IN the wake of Shamrock Rovers’ success on Tuesday in the Champions League, it’s Dublin on the double tonight for the Airtricity League in Europe as St Patrick’s Athletic and Bohemians both seek to turn home second legs to their advantage in the Europa League.

LEADING 1-0 from the home leg, Shamrock Rovers still have a lot to do to see off Flora Tallinn in the Champions League in Estonia next Tuesday but, if they can manage that, the Irish champions now know they will face FC Copenhagen in the next round.

DARE VRSIC scored a penalty and a stunning free-kick to leave Bohemians with a difficult night ahead of them in the second leg of this Europa League tie at Dalymount next week.

Olimpija Ljubljana 2 Bohemians 0

AS well as finalising his own team’s preparation with training at the ŠRC Stoice Stadium, Pat Fenlon was busy last night doing his homework on Slovenian opponents Olimpija Ljubljana ahead of tonight’s Europa League second round first-leg tie (7pm, Irish time).

UEFA Europa League (First Qualifying Round, second leg)

SHAMROCK ROVERS will face Estonian champions FC Flora in the UEFA Champions League second round qualifiers, the draw for which was made at UEFA headquarters in Nyon yesterday.

Newcastle will believe they have a good chance of reaching the last 16 of the UEFA Cup after being drawn to face Norwegian side Valerenga in the third round.

Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier has claimed the pitch for his side’s UEFA Cup clash with Steaua Bucharest is the worst he has ever seen.

MICHAEL OWEN will miss Liverpool’s UEFA Cup away game to Steaua Bucharest tomorrow with more problems from his ankle injury.

Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier has thrown doubt on Michael Owen’s chances of playing for England against Denmark at Old Trafford this month.

Gerard Houllier will look for inspiration from two of his other England stars for Liverpool’s salvation in the continued absence of Michael Owen.

Manchester City have been drawn to play Polish side Groclin in the second round of the UEFA Cup.

GERARD HOULLIER’S decision was justified, as Steven Gerrard put in a captain’s performance for Liverpool as they made comfortable progress to the UEFA Cup second round.

Gerard Houllier paid tribute to Emile Heskey as Liverpool crushed Olimpija Ljubljana to reach the second round of the UEFA Cup.

Liverpool 3 Olimpija Ljubljana 0 (Liverpool win 4-1 on aggregate)

Liverpool 3 Olimpija Ljubljana 0 (Liverpool win 4-1 on aggregate)

Steven Gerrard captains Liverpool for the first time tonight in the UEFA Cup clash at Anfield against Olimpija Ljubljana.

GERARD HOULLIER yesterday launched a strong defence of Emile Heskey in the wake of the television footage which apparently implicated the Liverpool striker in the Turkish tunnel fracas.

Liverpool will be without Michael Owen as they seek to advance past Olimpija Ljubljana in the UEFA Cup at Anfield.

Liverpool’s Danny Murphy is struggling to recover from a leg muscle injury in time for Sunday’s trip to Charlton.

Gerard Houllier has challenge Michael Owen to set a Liverpool scoring record in Europe that will be “unbreakable”.

Olimpija Ljubljana 1 Liverpool 1

Olimpija Ljubljana 1 Liverpool 1

Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier wants his club to become the unashamed kings of the UEFA Cup.

MICHAEL OWEN has spent the past seven months on the brink of eclipsing Ian Rush’s all-time Liverpool goalscoring record in Europe.

Blackburn and Turkish rivals Genclerbirligi both insist there will be no security fears stemming from the clubs being paired in the first round of the UEFA Cup.

Shelbourne slumped to an abject defeat as their UEFA Cup dream was ripped to shreds at Tolka Park.

Shelbourne 2 Olimpija Ljubljana 3 (Agg: 2-4)

Shelbourne are in Slovenia to play Olimpija Ljubljana in the UEFA Cup tonight.