SHAMROCK ROVERS WILL face either Teuta of Albania or Inter Club d’Escaldes of Andorra in the third qualifying round of the Europa Conference League.
The winners will advance to the play-off round, leaving them one tie from the group stages.
Rovers dropped into the new third-tier competition having lost their Champions League qualifier against Slovan Bratislava, but benefited from a bye through the second qualifying round and their status as domestic champions, meaning they availed of the separate ‘champions path’ to the group stages.
Thus Teuta and Inter will play each other in the second qualifying round, and the winners will face Rovers over a two-legged tie to take place on 5 and 12 August.
It is a relatively favourable draw for Rovers, and Inter will be a familiar name to Irish football fans: Dundalk beat them on their way to the Europa League group stages last year.
Dundalk and Bohemians, by contrast, will be handed tougher third-round assignments should they win their second-round ties.
Should Dundalk win their tie against Levadia Tallinn, they will face Vitesse of the Netherlands, while Bohs’ prize for a victory against Dudelange of Luxembourg is a tie with Greek side PAOK.
Elsewhere in the Champions League qualifiers, Celtic must beat Midtjylland in the second qualifying round to set up a daunting third qualifying round tie against either PSV Eindhoven or Galatasaray. Defeat against Midtylland will send them to a Europa League tie against Jablonec of Czech Republic.
Unlike their city rivals, Rangers had seeded status in the Champions League draw, and will face either Malmo or HJK Helsinki in the third qualifying round.
