Athlone Town to restart at home as fixtures are released
Athlone Town will finally resume their First Division league campaign with a home game against Wexford on Friday, July 31.
The new SSE Airtricity League 2020 season fixture list was released this evening (Monday), as clubs prepare to return to action following the Covid-19 enforced shutdown.
Athlone will follow the clash against Wexford with a rearranged meeting away to Galway United (Monday, August 3), which was originally due to be their league opener.
The first midlands derby of the season will take place on Saturday, August 8, with Longford Town having home advantage at Bishopsgate.
Athlone's only two league games played to date in the 2020 season ended in defeats to Cabinteely and Cobh Ramblers.
Athlone's final league game of the season will be at home to Bray Wanderers on October 24.
The remaining fixtures for the truncated 2020 season will be two rounds of matches in total, including games played to date, and promotion/relegation as scheduled at the start of the season.
The final league fixture of the season will be the promotion/relegation play-off final on the week ending Sunday, November 8.
The Extra.ie FAI Cup will continue after this date with the quarter-finals scheduled for the week ending Sunday, November 15. The semi-finals are listed for the week ending Sunday, November 22 and the final for the week ending Sunday, November 29.
Athlone Town - First Division fixtures
(First named team at home)
July 31: Athlone Town v Wexford, 7.45pm
August 3: Galway United v Athlone Town
August 8: Longford Town v Athlone Town
August 14: Athlone Town v Drogheda United
August 17: UCD v Athlone Town
August 21: Athlone Town v Shamrock Rovers II
August 31: Bray Wanderers v Athlone Town
September 4: Athlone Town v Galway United
September 11: Cabinteely v Athlone Town
September 18: Athlone Town v Cobh Ramblers
September 21: Wexford v Athlone Town
September 25: Athlone Town v Longford Town
October 2: Drogheda v Athlone Town
October 9: Athlone Town v UCD
October 17: Shamrock Rovers II v Athlone Town
October 24: Athlone Town v Bray Wanderers
Meanwhile, Athlone Town are among the 13 clubs who have received a bye into the second round of the FAI Cup.
Three first round ties were drawn including Cork City v Longford Town, which will see Neale Fenn host his former club at Turner's Cross.
The other first round games are Premier Division champions Dundalk v Waterford and Finn Harps v St Patrick's Athletic.
The remaining teams have byes to the second round: Athlone Town, Bohemians, Bray Wanderers, Cabinteely, Cobh Ramblers, Derry City, Drogheda United, Galway United, Shamrock Rovers (holders), Shelbourne, Sligo Rovers, UCD and Wexford.