Irish League clubs in line to face Conference League rivals from Kosovo, Iceland or Malta
Larne and Cliftonville have discovered potential opposition for the UEFA Conference League third qualifying round following today’s draw in Switzerland.
Back-to-back domestic title winners Larne suffered a first-hurdle exit from the Champions League qualifying stages following a 7-0 aggregate defeat to RFS of Lativa.
As a result, automatic placement into the Champions Path section of the Conference League draw has set up a clash with either FC Ballkani of Kosovo or Malta’s Hamrun Spartans.
Those two teams meet on Tuesday, July 23 and Tuesday, July 30 in the Conference League second qualifying round.
Larne lost out to Ballkani in last season’s Europa Conference League second qualifying round on a 7-1 aggregate tally.
Cliftonville’s first taste of European competition this summer will kick off on Wednesday, July 24 at Solitude against Auda of Latvia, before the away leg on Wednesday, July 21 in the UEFA Conference League second qualifying round.
Progress for the Irish Cup holders would create a tie in the competition’s third qualifying round against Iceland’s Breidablik or Drita of Kosovo.
That second qualifying round result will be settled following ties on Thursday, July 25 and Tuesday, July 30.
Provisional dates for the UEFA Conference League third qualifying round have been set as August 8 and 15.