Dundalk to play Icelandic champions in Champions League qualifying

Dundalk will face Iceland outfit FH Hafnarfjördur in their second round qualifier for the Champions League next month.

Monday morning's draw pairs Stephen Kenny's Airtricity Premier League champions with the the reigning champions in the Icelandic league.

Former Dundalk striker Steven Lennon will line out against his old club - who are hopeful of going on a competitive run in Europe this season after being drawn against, and subsequently beaten by BATE Borisov at this stage of last season’s qualifying.

The first leg takes place at Oriel Park on July 12/13th with the return leg in Iceland a week later.

In the Europa League draw, also made on Monday morning, Cork City have drawn 51-time Northern Irish league champions Linfield in an All-Ireland derby.

Shamrock Rovers play Finnish side RoPS Rovaniemi while St Pat’s play Luxembourg’s Jeunesse Esch.

Champions League draw

Meanwhile Celtic will face the winner of Flora Tallinn of Estonia and Lincoln of Gibraltar - as Brendan Rodgers looks to get the SPL champions back into the group stages of the Champions League. In his first season in charge.

Lincoln reached the second qualifying round last season in Gibraltar’s second campaign in European competition, having lost to HB Torshavn of the Faroes on their debut.

They beat Santa Coloma of Andorra 2-1 on aggregate in their opening fixture before going out 3-0 on aggregate to Danish side Midtjylland, who went on to meet Manchester United in the last 32 of the Europa League.

The Red Imps have won 13 national titles in a row and their squad includes Lee Casciaro, who scored Gibraltar’s first competitive international goal in a 6-1 defeat to Scotland at Hampden last year.

Flora sit fourth in the Estonian league after 17 games of their season.

Their title success last year sees them return to Europe after a two-year absence. They lost to Albanian side Kukes in the first qualifying round of the Europa League on their last appearance and have only succeeded in one of their 20 encounters in European competition.

Their youth programme is acclaimed in Estonia having produced players including Dundee United striker Henri Anier.

Celtic had trickier potential opponents in the group of unseeded teams in their section of the draw, including Swedish champions IFK Norrkoping as well as two Irish teams.

Northern Ireland’s Premiership champions Crusaders were drawn out against Danish side Copenhagen while Wales’ representatives, The New Saints, begin their campaign in the first round against Tre Penne of San Marino with a match against Apoel of Cyprus on offer for the winners.