Champions League & Uefa Cup draws: Derry City will play Armenian Premier League side Pyunik Yerevan in the first qualifying round of this season's Champions League, the draw for which was made in Zurich today.
In the Uefa Cup, Drogheda United will play Libertas of San Marino while St Patrick's Athletic face a considerably more challenging task against Danish side Odense.
All three Irish teams are drawn at home in their respective first leg games.
Derry - who replaced league winners Shelbourne in the Champions League following the Drumcondra side's off-field difficulties - are at the Brandywell on July 17th / 18th.
A visit to the 15,000 capacity Hanrapetakan Stadium will then be made a week later on July 24th / 25th.
Victory for Peter Hutton's side over the two-legs would set-up a meeting with Shakhtar Donestsk of Ukraine, a team that played in the group stages last season.
Derry would play the Ukrainians at home in the first leg should they negotiate the Armenians in three weeks time.
Last year Pyunik Yerevan played Moldovan side Serif Tiraspol in the first qualifying round and drew 0-0 at home before losing 2-0 on their travels.
However, for the three seasons prior to that they advanced to the second qualifying round. Last year their run was ended at that stage by Shakhtar.
Pyunik are record nine-time Armenian league winners and last season's success was their sixth in succession. The majority of their squad are also senior Armenian international and under-21 players.
But Derry - who were seeded for the draw - will hope the hype surrounding this European adventure can kick-start their season following a less than impressive start to the league campaign.
Irish Premier League champions Linfield face Swedish club Elsborg with Debrecen of Hungaria awaiting the winners
In the second round, Rangers will meet the winners of the match between Zeta and Kaunas.
The second round games will be played over two legs on July 31st-August 1st and August 7th / 8th with the winners progressing to the third qualifying round, where they will be met by another 18 teams entering at that stage. The 32 clubs in the third round will then compete for the 16 remaining places in the Champions League group stage.
St Patrick's manager John McDonnell can call on Pat Fenlon, the former Derry City and Shelbourne boss, for the rundown on Uefa Cup opponents Odense.
The Danish side eliminated Shelbourne 3-1 on aggregate in last season's Intertoto Cup and, a decade ago, famously beat the mighty Real Madrid to reach the Uefa Cup quarter-finals.
Joseph Ndo, the former Cameroon international who scored Shelbourne's goal against the Danes last season, is now playing for St Patrick's and is another McDonnell can turn to.
Odense are currently fourth in the Danish League and will travel to Richmond Park for the first leg.
Drogheda - who reached the second qualifying round last season - are playing their European games in Dalymount Park this campaign and, like St Patrick's, also play host in the opening fixture.
"It's a big game, no doubt about it," said manager Paul Doolin. "All the lads are looking forward to it, and I think last year's great run will stand to us this time round.
"But we've a big league game on Monday against Galway, so for now that's all we're concentrating on."
First legs will be played July 19th with the second scheduled for August 2nd.
Champions League, first round (July 17/18 & 24/25)
Khazar Lenkoran v D Zagreb
Apoel FC v Bate Borisov
FC Sheriff v FC Ranger's
Hafnarfjodur v HB Torshavn
New Saints FC v FK Ventspils
FK Pobeda v Levadia Tallinn
Olimpi Rustavi v FC Astana
FK Zeta v FBK Kaunas
Tampere United v S.S Murata
F91 Dudelange v MSK Zilina
Linfield v IF Elfsborg
Derry Cityv FC Pyunik
Marsaxlokk FC v FC Sarajevo
NK Domzale v KF Tirana
Champions League, second round (July 31 / Aug 1 & Aug
7/8)
Derry City/FC Pyunik v Shakhtar Donetsk
Crvena Zvezda v FK Pobeda/Levadia Tallinn
Rangers v FK Zeta/FBK Kaunas
Debreceni VSC v Linfield/IF Elfsborg
Zaglebie Lubin v Steaua Bucuresti
KRC Genk v Marsaxlokk FC/FK Sarajevo
New Saints FC/FK Ventspils v FC Salzburg
Olimpi Rustavi/FC Astana v Rosenborg BK
Hafnarfjodur/HB Torshavn v Apoel FC/Bate Borisov
FC Coepenhagen v Beitar Jerusalem
F91 Dudelange/MSK Zilina v Slavia Prague
Tampere Utd/S.S Murata v Levski Sofia
NK Domzale/KF Tirana v Khazar Lenkoran/D Zagreb
Besiktas JK v FC Sheriff/ FC Ranger's
Uefa Cup, first qualifying round - Northern
section
B36 (Faroe Islands) v Ekranas (Lithuania)
Drogheda (Ireland)v Libertas (San Marino)
Haka Valkeakoski (Finland) v Rhyl (Wales)
Camarthen (Wales) v Brann Bergen (Norway)
Flora Tallinn (Estonia) v Valerenga (Norway)
EB/Streymur (Faroe Islands) v MyPa Myllykoski (Finland)
Dungannon (N.Ireland) v Suduva (Lithuania)
Kaerjeng (Luxembourg) v Lillestrom (Norway)
Metalurgs (Latvia) v Brest (Belarus)
Helsingborg (Sweden) v Trans Narva (Estonia)
Midtjylland (Denmark) v Keflavik (Iceland)
KR (Iceland) v Hacken (Sweden)
St Patrick's (Ireland)v Odense (Denmark)
HJK Helsinki (Finland) v Etzella (Luxembourg)
Glentoran (N.Ireland) v AIK (Sweden)
Skonto (Latvia) v Dinamo Minsk (Belarus)
