Copenhagen lie in wait for Hoops

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.

“If we do get through Tuesday’s game, Copenhagen is the toughest tie football-wise we could have asked for,” said Hoops chairman Jonathan Roche after yesterday’s draw at UEFA headquarters. “Copenhagen have been in the group stages before and are a formidable team. If we do get to play Copenhagen, it would be a really tough game. But we would go into the Europa League if we lose. Getting an extended European run like that is another incentive.”

Meanwhile, in the Europa League, Sligo Rovers, received a bye into the third round and will face either Glentoran or Ukrainian side Poltova, with the latter travelling to the Oval next week with a 2-0 advantage over the Belfast side.

St Patrick’s Athletic, who trail Kazakhstan side Shakhter Karagandy 2-1 ahead of Thursday’s home leg at Richmond Park, could face a Ukrainian assignment, FC Karpaty from Lvivin, in the next round.

And Bohemians will be up against either Rudar Pljevlja or Austria Vienna but only if they can first overcome a 2-0 deficit against Olimpija Ljubljana at Dalymount Park next week.