Eircom League Champions Shelbourne have been paired with Glentoran of the Irish League in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League. The winners will play Steaua Bucherest in the 2nd qualifying round.
The draw in Nyon, Switzerland, also paired European champions Liverpool with Welsh champions Total Network Solutions. The winners of that tie will play HB Torshavn of the Faroe Islands or FBK Kaunas of Lithuania in the second qualifying round.
There are some concerns about security for the all-Irish tie as sectarian tensions will be at their strongest as July 12 is the height of the marching season.
However, both clubs were keen to play down the impact on the match, especially as the cross-border Setanta Cup was a success last season with Shelbourne losing to Belfast side Linfield in the final.
Glentoran secretary Alex McWilliams said: "My first choice would have been Liverpool. Shelbourne would have been my second choice. We look forward to entertaining Shelbourne. At Glentoran we will look to a good friendly, competitive game."
Ollie Byrne, chief executive of Shelbourne said: "It is a great tie for the island of Ireland and we are looking forward to it. We do have reservations but we hope football will be the winner. The month of July is a difficult period on the island but thankfully everyone has been working very hard in a unified approach to solve these difficulties."
TNS director Richard Hann said that their home match would certainly have to be moved away from the club's Recreation Ground, which does not meet UEFA requirements.
Rather than the Millennium Stadium, where TNS faced Manchester City in 2003, Hann said: "It's more likely to be the Racecourse Ground in Wrexham. We only have a capacity of 2,000 so we're looking at Wrexham I think."
Up to 10,000 supporters would be able to attend that fixture, with UEFA rules decreeing that standing areas must remain close for European games.
He added: "Our home games have averaged just under 200 so we're expecting a few more there. We're very pleased. It a good local tie and with good local interest."
UEFA Champions League, First qualifying round
Liverpool v TNS
FC Haka v FC Pyunik
HB Torshavn v FBK Kaunas
Levadia Tallinn v Dinamo Tblisi
NK Gorica v SK Tirana
Kairat Almaty v Artmedia Bratislava
PFC Neftchi v FH Hafnarfjordur
FK Rabotnicki v Skonto Riga
Glentoran v Shelbourne
Dinamo Minsk v Anothosis Famagusta
Sliema Wanderers v Sheriff
F91 Dudelange v Zrinjski Mostar
UEFA Champions League, Second qualifying round
HB Torshavn/FBK Kounas v Liverpool/TNS
Levadia Tallinn/Dinamo Tbilisi v Brondby
Partizan Belgrade v Sliema Wanderers/Sheriff Tiraspol
Debrecen v Hajduk Split
Kairat Almaty/Artmedia Bratislava v Celtic
NK Gorica/SK Tirana v CSKA Sofia
Anderlecht v FH Neftchi/Hafanarjordur
Valerenga v FC Haka/FC Pyunik
Rabotnicki/Skonto Riga v Lokomotiv Moscow
F91 Dudelange/Zrinjski Mostar v Rapid Vienna
Dynamo Kiev v FC Thun
Malmo v Maccabi Haifa
Glentoran/Shelbourne v Steaua Bucuresti
Dinamo Minsk/Anorthosis Famagusta v Trabzonspor
