The GAA have issued their fixture list for next year. The inter-county season gets under way on Saturday, February 2nd, with the first Division One matches of the Allianz Football League.

Holders Cork take on last year’s All-Ireland champions Dublin in what will be the first major test of the latter’s new manager, Jim Gavin.

On the same night Down will take on newly promoted Tyrone in Newry under lights.

There had been uncertainty as to whether Dublin would be able to sustain the Spring Series concept, staging double bills featuring the county’s footballers and hurlers at Croke Park, which had proved popular in the past two seasons, given the relegation from the top flight of the hurlers and difficulties arranging the football fixtures. But the series is now due to go ahead with just the final details to be resolved.

Double bill

Kildare have conceded home advantage for two home fixtures, which will now be played in Croke Park and are expected to play Donegal on the same bill as the opening weekend’s Dublin-Cork match.

They will also play Dublin on the fourth weekend of the league, with speculation the match will take place on Friday, February 8th.

The alternative would be two days later, as Ireland’s Six Nations rugby match with France is on the Saturday evening.

The hurlers’ home match against Limerick, scheduled for a double weekend, will be on the same bill as the Dublin-Tyrone football league fixture.

A feature of the hurling league fixtures is how few of the top division matches are being played under lights. Only Cork show any appetite for night fixtures with both of their group home fixtures played on Saturday evening, against Tipperary and Clare.

All of the other Division One A matches are fixed for the traditional Sunday afternoon start, with the exception of a couple of fixtures on the St Patrick’s weekend bank holiday, Kilkenny-Waterford and Galway-Tipperary.

This is partly a reflection of that Sunday being given over to the club finals.

All-Ireland finals

The Team Promotion night, an open session for local media and supporters which was successful this year, has again been scheduled and will take place on Friday, May 10th.

Like last year, 2013 is a five-Sunday September, which means the All-Ireland finals will again be played on the second and fourth weekends of the month.

JANUARY
26/27:All-Ireland intermediate and junior club hurling and football championship semi-finals.

FEBRUARY
2: NFL round 1 (7.0 unless stated) – Division 1:Dublin v Cork; Down v Tyrone. Division 2: Laois v Armagh.

3: NFL round 1 (2.0 unless stated) – Division 1:Kildare v Donegal, date TBC; Mayo v Kerry. Division 2:Galway v Derry; Wexford v Longford; Westmeath v Louth. Division 3:Antrim v Cavan; Monaghan v Meath; Wicklow v Fermanagh; Roscommon v Sligo. Division 4:London v Offaly; Clare v Waterford; Limerick v Leitrim; Tipperary v Carlow.
 
9: NFL round 2 (7.0 unless stated) - Division 1:Cork v Kildare; Donegal v Down. Division 2:Cavan v Monaghan; Fermanagh v Roscommon. Division 4:Waterford v Tipperary.
All-Ireland senior club hurling championship semi-finals:Connacht v Ulster; Leinster v Munster.
All-Ireland intermediate and junior club football championship finals, Croke Park.

10: NFL round 2 (2.0 unless stated) – Division 1:Mayo v Tyrone; Kerry v Dublin. Division 2:Longford v Westmeath; Armagh v Wexford; Derry v Laois; Louth v Galway. Division 3:Sligo v Antrim; Wicklow v Meath. Division 4:Leitrim v Clare; Carlow v London, 1.0; Offaly v Limerick.
All-Ireland intermediate and junior club hurling championship finals, Croke Park.

16: All-Ireland senior club football championship semi-finals:Connacht v Ulster; Leinster v Munster/Britain.

17: Interprovincial hurling and football semi-finals:Leinster v Connacht; Ulster v Munster.

22/23:Sigerson Cup finals.
23: NHL round 1 (7.0 unless stated) – Division 1A:Cork v Tipperary. Division 1B:Dublinv Offaly.
Scór na nÓg All-Ireland finals, Derry
24:Interprovincial football final.
NHL round 1 (2.0 unless stated) - Division 1A:Clare v Waterford; Galway v Kilkenny. Division 1B:Carlow v Wexford; Limerick v Antrim. Division 2A:Kerry v Westmeath; Derry v Wicklow; Kildare v Laois. Division  2B:Down v Meath; Mayo v Roscommon; Armagh v London, 1.0. Division  3A:Fermanagh v Tyrone; Donegal v Monaghan; Fingal v Louth.

MARCH
1/2: Fitzgibbon Cup finals

2: NFL round 3 (7.0 unless stated) – Division 1:Dublin v Mayo. Division 2:Armagh v Longford; Laois v Louth. Division 3:Meath v Cavan; Antrim v Fermanagh. Waterford v Limerick.
NHL round three - Division 2B:Meath v London, 3.15.

3: Interprovincial hurling final.
NFL round 4 (2.0 unless stated) – Division 1:Tyrone v Donegal; Kildare v Kerry; Downv Cork. Division 2:Wexford v Derry; Galway v Westmeath. Division 3:Roscommon v Wicklow; Monaghan v Sligo. Division 4:Offaly v Clare; Carlow v Leitrim; Tipperary v London.

9: NFL round 4 (7.0 unless stated) – Division 1:Down v Mayo. Division 2:Derry v Armagh. Division 3:Fermanagh v Monaghan. Division 4 (2.0):Clare v Tipperary; London v Waterford.

10: NFL round 4 (2.30 unless stated) – Division 1:Donegal v Kerry, 2.0; Kildare v Dublin, date tbc; Tyrone v Cork. Division 2:Longford v Galway, 2.0; Louth v Wexford; Westmeath v Laois. Division 3:Sligo v Cavan, 2.0; Wicklow v Antrim; Roscommon v Meath. Division 4:Limerick v Carlow , 1.0; Leitrim v Offaly.
NHL round two (2.0 unless stated) - Division 1A:Tipperary v Kilkenny; Waterford v Cork; Clare v Galway. Division 1B:Antrim v Dublin; Offaly v Wexford; Limerick v Carlow. Division 2A:Wicklow v Kildare, 1.0; Westmeath  v Derry, 1.0; Laois v Kerry. Division  2B:Roscommon v Armagh, 1.0; London v Down; Meath v Mayo. Division  3A:Louth v Fermanagh, 1.0; Tyrone v Donegal, 1.0; Monaghan v Fingal. Division  3B round one:Leitrim  v Longford, 1.0; Warwickshire v Sligo.
 
16 NFL round 5 (7.0 unless stated): Division 1:Cork v Donegal, 5.0; Mayo v Kildare; Dublin v Tyrone; Kerry v Down. Division 2:Derry v Longford; Armagh v Louth; Laois v Galway. Division 3:Monaghan v Wicklow, 2.0; Antrim v Roscommon; Cavan v Fermanagh; Meath v Sligo, 5.0. Division 4:Leitrim  v Waterford, 2.0; Offaly v Carlow, 2.0; Limerick v Tipperary.
NHL round 3 - Division  1A:Cork v Clare. Division 1B:Wexford v Antrim, 2.0; Dublin v Limerick, 5.15. Division 2A:Derry v Kildare, 5.30. Division 2B:Down v Roscommon, 2.0; Mayo v Armagh, 5.30. Division  3A:Fermanagh v Donegal, 2.0; Tyrone v Fingal, 5.15.

17:All-Ireland senior club football and hurling championship finals, Croke Park.

18: NFL round 5 (2.0 unless stated) – Division 2:Wexford v Westmeath.
NHL round 3:Kilkenny v Waterford; Galway v Tipperary. Division 1B:Carlow v Offaly. Division 2A:Kerry v Wicklow; Westmeath  v Laois. Division  3A:Louth v Monaghan.

22/23:GAA Annual Congress, Derry.

23: NFL round 6 – Division 1:Dublin v Down, 7.0.

24: NFL round 6 (2.0 unless stated) – Division 1:Kerry v Cork; Mayo v Donegal, 2.30; Kildare v Tyrone, 2.30. Division 2:Galway v Wexford, 1.0; Louth v Derry; Westmeath v Armagh; Longford v Laois, 2.30. Division 3:Antrim v Meath; Fermanagh v Sligo; Wicklow v Cavan, 2.30; Roscommon v Monaghan, 2.30. Division 4:Waterford v Offaly, 1.0; London v Limerick; Tipperary v Leitrim; Carlow v Clare, 2.30.
NHL round 4 - Division 1A:Clare v Kilkenny; Galway v Cork, 2.30; Waterford v Tipperary, 2.30. Division 1B:Carlow v Antrim, 1.0; Wexford v Dublin; Offaly v Limerick. Division 2A:Kildare v Kerry, 1.0; Wicklow v Westmeath, 1.0; Derry v Laois. Division 2B:Roscommon v Meath, 1.0; Mayo v London, 1.0; Armagh v Down. Division 3A:Fingal v Fermanagh; Monaghan v Tyrone; Donegal v Louth. Division 3B round 2:Longford v Warwickshire, 1.0; Sligo v Leitrim.
 
30: NFL round 4 - Division 4:Clare v London, 2.0.
NHL round 5 (3.0) - Division 2B:London v Roscommon; Meath v Armagh; Down v Mayo.

31: NHL round 5 (3.0) - Division 1A:Tipperary v Clare; Kilkenny v Cork; Waterford v Galway.  Division 1B:Antrim v Offaly; Limerick v Wexford; Dublin v Carlow. Division 2A:Laois v Wicklow; Westmeath v Kildare; Kerry v Derry. Division  3A:Donegal v Fingal; Fermanagh v Monaghan; Tyrone v Louth. Division  3B round 3:Warwickshire v Leitrim; Longford v Sligo.

APRIL 
6Second Level hurling finals
7NHL Division 1B final
NFL round 7 (3.0) – Division 1:Down v Kildare; Cork v Mayo; Tyrone v Kerry; Donegal v Dublin. Division 2:Derry v Westmeath; Louth v Longford; Wexford v Laois; Armagh v Galway. Division 3:Monaghan v Antrim; Sligo v Wicklow; Meath v Fermanagh; Cavan v Roscommon. Division 4:Leitrim v London; Clare v Limerick; Carlow v Waterford; Offaly v Tipperary.

13Second Level football finals.

14NFL Division 1 semi-finals; NHL Division 2A, 2B, 3A & 3B finals;
Division 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B & 3A relegation play-offs.

20:  All-Ireland U21 football semi-finals: Connacht v Leinster; Munster v Ulster.

21:NHL Division 1 semi-finals.

27:NFL Division 3 & 4 finals.

28:NFL Division 1 & 2 finals.

MAY
4All-Ireland U21 football final
Christy Ring Cup round 1:Derry v Wicklow; Down v Kerry; Meath v Armagh; Kildare v Mayo. Nicky Rackard Cup round 1:Tyrone v Louth; Roscommon v Sligo; Byes: Donegal, Monaghan. Lory Meagher Cup round 1:Warwickshire v Longford; Leitrim v Fermanagh.

5NHL Division 1 Final.
Leinster SHC:Westmeath v Antrim, Cusack Park. Connacht SFC:New York v Leitrim, Gaelic Park, New York.

11:Christy Ring Cup round 2A & 2B; Nicky Rackard Cup round 2; Lory Meagher Cup round 2: Longford v Leitrim; Fermanagh v Warwickshire.

18:Christy Ring Cup quarter-finals; Nicky Rackard Cup quarter-finals; Lory Meagher Cup round 3:Warwickshire v Leitrim; Longford v Fermanagh.

19: Leinster SHC:Westmeath /Antrim v Laois, Mullingar/Portlaoise; Carlow v London, Dr Cullen Park. Ulster SFC:Cavan v Armagh, Kingspan Breffini Park. Connacht SFC:Galway v Mayo, Pearse Stadium. Leinster SFC:Westmeath v Carlow, Cusack Park.

25 Munster SFC:Limerick v Cork, Gaelic Grounds.
Christy Ring Cup semi-finals; Nicky Rackard Cup semi-finals.

26 Munster SFC:Kerry v Tipperary, Fitzgerald Stadium. Ulster SFC:Donegal v Tyrone. Leinster SFC:Wicklow v Longford, Aughrim; Laois v Louth, Portaloise. Connacht SFC:London v Sligo, Ruislip.  

JUNE
1/2: Leinster SHC quarter-final:Antrim/Westmeath/Laois v Carlow/London.

1: Leinster SFC quarter-finals:Offaly v Kildare, Croke Park; Carlow/Westmeath v Dublin, Croke Park. Munster SFC semi-finals:Kerry/Tipperary v Waterford, Kerry/Tipperary venue.

2: Ulster SFC:Derry v Down. Munster SHC quarter-final:Clare v Waterford, Semple Stadium.

8: Leinster SHC quarter-final:Wexford v Dublin, Wexford Park.
Christy Ring Cup final. Nicky Rackard Cup final. Lory Meagher Cup final

9: Leinster SHC quarter-final:Offaly v Kilkenny, Tullamore. Munster SHC semi-final:Limerick v Tipperary, Gaelic Grounds. Leinster SFC quarter-final:Laois/Louth v Wexford, Portlaoise/Drogheda. Ulster SFC:Antrim v Monaghan, Casement Park.

15/16: Leinster SHC semi-final:Galway v Westmeath/Antrim/Laois/Carlow/London.

15: Leinster SFC quarter-final:Wicklow/Longford v Meath, Aughrim/Pearse Park.

16: Connacht SFC semi-final:Galway/Mayo v Roscommon, Pearse Stadium/McHale Park. Ulster SFC:Cavan/Armagh v Fermanagh. Ulster SHC quarter-final:Down v Armagh. Munster SFC semi-finals:Clare v Cork/Limerick, Cusack Park.

23: Leinster SHC semi-final:Kilkenny/Offaly v Wexford/Dublin. 
Munster SHC semi-final:Cork v Clare/Waterford, Gaelic Grounds/Semple Stadium. Ulster SFC semi-final:Donegal/Tyrone v Derry/Down. Connacht SFC:Leitrim/New York v Sligo/London, Páirc Sean Mac Diarmada/Markievicz Park.
Qualifiers –Football preliminary round and Hurling preliminary stage one.

29: Ulster SFC semi-final:Cavan/Armagh/Fermanagh v Antrim/Monaghan.
Qualifiers– Football round one and Hurling phase one.

30: Leinster SFC semi-finals:Wicklow/Longford/Meath v Laois/Louth/Wexford, Croke Park; Kildare/Offaly v Westmeath/Carlow/Dublin, Croke Park. Ulster SHC semi-final:Derry v Down/Armagh 

JULY
6: Qualifiers– Football round two and Hurling phase two

7:Munster SFC Final; Leinster SHC Final: Croke Park. Ulster SHC Final.

13: Qualifiers– Football round two (games involving teams eliminated from provincial championships on June 29th/30th only) and Hurling phase three.

14:Leinster SFC Final, Croke Park. Munster SHC Final.

20: Qualifiers- Football round three.

21:Ulster SFC Final. Connacht SFC Final.

27/28: Qualifiers– Football round four. All-Ireland MHC quarter-finals.

28: All-Ireland SHC quarter-finals.

AUGUST
3/4/5:All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals. All-Ireland MFC quarter-finals. 

10: All-Ireland JFC semi-finals:Connacht v Leinster; Britain v Munster.

11: All-Ireland SHC semi-final:Leinster v qualifier. All-Ireland MHC semi-final.

17: All-Ireland IHC semi-final:Galway v Kilkenny.

18: All-Ireland SHC semi-final:Munster v qualifier. All-Ireland MHC semi-final.

24: All-Ireland U21HC semi-finals:Connacht v Munster; Leinster v Ulster. All-Ireland JFC Final.

25: All-Ireland SFC semi-final. All-Ireland MFC semi-final. 

31: All-Ireland IHC final:

SEPTEMBER
1:All-Ireland SFC semi-final. All-Ireland MFC semi-final. 

7:All-Ireland Minor B & C Championship Finals

8:All-Ireland Senior and Minor Hurling Championship final, Croke Park.

14:All-Ireland U21 and U21 B Hurling finals

15:All-Ireland Camogie Championship finals

22:All-Ireland Senior and Minor Football Championship final, Croke Park.

29: All-Ireland Ladies Football finals

OCTOBER
19:International Rules, 1st Test

26:International Rules, 2nd Test. Hurling/Shinty Internationals (Ireland)

NOVEMBER
2Hurling/Shinty Internationals, Scotland