Shels to host Palace after Conference League draw

Shelbourne will welcome FA Cup winners Crystal Palace to Dublin and will also face an away trip to play Troy Parrott's AZ Alkmaar after the draw for the Conference League was made this afternoon.

Stephen Bradley's Shamrock Rovers, who reached the knockout phase of the competition last season, have been handed a relatively tough draw, with a home tie against Shakhtar Donetsk and an away game against Sparta Prague awaiting them.

It was the first time ever that two League of Ireland clubs were involved in the draw for the league/group phase of a European competition, following a historic night in which Shels saw off Linfield and Shamrock Rovers overcame Portuguese side Santa Clara 2-1 on aggregate.

The 2024 Premier Division champions Shels, participating in the group phase for the first time ever, were handed a home tie against Palace, the Premier League's only participant who were contentiously demoted from the Europa League after being in breach of UEFA's multi-club ownership regulations.

Shels' stiffest away test is against Pot 1 side AZ Alkmaar, the Dutch club for whom Parrott has been in a rich vein of form in 2025.

Otherwise, they will host Football Superleague of Kosovo side FC Drita and Swedish outfit Hacken. Their remaining away trips are to Slovenian outfit NK Celje - who have also once again drawn Shamrock Rovers - and North Macedonian champions Shkendija.

Shamrock Rovers, entering the Conference League league/group phase for the third time, will face testing away trips to Sparta Prague, AEK Athens and old foes Breidablik, who eliminated them from the 2023-24 Champions League qualifiers.

At home, they will take on Shakhtar Donetsk, as well as Celje, who they defeated in last year's qualifiers, and Maltese outfit Hamrun Spartans.

Shamrock Rovers keeper Ed McGinty celebrates after last night's game

The format is the same as last year, with the top eight teams of the 36 after six games progressing directly to the last 16, while those placed between ninth and 24th proceed to the knockout phase play-off.

After winning three and drawing two of their six league phase games last year - only losing away to eventual winners Chelsea - Shamrock Rovers progressed in 10th place overall, subsequently losing out in the knockout phase to Molde on penalties.

Conference League draw

Shelbourne: Crystal Palace (H), AZ Alkmaar (A), Drita (H), Celje (A), Hacken (H), Shkendija (A)

Shamrock Rovers: Shakhtar Donetsk (H), Sparta Prague (A), Celje (H), AEK Athens (A), Hamrun Spartans (H) and Breidablik (A)

In the Europa League draw, which like the Conference League, also took place at at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, Nottingham Forest will face Malmo in a repeat of their 1979 European Cup final triumph during their campaign this season.

Trevor Francis headed the only goal in Munich to seal Forest's famous win and they successfully defended their European crown the following season by beating Hamburg.

Forest, promoted to the Europa League due to Crystal Palace's demotion, having qualified for the Conference League last season, will play Malmo at the City Ground.

Nuno Espirito Santo's side also face home ties against Porto, Ferencvaros and Midtjylland, with away trips to Real Betis, Braga, Sturm Graz and Utrecht.

Aston Villa will play last season's Coppa Italia winners Bologna at Villa Park and three more home ties against Salzburg, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Young Boys, while they face trips to Feyenoord, Fenerbahce, Basel and Go Ahead Eagles.

Celtic missed out on progression to the main Champions League draw after losing out on penalties to Kazakh side Kairat in their play-off on Tuesday.

The Scottish champions will welcome Roma, Braga, Sturm Graz and Utrecht to Celtic Park, with away ties against Feyenoord, Red Star Belgrade, Midtjylland and Bologna.

Rangers, who also dropped down to the Europa League following their thumping 9-1 aggregate defeat to Club Brugge in the Champions League play-offs, will face Roma, Braga, Ludogorets and Genk at Ibrox.

Russell Martin's side will travel to Porto, Ferencvaros, Sturm Graz and Brann for their away ties.

Additional reporting: PA

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