Soccer

Celtic get Cliftonville in Champions qualifier

Sligo Rovers are drawn against Norwegian side Molde

Celtic manager Neil Lennon. Photograph: Lorraine O’Sullivan/Inpho
Celtic manager Neil Lennon. Photograph: Lorraine O’Sullivan/Inpho
Mon Jun 24 2013 - 11:50

Celtic will face Cliftonville in the second qualifying round of the Champions League.

The Hoops are set to host the Northern Ireland club at Celtic Park on July 16th or 17th.

Should they overcome the Danske Bank Premiership winners, Neil Lennon's men will need to get through two more qualifying rounds to reach the group stage. Sligo Roversw have been drawn against Norwegian side Molde, who are manager by former Manchester Unitged striker, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Ian Baraclough’s side will hosts Ole Gunnar Solksjaer’s outfit in the first leg at The Showgrounds on 16th/17th July with the second leg on 23rd/24th July. The dates will be finalised in due course.

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In the UEFA Europa League, St Patrick’s Athletic were paired with VMFD Žalgiris of Lithuania with the away leg scheduled to be first while Drogheda United will host Malmö FF at Tallaght Stadium. The dates for the First Qualifying Round are July 4th and 11th. All dates and home/away legs are pending confirmation.

If St Pat’s get past the Lithuanian side they will face either Fk Teteks (Macedonia) or FC Pyunik (Armenia) in the second qualifying round.

Should Drogheda United get past the Swedes they will encounter Scottish side Hibernian FC - who are managed by former Bohemians, Derry City and Shelbourne boss Pat Fenlon.

Former European Cup finalists Malmo FF previously played Cork City in the UEFA InterToto Cup in 2004 with the Airtricity League side progressing 4-1 on aggregate after home and away victories while they also beat Dundalk 4-0 on aggregate in the 1995 UEFA Cup.

erry City were in the pot for the second qualifying round and they pulled out a tough test in Turkish side Trabzonspor. The Turks previously played Bray Wanderers in the UEFA Cup Winners Cup in 1990.

First Qualifying Round: Shirak v Tre Penne Lusitanos v EB/Streymur. Ties to be played 2/3 and 9/10 July

Second Qualifying Round: Neftci v Skenderbeu; Steaua Bucuresti v Vardar; Plzen v Zeljeznicar; FC Sheriff v Sutjeska; Birkirkara v Maribor; Sligo Rovers v Molde; IF Elfsborg v FC Daugava; HJK Helsinki v Nomme Kalju; FK Ekranas v FH Hafnarfjordur; The New Saints v Legia Warsaw; Celtic v Cliftonville; Dinamo Zagreb v CS Fola; Esch Gyor v Maccabi Tel-Aviv; BATE v Shakhtyor; Karaganda Shirak/Tre Penne v Partizan Belgrade; Slovan Bratislava v Ludogorets; Dinamo Tbilisi v Lusitanos/EB/Streymur. Ties to be played July 16th/17th and July 23rd/24th July.

The UEFA Europa League first qualifying round draw is as follows: Vikingur v Inter Turku; VMFD Zalgiris v St Patricks Athletic; Airbus UK v FK Ventspils; Trans Narva v Gefle; IF KR Reykjavik v Glentoran; Chikhura Sachkhere v FC Vaduz; FC Milsami v F91 Dudelange; Metalurg v FK Karabakh; Mladost Podgorica v Videoton; FC Flora Tallinn v FK Kukesi; Teteks v Pyunik; KS Teuta v FC Dacia; Libertas v FK Sarajevo; Sliema Wanderers v Khazar Lenkoran; Levski Sofia v Irtysh; Hibernians v Vojvodina; Astana v Bulgaria No.3; UE Santa Coloma v Zrinjski; Mostar Domzale v FC Astra; Ploiesti Rudar Pljevlja v FC Mika; Santa Coloma v Breidablik; Drogheda Utd v Malmo FF; IFK Mariehamn v Inter Baku; IF Fuglafjordur v Linfield; Prestatyn Town v SK Liepajas; Metalurgs CM Celje v Tromso; FC Tiraspol v Skonto;FC; Crusaders v Rosenborg; IBV Vestmannaeyjar v HB Torshavn; Jeunesse Esch v TPS; Bala Town v Levadia Tallinn; FK Kruoja v Dinamo Minsk; Fiorita v Valletta; Laci v FC 03 Differdange; Gandzasar Kapan v Aktobe; Celik v Budapest Honved ;Torpedo Kutaisi v MSK Zilina; FK Turnovo v FK Suduva.

Ties to be played 4 and 11 July

Second qualifying round draw (18th & 25th July): Trabzonspor v Derry City; Drogheda United or Malmö FF v Hibernian FC; VMFD Žalgiris or St Patrick's Athletic v FK Teteks or FC Pyunik