UEFA Champions League: Hibernians drawn with Shamrock Rovers

Hibernians were drawn with Shamrock Rovers of Ireland in the first qualifying round of the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League. The first leg will be played in Ireland. The draws were held on Tuesday at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland.

First qualifying round first legs are scheduled for 5/6 July and the second legs for 12/13 July.

This will be the fourth time Hibernians will be facing a team from the Republic of Ireland. In 1979/80, Hibs were eliminated by Dundalk from the first round of the Champions Cup, losing 2-0 away from home and winning 1-0 at home. The following year, in the Cup Winners Cup, the Paolites defeated Waterford 1-0 at home but lost 0-4 in Ireland while in 2002/03, Hibernians qualified to the second qualifying round of the Champions League after beating Shelbourne 1-0 away from home following a 2-2 draw at Ta’ Qali.

Shamrock Rovers Football Club, based in Tallaght, South Dublin, is the most successful club in the Republic of Ireland. The club has won the League of Ireland title a record 19 times and the FAI Cup a record 25 times. Shamrock Rovers have supplied more players to the Republic of Ireland national football team than any other club.

Their best achievement in Europe was in 2011/12 when they had managed to reach the group stage of the UEFA Europa League after defeating Partizan Belgrade in the play-off round. Last season, they reached the play-off round of the UEFA Europa Conference League but were eliminated by Flora Tallinn of Estonia.

They won the 2021 championship, finishing sixteen points clear of runners-up St. Patrick’s Athletic.

The first qualifying round winners advance to the second qualifying round. Defeated teams transfer to the UEFA Europa Conference League Champions Path second qualifying round.

Pyunik (ARM) vs CFR Cluj (ROU)
Maribor (SVN) vs Shakhtyor Soligorsk (BLR)
Ludogorets Razgrad (BUL) vs Sutjeska Nikšić (MNE)
Diddeleng (LUX) vs Tirana (ALB)
Tobol (KAZ) vs Ferencváros (HUN)

Malmö (SWE) vs Preliminary round winners
Ballkani (KOS) vs Žalgiris (LIT)
HJK (FIN) vs RFS (LVA)
Bodø/Glimt (NOR) vs KÍ (FRO)
The New Saints (WAL) vs Linfield (NIR)

Shamrock Rovers (IRL) vs Hibernians (MLT)
Lech Poznań (POL) vs Qarabağ (AZE)
Shkupi (MKD) vs Lincoln Red Imps (GIB)
Zrinjski (BIH) vs Sheriff (MDA)
Slovan Bratislava (SVK) vs Dinamo Batumi (GEO)

seeded teams in bold