Soccer Shorts

Cork keep an eye on NyonWith the draw for the third round scheduled to take place in Nyon this morning, Cork City will discover just how large the stakes will be when they take on Red Star next week in the second leg of their Champions League second round qualifying tie, writes Emmet Malone.

With Liverpool and Arsenal among the clubs to enter the competition in the final knock-out round before the group stages the draw could hand the National League champions the added incentive of a hugely lucrative tie in the next round if only they can manage a shock win in Belgrade.

"We'll certainly be watching it with interest and Derek Kiely (the club's general manager) will be there but money won't be the motivation next week," said club chairman Brian Lennox. "This was the first time in quite a while that the lads had been beaten at Turner's Cross and they'll be looking for revenge out there. And with the players we have injured or suspended - Dan Murray joins the list of absentees after a late booking in Wednesday's game - the players know that they'll be heroes for years down here if they pull it off . . . they'll have songs written about the lot of them."

Lennox described reports that he was to meet with the club's disaffected midfield star George O'Callaghan yesterday as "rumours" but said that "if and when something does happen with George we'll be keeping it internal".

Form sides clash

Sligo Rovers, who were yesterday on the verge of signing Brian Cash from Derry City, head to Tolka Park tonight looking to build on a run of six wins in Premier Division outings, writes Emmet Malone.

Their hosts, Shelbourne, however, have gone one better by winning seven out of seven.

Shelbourne have been in blistering form of late and with Gary O'Neill the only player on Pat Fenlon's injured list the Dubliners are set to start with the same side that commenced last week's dismantling of UCD.

Having had a week off last week because of the postponement of the game against Cork, Rovers goalkeeper John O'Hara has fully recovered from the injury picked up against Bray and is likely to start.

Strikers Paul McTiernan and Seán Flannery are both out while the only potential partner for Darren Mansaram up front, Matt Judge, is struggling with a hamstring problem but seems set to start anyway.

In the first division Athlone take on Shamrock Rovers at St Mel's Park while Galway United, who yesterday signed Conor Gethins on loan from Finn Harps until the end of the season, face Limerick at Terryland Park.

Celtic on the double

Celtic are set to purchase Ukraine midfielder Anatoliy Timoshchuk and Netherlands striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink. Timoshchuk (27), who plays for Shakhtar Donetsk, was part of the Ukrainian team that reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Germany, while PSV Eindhoven striker Vennegoor of Hesselink was a substitute in the second-round defeat by Portugal.

Celtic are expected to finance both deals from the imminent sales of Stilian Petrov to Portsmouth and Stephen Pearson to Derby County.

Marseille show interest

Marseille president Pape Diouf has confirmed the club are interested in central defender Sol Campbell. Having recently decided to leave Arsenal, Campbell admitted last weekend he was willing to move abroad, and Marseille have now emerged as possible bidders.

In Brief

Uefa have delayed a decision until next week (August 2nd) on whether to allow AC Milan to participate in this season's Champions League. The draw for the third qualifying round takes place today and Milan will be included on a provisional basis.

Aston Villa hope to revive negotiations with American billionaire Randy Lerner regarding a takeover of the club.

Israel could be banned from playing club and international matches at home because of the worsening security situation in the Middle East.

YESTERDAY'S RESULTS

Uefa Cup (first qualifying round, second leg, selected games): Dinamo Bucharesti 5 Hibernian 1 (agg 9-1), FBK Kaunas 1 Portadown 0 (agg 4-1), Llanelli 0 Gefle 0 (agg 2-1), SK Brann 1 Glentoran 0 (Agg 2-0).

TODAY'S FIXTURES (7.45 unless stated)

National League Premier Division: Shelbourne v Sligo Rovers (8.0). National League First Division: Athlone Town v Shamrock Rovers, Galway Utd v Limerick FC.