monaghan (5pm); Dublin v Roscommon (5pm); Kerry v Mayo (7.30pm)
Division 2: Donegal v Fermanagh (2pm); Cork v Cavan (4pm)
Division 4 : Laois v Carlow (6pm); Waterford v Longford (6pm)
Sunday February 18
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Division 1: Tyrone v Galway (1.45pm)
Division 2: Meath v Louth (2pm); Kildare v Armagh (3.45pm)
Division 3: Antrim v Down (2pm); Limerick v Sligo (2pm); Offaly v Clare (2pm); Wicklow v Westmeath (2pm)
Division 4: London v Tipperary (1pm); Leitrim v Wexford (2pm)
Saturday February 24
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Division 1: Tyrone v Mayo (5.15pm); Dublin v Kerry (7.30pm)
Division 3: Down v Offaly (6pm)
Division 4: Wexford v Waterford (5pm)
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE
Division 1B: Tipperary v Westmeath (4pm); Dublin v Limerick (5.15pm).
Division 2A: Laois v Carlow (6pm).
Division 2B: Tyrone v Donegal (3pm)
Division 3B: Fermanagh v Warwickshire (2pm); Leitrim v Lancashire (2pm)
Sunday February 25
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Division 1: Galway v Derry (1.45pm); Roscommon v Monaghan (1.45pm)
Division 2: Fermanagh v Cork (2pm); Louth v Cavan (2pm); Meath v Kildare (2pm); Armagh v Donegal (3pm)
Division 3: Clare v Wicklow (2pm); Sligo v Antrim (2pm); Westmeath v Limerick (2pm)
Division 4: Longford v London (1pm); Carlow v Leitrim (2pm); Tipperary v Laois (2pm)
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE
Division 1A: Kilkenny v Offaly (1.45pm); Cork v Waterford (3.45pm); Wexford v Clare (3.45pm)
Division 1B: Antrim v Galway (1pm)
Division 2A: Down v Kildare (2pm); Kerry v Meath (2pm)
Division 2B: Derry v London (1pm); Wicklow v Roscommon (2pm)
Division 3A: Louth v Sligo (1pm); Mayo v Cavan (2pm); Monaghan v Armagh (2pm)
MARCH
Saturday March 2
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Division 1: Derry v Dublin (5pm); Mayo v Roscommon (7.30pm)
Division 2: Fermanagh v Armagh (6pm) Cavan v Meath (7pm)
Division 3: Limerick v Clare (6pm)
Division 4: Carlow v Wexford (7pm); Laois v London (7pm)
Sunday March 3
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Division 1: Kerry v Tyrone (1.15pm); Monaghan v Galway (3.15pm)
Division 2: Donegal v Louth (2pm); Cork v Kildare (3.30pm) Division 3 (2.0): Antrim v Westmeath; Down v Sligo; Offaly v Wicklow
Division 4: Longford v Leitrim (2pm); Tipperary v Waterford (2pm)
Saturday March 9
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE
Division 1B: Westmeath v Antrim (3.30pm); Limerick v Tipperary (7.35pm)
Division 2A: Kildare v Kerry (2pm); Cavan v Armagh (2pm)
Division 3B: Fermanagh v Lancashire (2pm); Longford v Leitrim (2pm)
Sunday March 10
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE
Division 1A: Offaly v Cork (1.15pm); Clare v Kilkenny (1.30pm); Waterford v Wexford (3.30pm)
Division 1B: Galway v Dublin (1.30pm)
Division 2A: Carlow v Down (1pm); Meath v Laois (2pm)
Division 2B: London v Tyrone (1pm); Roscommon v Donegal (2pm); Wicklow v Derry (2pm)
Division 3A: Mayo v Louth (2pm); Sligo v Monaghan (2pm)
Saturday March 16
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Division 1: Galway v Dublin (3.15pm); Tyrone v Monaghan (7.30pm).
Division 2: Armagh v Cavan (5pm)
Division 3: Wicklow v Limerick (3pm)
Division 4: London v Waterford (1pm); Laois v Leitrim (4.15pm); Tipperary v Wexford (6pm)
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE
Division 1A: Waterford v Kilkenny (3pm)
Division 1B: Antrim v Tipperary (3pm)
Division 2A: Down v Meath (2pm); Kildare v Carlow (2pm); Laois v Kerry (2pm)
Division 3A: Armagh v Louth (2.30pm); Cavan v Monaghan (2.30pm); Sligo v Mayo (2.30pm)
Division 3B: Fermanagh v Longford (2.30pm); Warwickshire v Lancashire (2.30pm)
Sunday March 17
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Division 1: Roscommon v Kerry (1.45pm); Mayo v Derry (3.45pm)
Division 2: Louth v Fermanagh (1pm); Meath v Cork (1.45pm)
Division 3: Clare v Antrim (12.30pm); Sligo v Offaly (2pm); Westmeath v Down (2pm)
Division 4: Longford v Carlow (2pm)
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE
Division 1A: Offaly v Clare (1.45pm); Wexford v Cork (1.4pm)
Division 1B: Dublin v Westmeath (1.45pm); Limerick v Galway (1.45pm)
Division 2B : Derry v Roscommon (1pm); Donegal v London (1pm); Tyrone v Wicklow (1pm)
Saturday March 23/Sunday March 2
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE semi-finals and relegation playoffs
Saturday March 23
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Division 2: Cavan v Fermanagh (7pm); Cork v Armagh (7pm); Donegal v Meath (7pm); Kildare v Louth (7pm)
Sunday March 24
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Division 1: Derry v Roscommon (1.45pm); Dublin v Tyrone (1.45pm); Kerry v Galway (1.45pm); Monaghan v Mayo (1.45pm)
Division 3: Antrim v Wicklow (2pm); Down v Clare (2pm); Offaly v Limerick (2pm); Sligo v Westmeath (2pm)
Division 4: Carlow v London (1pm); Leitrim v Tipperary (1pm); Waterford v Laois (1pm); Wexford v Longford (1pm)
Saturday March 30/Sunday March 31
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE finals
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE finals (Division 2A, 2B, 3A & 3B)
APRIL
Saturday April 6/Sunday April 7
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE Division 1 final
APRIL
Saturday April 6
Connacht SFC quarter-final: London v Galway
Sunday April 7
Connacht SFC quarter-final: New York v Mayo; Sligo v Leitrim.
Leinster SFC round one: Westmeath v Wicklow; Wexford v Carlow; Longford v Meath.
Munster SFC quarter-finals: Tipperary v Waterford; Limerick v Cork.
Ulster SFC preliminary round: Monaghan v Cavan.
Saturday April 13
Ulster SFC quarter-final: Down v Antrim
Saturday April 13/Sunday April 14
Christy Ring Cup round 1: Tyrone v London; Sligo v Kildare; Wicklow v Derry.
Nickey Rackard Cup round 1: Roscommon v Louth; Armagh v Donegal; Mayo v Monaghan.
Lory Meagher Cup round 1: Leitrim v Fermanagh; Longford v Lancashire; Cavan v Warwickshire.
Sunday April 14
Leinster SFC quarter-finals: Dublin v Longford/Meath; Kildare v Westmeath/Wicklow; Louth v Carlow/Wexford; Offaly v Laois.
Ulster SFC quarter-final: Fermanagh v Armagh.
Saturday April 20
Connacht SFC semi-final: Sligo/Leitrim v London/Galway.
Munster SFC semi-finals: Clare v Tipperary/Waterford;
Kerry v Limerick/Cork.
Ulster SFC quarter-final: Derry v Donegal
Saturday April 20/Sunday April 21
Joe McDonagh Cup round 1: Westmeath v Kerry; Down v Meath; Laois v Offaly.
Christy Ring Cup round 1: Kildare v Wicklow; London v Sligo; Derry v Tyrone.
Nickey Rackard Cup round 2: Donegal v Mayo; Louth v Armagh; Monaghan v Roscommon.
Lory Meagher Cup round 2: Fermanagh v Cavan; Warwickshire v Longford; Lancashire v Leitrim.
Sunday April 21
Connacht SFC semi-final: New York/Mayo v Roscommon.
Ulster SFC quarter-final: Tyrone v Monaghan/Cavan.
Leinster SHC round one: Kilkenny v Antrim; Wexford v Dublin; Galway v Carlow
Munster SHC round one: Clare v Limerick; Waterford v Cork.
Saturday April 27
Leinster SHC round 2: Antrim v Wexford; Carlow v Dublin.
Saturday April 27/Sunday April 28
Ulster SFC semi-finals: Derry/Donegal v Tyrone or Monaghan/Cavan;
Down/Antrim v Fermanagh/Armagh.
Joe McDonagh Cup round 2: Meath v Laois; Kerry v Down; Offaly v Westmeath.
Christy Ring Cup roun 3: Kildare v Derry; London v Wicklow; Sligo v Tyrone.
Nickey Rackard Cup round 3: Donegal v Monaghan; Louth v Mayo; Armagh v Roscommon.
Lory Meagher Cup round 3: Lancashire v Cavan; Warwickshire v Fermanagh; Longford v Leitrim.
Sunday April 28
Leinster SFC semi-finals: Dublin or Longford/Meath v Offaly/Laois; Kildare or Westmeath/Wicklow v Louth or Carlow/Wexford.
Leinster SHC round 2: Galway v Kilkenny.
Munster SHC round 2: Cork v Clare; Limerick v Tipperary.
MAY
Saturday May 4
Leinster SHC round 3: Wexford v Galway.
Munster SHC round 3: Waterford v Tipperary.
Saturday May 4/Sunday May 5
Joe McDonagh Cup round 3: Meath v Offaly; Kerry v Laois; Down v Westmeath.
Sunday May 5
Connacht SFC Final.
Munster SFC Final.
Saturday May 11
Leinster SHC round 3: Dublin v Antrim; Carlow v Kilkenny.
Munster SHC round 3: Cork v Limerick.
Saturday 11th/Sunday 12th
Tailteann Cup round 1
All-Ireland U20 Championship semi-final.
Christy Ring Cup round 4: Tyrone v Kildare; Wicklow v Sligo; Derry v London.
Nickey Rackard Cup round 4: Roscommon v Donegal; Mayo v Armagh; Monaghan v Louth.
Lory Meager Cup round 4: Cavan v Longford; Fermanagh v Lancashire; Leitrim v Warwickshire.
Sunday May 12
Leinster SFC Final.
Ulster SFC Final.
Saturday May 18
Leinster SHC round 4: Dublin v Kilkenny
Saturday May 18/Sunday May 19
All-Ireland SFC round 1 (Involving Munster & Connacht finalists).
Tailteann Cup Round 2
All-Ireland U20 Championship Finals (A&B).
Joe McDonagh Cup round 4: Westmeath v Meath; Laois v Down; Offaly v Kerry.
Christy Ring Cup round 5: Tyrone v Wicklow; Sligo v Derry; London v Kildare.
Nickey Rackard Cup round 5: Roscommon v Mayo; Armagh v Monaghan; Louth v Donegal.
Lory Meagher Cup round 5: Leitrim v Cavan; Longford v Fermanagh; Lancashire v Warwickshire.
Sunday May 19
Leinster SHC round 4: Carlow v Wexford; Antrim v Galway.
Munster SHC round 4: Clare v Waterford; Tipperary v Cork.
All-Ireland SFC round 1 (Involving Leinster & Ulster finalists).
Joe McDonagh Cup round 5: Westmeath v Laois; Down v Offaly; Kerry v Meath.
Sunday May 26
Leinster SHC round 5: Kilkenny v Wexford; Galway v Dublin; Antrim v Carlow.
Munster SHC round 5: Limerick v Waterford; Tipperary v Clare.
JUNE
Saturday June 1/Sunday 2
All-Ireland SFC round 2
Tailteann Cup round 3 (Neutral).
Christy Ring Cup Final.
Nickey Rackard Cup Final.
Lory Meagher Cup Final.
All-Ireland U20 Hurling Championship Final.
Saturday June 8
Leinster SHC Final.
Joe McDonagh Cup Final.
Saturday June 8/Sunday June 9
Tailteann Cup preliminary quarter-finals.
Sunday June 9
Munster SHC Final.
Saturday June 15/Sunday June 16
All-Ireland SFC round (neutral venues).
Tailteann Cup quarter-finals
All-Ireland SHC preliminary quarter-finals
Saturday June 22
All-Ireland SHC quarter-finals.
Saturday June 22/Sunday June 23
All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-finals.
Sunday June 23
Tailteann Cup semi-finals
Saturday June 29/Sunday 30
All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals
All-Ireland SHC relegation play-off
JULY
Saturday July 6
All-Ireland SHC semi-final (Leinster winner v quarter-final winner).
Sunday July 7
All-Ireland SHC semi-final: Munster winner v quarter-final winner.
Saturday July 13
Tailteann Cup Final
Saturday July 13/Sunday July 14
All-Ireland SFC semi-finals
Sunday July 21
All-Ireland SHC final.
Sunday July 28
All-Ireland SFC final