Shamrock Rovers facing December trip to Stamford Bridge

Shamrock Rovers will be hoping for an early Christmas present as their Uefa Conference League clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge has been pencilled in for 19 December.

Stephen Bradley's side will begin with a home match against APOEL on 3 October before a short trip to Belfast for their second match, an away game with Irish League champions Larne on 24 October.

Welsh outfit The New Saints visit Tallaght Stadium on 7 November before the side travel to Austria to take on Rapid Vienna on 28 November and FK Borac on 12 December with the trip to London rounding off their league stage.

Larne, who will play their home games at Linfield’s Windsor Park rather than their own base Inver Park, are on the road first time out as they head to Norway to face Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s former team Molde on 3 October.

After Rovers visit, they have another Belfast date as St Gallen arrive to Windsor on 7 November.

Matchday four sees them travel to Slovenia to face Olimpija Ljubljana on 18 November with an away day again in Belarus against Dinamo Minsk on 12 December.

While Rovers are taking on Chelsea on 19 December, Larne will be playing Gent at home.