A CLASH WITH Scottish giants Rangers could be the reward for Cork City if they win their first qualifying round tie in the Europa League.
The Leesiders will face Steven Gerrard’s side should both teams advance from their respective assignments in the opening round.
City are due to face the winners of the preliminary round meeting of Progrès Niederkorn (Luxembourg) and Cardiff Metropolitan University (Wales). Rangers await the winners of the tie involving FC Prishtina (Kosovo) and St Joseph’s (Gibraltar).
Shamrock Rovers and St Patrick’s Athletic are the other two SSE Airtricity League clubs in the Europa League. If Rovers are victorious against SK Brann (Norway), they’ll face Zalgiris (Lithuania) or Apollon Limassol (Cyprus). The prize for Pat’s if they get the better of IFK Norrkoping (Sweden) will be a clash with Dinamo Minsk (Belarus) or FK Liepāja (Latvia).
The first legs of the second qualifying round ties are due to be played on 25 July, followed by the second legs on 1 August. The first qualifying round games will take place on 11 and 18 July.
Rangers, who finished second to Celtic in Scotland in the 2018-19 season, last faced Irish opposition in Europe when they encountered Shelbourne in the Uefa Cup in 1998.
The Glasgow outfit were 7-3 winners on aggregate after a tie which saw Shels play their home leg at Prenton Park — home of English club Tranmere Rovers — due to safety concerns over staging the game in Dublin.
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