KELTY HEARTS will welcome top flight opposition to New Central Park as their fixture schedule for the Premier Sports Cup was revealed.

Michael Tidser's League One outfit will compete in the group stage, the draw for which took place on Wednesday, and have landed a plum home match with Hibernian.

All-but five SPFL clubs, as well as Highland League winners and runners-up, Buckie Thistle and Brechin City, and Lowland League champions, East Kilbride, are involved in the first phase of the competition.

There are eight groups of five teams and the 'Maroon Machine' were placed in Group C, alongside Hibernian, Queen's Park, Elgin City and Peterhead.

Kelty, who have yet to progress from the group stage, kick off with a trip to League Two Elgin at Borough Briggs on Tuesday July 16, before facing two home fixtures.

On Saturday July 20, Hibs make the trip to New Central Park, before Peterhead come calling three days later on Tuesday July 23.

The final opponents for Tidser's team will be at Hampden against Championship outfit Queen's Park on Saturday July 27.

The Saturday matches kick off at 3pm with the Tuesday fixtures starting at 7.45pm.

The eight group winners, and the three best-placed runners up, will progress to the last 16, where they will be joined by Celtic, Rangers, Heart of Midlothian, Kilmarnock and St Mirren, who are not competing in the group phase due to their involvement in European competition.

Meanwhile, Livingston have announced that they will visit Kelty for a pre-season friendly on July 2 at New Central Park, with kick off at 7.45pm.