IT may just be the start of the new soccer season, but the road to the final game begins now with the First Round of the Irish Cup set for Saturday afternoon (all games 1.30pm).

A number of local teams including Donegal Celtic, Immaculata and Crumlin Star have been handed byes, but the remaining sides will do battle this weekend to join them in the second round.

The standout fixture will take place at Glen Road Heights where Belfast Celtic host Warrenpoint Town.

The South Down club was due to face Dungannon Swifts in a promotion/relegation playoff for a place in the Premiership at the end of last season having finished second in the Championship, but ran into difficulty that over an unpaid tax bill that almost saw them expelled from the NIFL, but an agreement saw them drop into the Premier Intermediate Division, meaning they begin their Irish Cup journey a lot earlier than usual.

Elsewhere, St James' Swifts have home advantage in Donegal Celtic Park against another Premier Intermediate club in Lisburn Distillery, while at nearby Lenadoon Park, last season's Intermediate Cup finalists St Oliver Plunkett host Newcastle.

Another of the West Belfast clubs, Colin Valley, will welcome PSNI to Poleglass, but Willowbank and St Luke's are on the road to AFC Craigavon and Ballynahinch United respectively. 

Rathmore will be the venue for NAFL 1B outfit Aquinas who host Tullyvallen, while Suffolk host Portstewart and Finaghy are at Portaferry Rovers.

There is something of a North Belfast derby with 18th Newtownabbey OB hosting Malachians, while Glengormley outfit St Mary's FC heading to Richhill AFC and Greenisland welcome Orangefield OB.

South Belfast side, St Matthew's are at Woodvale on Saturday with Crewe United hosting Lurgan Town in another one of the round's ties.

First Round fixtures
18th Newtownabbey OB v Malachians
Abbey Villa v Bryansburn Rangers
AFC Craigavon v Willowbank
Albert Foundry v Newmills
Aquinas v Tullyvallen
Ards Rangers v Larne Tech OB
Ballynahinch United v St Luke's
Ballynure OB v Fivemiletown United
Banbridge Rangers v Bourneview Mill
Banbridge Town v Cookstown Youth
Bangor Amateurs v Dunloy
Belfast Celtic v Warrenpoint Town
Bloomfield v Oxford Sunnyside
Brantwood v Rosemount Rec
Colin Valley v PSNI
Comber Rec v Armagh City
Crewe United v Lurgan Town
Desertmartin v Wakehurst
Dollingstown v Lisburn Rangers
Drumaness Mills v Saintfield United
Dunmurry YM v Queen's University
Grove United v Tullycarnet
Holywood v Crumlin United
Killyleagh YC v Hanover
Kilmore Rec v Seagoe
Laurelvale v Rathfriland Rangers
Limavady United v Portavogie Rangers
Markethill Swifts v Islandmagee
Moyola Park v Newtowne
Greenisland v Orangefield OB
Portadown BBOB v Moneyslane
Portaferry Rovers v Finaghy
Rectory Rangers v Newbuildings United
Richhill AFC v St Mary's YC
Shankill United v Ballymoney United
St James' Swifts v Lisburn Distillery
St Oliver Plunkett v Newcastle
Strabane Athletic v Coagh United
Suffolk v Portstewart
Windmill Stars v Downshire YM
Woodvale v St Matthew's

Byes: Ballynahinch Olympic, Ballymacash Rangers, Mossley, Glebe Rangers, Shorts, Rathcoole, Seapatrick, Chimney Corner, Donegal Celtic, Derriaghy CC, Dromore Amateurs, Shamrock, Tobermore United, Immaculata, Rosario YC, 1st Bangor, Valley Rangers, Dunmurry Rec., Dromara Village, Crumlin Star, Lower Maze, Craigavon City, Wellington Rec.