Irish officials selected for UEFA competitions

It has been a week of note for League of Ireland referees with a number of officials being selected by UEFA to officiate in both the Europa League and the Champions League qualifiers in the coming weeks.

These competitions have already had Irish representation in the middle of the field this season with Paul McLaughlin leading a team of four Irish officials at the Champions League qualifying tie between FC Santa Coloma and KF Drita of Kosovo.

Previously McLaughlin had been in charge for four Europa League qualifiers but the recent tie in preliminary round tie in Gibralter was his first time in charge of qualifier in the Champions League.

League of Ireland regular Rob Hennessy has also been involved as he took charge, as part of a four man Irish officiating team, of the Champions League First Round qualifying tie in the Faroe Islands between Vikingur Gota and HJK Helsinki. 

Last season Hennessy made his debut as an official in one of UEFA’s premier club competitions. He was in charge of the Skenderbeu and UE Sant Julia tie Europa League tie which took place in Albania.

With this round of fixtures, the focus is on the Europa League first with Rob Hennessy overseeing the first qualifying round tie between Levski Sofia and FC Vaduz.

Paul McLaughlin meanwhile will be involved in the upcoming Regions Cup in Lithuania beginning on Wednesday 16 July, with Darragh Keegan also travelling to the tournament as an assistant referee.

Teams in that tournament include FK Nev?žis of Lithuania, Dostar of Kazakhstan, Paide of Estonia and Ironi Tiberias of Israel. 

Additional reporting by Macdara Ferris