Irish sides discover Europa League and Conference League play-off opponents

Shamrock Rovers, Sligo Rovers and St Patrick’s Athletic are all hunting a place in group stages

Shamrock Rovers will face the loser of Ferencvaros of Hungary or Qarabag of Azerbaijan in the Europa League play-off qualifying round if they can win their third round clash. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
Shamrock Rovers will face the loser of Ferencvaros of Hungary or Qarabag of Azerbaijan in the Europa League play-off qualifying round if they can win their third round clash. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho

Shamrock Rovers will take on the loser of Qarabag and Ferencvaros in the Europa League play-offs if they can get past Shkupi of North Macedonia in the third stage of qualifying.

The first leg of that tie is in Tallaght on Wednesday night, with the return leg next Tuesday. Should they progress they are guaranteed group-stage football with the losers of their play-off dropping into the Europa Conference League.

If they lose to Shkupi they will face either KI of the Faroe Islands or FC Ballkani of Kosovo in the playoff round for the Conference League.

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Qarabag were in the Europa Conference League group stages last season and have played in the Europa League on three occasions. Ferencvaros beat German club Bayer Leverkusen during last year’s Europa League group stage.

Tuesday’s Europa Conference League draw paired Sligo Rovers with Dunajska Streda or FCSB — formerly Steaua Bucharest — in their play-off if they can first overcome Viking FK. While St Patrick’s Athletic will play the winners of Brondby and Basel if they beat CSKA Sofia.

Elsewhere in the Europa League playoff draw, Hearts will face Linfield or Swiss champions FC Zurich. Linfield host the Swiss side on Thursday in the first leg of the third qualifying round encounter.

Eamon Donoghue

Eamon Donoghue

Eamon Donoghue is a former Irish Times journalist