NCU Premier League champions Instonians will begin their defence with a trip across Belfast to Civil Service North when the new season starts on Saturday April 27.

The game of the day should be at Belmont when last year’s second and third place sides CIYMS and Lisburn meet in the only other game between last year’s top Six.

As usual, the league will split after the first round of nine games with the top six playing each other once more to decide the title and the bottom four playing each other twice to avoid relegation.

The draw for the first round of the Irish Cup has also been made with holders Leinster and beaten finalists Waringstown receiving byes leaving North West champions Ardmore’s clash with North Down as one of the more attractive games.

It will be an early chance of revenge for Carrickfergus in the one game that is a repeat of last year’s draw, when The Hills won by 179 runs.

Opening day fixtures: April 27 – Carrickfergus v Muckamore, CIYMS v Lisburn, Cliftonville Academy v North Down, Civil Service North v Instonians, Waringstown v Woodvale.

Sunday May 5: Instonians v Cliftonville Academy, Lisburn v Carrickfergus, Muckamore v Waringstown, North Down v CIYMS, Woodvale v Civil Service North

May 11: Carrickfergus v Civil Service North, CIYMS v Cliftonville Academy, Lisburn v Woodvale, Muckamore v North Down, Waringstown v Instonians

May 18: Irish Senior Cup

May 25: Cliftonville Academy v Carrickfergus, Civil Service North v Waringstown, Instonians v Muckamore, North Down v Lisburn, Woodvale v CIYMS

June 1: Challenge Cup

June 8: Carrickfergus v Woodvale, CIYMS v Waringstown, Cliftonville Academy v Muckamore, Civil Service North v Lisburn, Instonians v North Down

June 15: Challenge Cup

June 22: Muckamore v CIYMS, Lisburn v Cliftonville Academy, North Down v Civil Service North, Waringstown v Carrickfergus, Woodvale v Instonians

June 29: Carrickfergus v North Down, CIYMS v Instonians, Cliftonville Academy v Civil Service North, Muckamore v Woodvale, Waringstown v Lisburn.

July 6 (Challenge Cup semi-finals): Civil Service North v CIYMS, Instonians v Carrickfergus, Lisburn v Muckamore, North Down v Waringstown, Woodvale v Cliftonville Academy

July 13: Rearranged games not played on July 6

July 20: Carrickfergus v CIYMS, Lisburn v Instonians, Muckamore v Civil Service North, North Down v Woodvale, Waringstown v Cliftonville Academy.

Irish Cup 1^st round draw: Carrickfergus v The Hills, CIYMS v YMCA, Civil Service North v Newbuildings, Instonians v Eglinton; Ardmore v North Down, Bready v Phoenix, Brigade v Woodvale, Killyclooney v Clontarf; Malahide v Lisburn, Merrion v Donemana, Pembroke v Coleraine, Railway Union v Cliftonville Academy; Cork County v Balbriggan. Byes: Waringstown, Leinster, Muckamore.

National Cup 1^st round draw (Ulster teams only): Ballymena v Fox Lodge, Cregagh v North County, Laurelvale v Ballyhaunis; Bonds Glen v Donaghcloney Mill, Burndennett v Rush, St Johnston v Wexford Wanderers, The Nedd v Belfast; Civil Service v Armagh; North Kildare v Templepatrick, Terenure v Glendermott; Cork Harlequins v Strabane, University of Galway v Ballyspallen. Bye: Derriaghy. Games on May 18.