Hibs Premiership and Scottish Cup 13-game sprint laid…

Hibs Premiership and Scottish Cup 13-game sprint laid out as split fixture dates confirmed

Hibernian could face a 13-game race to the end of the campaign as the Easter Road side discovered the fixture dates for the Scottish Premiership split.

SPFL chiefs have confirmed when the men in green and white will take on the other top five teams in the division as they look to hang on to a third-place finish and secure European football for next season.

The first post-split fixture is scheduled to be played on the weekend of April 10 and 11, a week after Jack Ross’s side embark on their delayed Scottish Cup campaign away at Queen of the South.

The SFA announced the competition would be played to a completion in a condensed format earlier this week after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon gave her backing for football outside of the top flight to resume following an eight-week hiatus.

Two midweek dates have also been pencilled in, with matchday 35 set to take place on either April 20 or 21 and the penultimate match of the season set for May 11 or 12.

Games will also be played around a much shorter Scottish Cup tournament, with the remaining fixtures to be played on May 1 and 2 before the final matches on May 15 and 16 - a week before the Hampden showpiece.

Should Hibs make it through the competition unscathed, they will play ten games in just over six weeks - without taking into account the three matches still outstanding from the regular Premiership season.

The Easter Road side go to St Johnstone this weekend before away trips at Ross County on March 13 and Livingston on March 20.

An international break on March 27 will see Scotland face Austria, Israel and the Faroe Islands prior to the return of domestic football.