United face trip to Blues in league opener

Ballymena United have been handed a tough start to the new Danske Bank Premiership season.
Ballymena United will kick off their season with a trip to Linfield.Ballymena United will kick off their season with a trip to Linfield.
Ballymena United will kick off their season with a trip to Linfield.

The Sky Blues will travel to the newly-refurbished Windsor Park to face Linfield when the season kicks off on August 8.

The first of the season’s ‘derby’ meetings with Coleraine comes early in the season with the bannsiders visiting the Warden Street Showgrounds on August 15, while the annual Boxing Day fixture this year takes place at the Ballycastle Road Showgrounds.

United’s full league fixture list is:

August 8 - Linfield (a)

Wednesday, August 12 - Glenavon (h)

August 15 - Coleraine (h)

August 22 - Dungannon Swifts (a)

August 29 - Carrick Rangers (h)

September 5 - Glentoran (a)

September 12 - Cliftonville (h)

September 19 - Ballinamallard Utd (h)

September 26 - Warrenpoint Town (a)

October 3 - Crusaders (h)

October 10 - Portadown (a)

October 17 - Glenavon(a)

October 24 - Dungannon Swifts (h)

October 31 - Carrick Rangers (a)

Novemebr 7 - Glentoran (h)

November 14 - Ballinamallard Utd (a)

November 21 - Portadown (h)

November 28 - Crusaders (a)

December 5 - Cliftonville (a)

December 12 - Warrenpoint Town (h)

December 19 - Linfield (h)

Decemeber 26 - Coleraine (a)

January 1 - Portadown (a)

January 16 - Carrick Rangers (h)

January 23 - Linfield (h)

January 30 - Ballinamallard Utd (a)

Friday, February 12 - Coleraine (h)

February 20 - Glentoran (a)

February 27 - Dungannon Swifts (h)

March 12 - Crusaders (a)

March 19 - Warrenpoint Town (h)

March 26 - Cliftonville (h)

Tuesday, March 29 - Glenavon (a)