All the details and seedings as Shamrock Rovers await Euro draw after boost

Irish Daily Mirror

7 hours ago

Shamrock Rovers, who were handed a huge European boost on the back of League of Ireland rivals Drogheda United's heartbreaking removal from the Europa Conference League, will on Wednesday discover their second qualifying round opponents.
The Hoops were due to be in the first qualifying round draw on Tuesday, along with St Patrick's Athletic, who were paired with Lithuanian side FC Hagelmann.
However, following the Court of Arbitration for Sport's decision to boot Drogheda out of the competition over a breach of the multi-club ownership rules, Rovers were bumped up to the second qualifying round.
It's just four months since the club last competed in Europe. Last season Stephen Bradley's side embarked on a historic journey all the way to the last-32, where they were eliminated on penalties by Molde.
They qualified for the League phase - for the second time in three seasons - by progressing through the so-called champions route, starting in the Champions League, then dropping into the Europa League, where a win over Celje earned them guaranteed group stage football.
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What's at stake?
This time around, for Shamrock Rovers, it's a trickier path, as Shelbourne are Ireland's representatives in the Champions League. However, their sudden bye into the second qualifying round has eased things a little.
And they are boosted by the fact that their European performances in recent years, not least last season, means they are seeded not only in the second and third and, crucially, the play-off round, if they get there.
Unlike in recent seasons when they started in the Champions League, however, there is no safety net. Lose at any stage and they are out.
When is the draw?
The draw takes place on Wednesday June 18 at 3pm Irish time.
Where can I watch it?
UEFA will stream the draw live.
What about the Ts & Cs?
UEFA will confirm any changes, groupings (regional) and draw procedure on Wednesday morning.
So, who might they face?
Currently on the unseeded side of the second qualifying round draw are clubs such as HB Torshavn (Faroes), Hibernians (Malta) and Dungannon Swifts (Northern Ireland). A bunch of unseeded clubs will also emerge from the first round ties.
Worryingly, there are some really difficult opponents on the unseeded side, including Swedish duo Hammarby and AIK Stockholm.