St Pat’s set for Conference League tie with Vaduz, with Shamrock Rovers on Champions League collision course with Sparta Prague

Jake Mulraney (left) with Saints full-back Ryan McLaughlin

Jake Mulraney (left) with Saints full-back Ryan McLaughlin Credit: Matthew Lysaght (ETPhotos)

FAI Cup holders St Patrick’s Athletic have been handed a rather kind Conference League draw against Vaduz. 

The Liechtenstein outfit have been paired with the Saints with the second round tie set to be played next, pending confirmation from Uefa. 

And they have won the Liechtenstein Cup to qualify for the Conference League. 

Vaduz played against Longford Town in the 2004/05 edition of the Uefa Cup and won the tie 4-2 on aggregate. 

But they play league games in the Swiss second-tier and qualified for the Conference League group stage in the 2022/23 version of the competition. 

The Saints are due to play the first leg at home before travelling to the 7,500 capacity Rheinpark Stadion for the second leg. 

Meanwhile, Shelbourne and Derry City have been handed daunting second round ties if they win their respective first round qualifiers. 

Shels are due to play Gibraltarian side St Joseph’s and the winner of that two-legged clash will play against Swiss side Zurich. 

And Derry City will play against Danish giants Copenhgan should they see off Bruno’s Magpies in their first round tie.

Meanwhile, Shamrock Rovers will play against Czech Republic side Sparta Prague in the second round of the Champions League qualifiers if they defeat Icelandic champions Vikingur Reykjavik in the first round. 

The Czech’s reached the last-16 of the Europa League last season before losing 11-2 on aggregate to Liverpool.

If Rovers defeat Vikingur, they will need to win just one of their remaining qualifiers to play European group stage football this season.  

But if the Hoops lose, they will drop into the second qualifying round of the Conference League and win all of their remaining three ties to reach the group stages. 



And should they be beaten by Vikingur, they will play the losers of the tie between  FK Borac Banja Luka of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Albanians KF Egnatia.

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