Athlone Town to begin next season with home fixture
Athlone Town will begin their 2022 SSE Airtricity League First Division season with a home game against Waterford on Friday, February 18.
Waterford were relegated from the Premier Division last season after a turbulent campaign, while Athlone were unable to finish in the top five of the First Division which would have earned them a place in the play-offs.
With just nine teams now competing in the First Division, one club will have a bye in each round of fixtures.
Galway United, managed by Lecarrow native John Caulfield, will sit out the first weekend of fixtures and will begin their season away to Cork City on February 25.
The other opening round fixtures will see Longford Town at home to Cobh Ramblers, Bray Wanderers hosting Cork City, while Wexford FC will welcome Treaty United to Ferrycarrig Park.
With Martin Russell now in charge, Athlone will face old rivals Longford Town for the first time of the new season on April 9 at Bishopsgate.
There will be a 32-game programme of games, with the nine clubs playing each other twice home and away.
The regular season will conclude on October 21 before the promotion/relegation play-offs.
The SSE Airtricity First Division champions will be promoted automatically to the Premier Division with the sides finishing in second, third, fourth and fifth spots contesting a play-off series.
The First Division teams finishing second and fifth and the teams in third and fourth place will play each other in a two-legged play-off with the winners then contesting a one-legged final. The winner of this tie will then play the team that finishes ninth in the Premier Division to secure the final top flight spot for the 2023 season.
All fixtures are subject to clubs meeting the licensing criteria to participate in the League of Ireland.
The 2022 League of Ireland season will close with the Extra.ie FAI Cup final on November 13.
2022 SSE Airtricity League First Division - Athlone Town fixtures
(All games 7:45pm unless otherwise stated)
Round 1: Friday, 18 February - Athlone Town v Waterford FC
Round 2: Friday, 25 February - Treaty United v Athlone Town
Round 3: Friday, 4 March - Wexford FC v Athlone Town
Round 4: bye
Round 5: Monday, 14 March - Athlone Town v Cobh Ramblers
Round 6: Friday, 18 March - Athlone Town v Galway United
Round 7: Friday, 25 March - Cork City v Athlone Town
Round 8: Friday, 1 April - Athlone Town v Bray Wanderers
Round 9: Saturday, 9 April - Longford Town v Athlone Town, 7:30pm
Round 10: Friday, 15 April - Athlone Town v Treaty United
Round 11: Monday, 18 April - Cobh Ramblers v Athlone Town
Round 12: bye
Round 13: Friday, 29 April - Athlone Town v Wexford FC
Round 14: Monday, 2 May - Waterford FC v Athlone Town
Round 15: Friday, 6 May - Athlone Town v Cork City
Round 16: Friday, 13 May - Athlone Town v Longford Town
Round 17: Friday, 20 May - Galway United v Athlone Town
Round 18: Friday, 27 May - Bray Wanderers v Athlone Town
Round 19: Friday, 10 June - Athlone Town v Cobh Ramblers
Round 20: Friday, 17 June - Treaty United v Athlone Town
Round 21: bye
Round 22: Monday, 27 June - Athlone Town v Waterford FC
Round 23: Friday, 1 July - Wexford FC v Athlone Town
Round 24: Friday, 8 July - Athlone Town v Bray Wanderers
Round 25: Saturday, 16 July - Longford Town v Athlone Town, 7:30pm
Round 26: Friday, 22 July - Athlone Town v Galway United
Round 27: Friday, 5 August - Cork City v Athlone Town
Round 28: bye
Round 29: Friday, 19 August - Athlone Town v Treaty United
Round 30: Friday, 2 September - Bray Wanderers v Athlone Town
Round 31: Friday, 9 September - Athlone Town v Wexford FC
Round 32: Friday, 16 September - Cobh Ramblers v Athlone Town
Round 33: Friday, 30 September - Athlone Town v Longford Town
Round 34: Friday, 7 October - Galway United v Athlone Town
Round 35: Friday, 14 October - Athlone Town v Cork City
Round 36: Friday, 21 October - Waterford FC v Athlone Town
Play-Off Semi-Finals 1st Legs (Wednesday, 26 October)
5th place v 2nd place; 4th place v 3rd place.
Play-Off Semi-Finals 2nd Legs (Saturday, 29 October)
2nd place v 5th place; 3rd place v 4th place.
First Division Play-Off Final (week ending Sunday, 6 November)
Promotion/Relegation Play-Off (week ending, Sunday 13 November)