Pack your bags students, you're off to Europe. UEFA have confirmed that Ireland have been given an additional place in the Europa League this season and it's going to UCD.
Back in January, it became clear that this was a very definite possibility. Ireland topped the UEFA Respect Fair Play League at the time and needed to stay in the top three until May to claim a spot in the first qualifying round of the 2015/16 Europa League.
Ireland have now finished third behind the Netherlands and England and according to UEFA;
The three associations that are allocated an additional UEFA Europa League place will be entitled to enter the club that has won their domestic top-division fair play competition.
It is even possible for a team that has been relegated to the second highest division to qualify for the UEFA Europa League as a result of its exemplary conduct during the domestic championship.
That suits UCD just perfectly. The Students were relegated at the end of last season but, given their fair play record, they get a chance to test themselves in European competition and they get a share of the bumper prize money that was announced for the tournament this year.
They seem quite happy about it.
Ireland have today been awarded an additional UEFA Europa League spot for the Fair Play Award! UCD will get this spot subject to licensing!!
— UCD AFC (@UCDAFC) May 8, 2015
