LOI Clubs In Europe Learn Their Fates as Qualifying Draws Are Made

Fans of LOI clubs in Europe can finally start to book their European trips as the draws for the first and second qualifying rounds of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Conference League have been made.

League of Ireland champions Shamrock Rovers will travel to Iceland for the second year in a row as they have been drawn against Besta deild karla champions Vikingur Reykjavík. Rovers will travel Iceland for the first leg on July 9/10 and the second leg will be in Tallaght on July 16/17.

The winners of the tie will face Czech giants Sparta Prague in the second qualifying round, with those games scheduled for July 23/24 and July 30/31. It will be the first time Sparta Prague have faced Irish opposition in Europe should Rovers advance.

The losers will drop into the champions path of the UEFA Conference League second qualifying round, where they will face either FK Borac Banja Luka of Bosnia and Herzegovina or KF Egnatia of Albania. Those matches will be scheduled for July 25th and August 1st, with the losers of Rovers tie playing the first leg at home.

Shamrock Rovers will face AC Sparta Praha (CZE) if they progress past Icelandic opposition. #LOIEURO | @ShamrockRovers pic.twitter.com/W3Vq0kef6c

— League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) June 19, 2024

Last season, Rovers were on the receiving end of a shocking upset, as they were knocked out of the Champions League by Breiðablik, losing both legs and going out 3-1 on aggregate.

2023 LOI runners-up Derry City will face Gibraltarian side FCB Magpies in the first qualifying round of the Conference League. The first leg will be played on July 11th in Gibraltar while the second leg is scheduled for July 18th in the Brandywell.

The winners of the tie will face off against Danish giants and European group stage regulars FC Copenhagen in the second qualifying round with the games scheduled for July 25th and August 1st.

Should Derry advance, this will be Copenhagen's second trip to Ireland, as they defeated Shamrock Rovers 3-0 on aggregate in Champions League qualifying back in 2011.

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The Candystripes will be hoping for another successful season in Europe after being knocked out in the third qualifying round of the Conference League to Kazakh side FC Tobol on penalties last season.

The winners of our tie against FCB Magpies will face FC Copenhagen in UEFA Europa Conference League Qualifying Round 2. pic.twitter.com/WndJnL5jj2

— Derry City FC (@derrycityfc) June 19, 2024

This will also be FCB Magpies second consecutive year facing Irish opposition in Europe, as they were knocked out by Dundalk 3-1 on aggregate at this stage last year.

Shelbourne will join Derry in facing Gibraltarian opposition as they were drawn against St. Josephs FC in the first qualifying round of the Conference League with first leg being held in Tolka Park on July 11tg and July 18th being the date of the second leg in Gibraltar.

The winners of the tie will travel to the Swiss captial to face FC Zurich with the first leg away in Zurich on July 25th and the second leg taking place August 1st.

Should Shelbourne advance, this his will be Zurich's first trip to Ireland since 1963 when they beat Dundalk 4-2 on aggregate their way to a European Cup semi-final.

Shelbourne will face FC Zurich if they progress past St. Joseph's in the UEFA Conference League Second Qualifying Round. #LOI | @shelsfc pic.twitter.com/q9Ii1wQJs2

— League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) June 19, 2024

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This will be Shels first European adventure since 2006, with Damien Duff's side hoping to replicate the heroics of their counterparts from 20 years ago who faced Deportivo La Coruña in the third qualifying round of the Champions League.

Meanwhile FAI Cup holders St. Patrick's Athletic will start their European campaign in the second qualifying round of the Conference League. They have been drawn against FC Vaduz from Liechtenstein. The first leg will take place on July 25th with the second leg scheduled for August 1st.

This will be Vaduz's second trip to Ireland after defeating Longford Town 4-2 on aggregate in the UEFA Cup back in 2004.

𝙀𝙪𝙧𝙤 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙬 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚

We have been drawn to play 🇱🇮 FC Vaduz in the @europacnfleague 2nd qualifying round. All dates, venues etc are to be confirmed. We will let you know as soon as we can!#StPatsFC pic.twitter.com/8VnEHkXJQb

— St Patrick's Athletic FC (@stpatsfc) June 19, 2024

Pats will be looking to improve from last seasons European campaign, as they fell to Luxembourgish side F91 Diddeleng 5-3 in the first qualifying round of the Conference League.