Europe boost for four Irish clubs

AIRTRICITY LEAGUE clubs go into the Champions League and Europa League draws next month with the most favourable odds in the history of Irish participation on the European stage.

Ireland’s representatives in Europe will be Airtricity League champions Shamrock Rovers, FAI Ford Cup holders Sligo Rovers, Bohemians and St Pat’s.

As a result of FK Borac Banja Luka winning the League title in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Shamrock Rovers will be seeded in the draw for the second qualifying round of the Champions League.

The Hoops will face one of the following 17 clubs in that round: Dacia Chisinau (Moldova), FC Pyunik Yerevan (Armenia), FK Borac Banja Luka (Bosnia-Herzegovina), Skonto Riga (Latvia), FC Fehérvár (Hungary), Bangor City (Wales), HB Torshavn (Faroe Islands), Linfield (Northern Ireland), Tobol Kustanai (Kazakhstan), F91 Dudelange (Luxembourg), Flora Tallinn (Estonia), Breidablik (Iceland), FC Valletta (Malta), Neftchi Baku (Azerbaijan), Shkendija Tetovo (FYR Macedonia), Skënderbeu Korçë (Albania) and FK Mogren (Montenegro).Victory in the second round would guarantee Shamrock Rovers a minimum of four extra European matches including a play-off for a place in the group stages of the Europa League if required.

Financially, it would also mean a minimum payment of €550,000 from UEFA — €330,000 of which is already guaranteed — and the club would also garner €130,000 should the Hoops qualify for the next round.

Rovers would also benefit to the tune of a further €90,000 should they fail to qualify for the Champions League group stages and move into the Europa League.

By virtue of FC Porto winning the Europa League rather than Braga, Sligo Rovers — as FAI Ford Cup winners — will be forwarded to the third qualifying round of the Europa League as Porto do not require the title holder’s place in the Europa League as they have qualified for the Champions League next season.

Ireland is placed 29th on the access/ranking list. This would be the first time ever that an Irish club was exempted from two rounds of a European club competition.