Eircom Premier League champions Shelbourne, will get the ball rolling when they travel to The Oval, Belfast to face Glentoran, winners of the Irish League last season in rhr UEFA Champions League. Shelbourne appear to have recovered from their recent slump in form which started with defeat in the final of the Setanta Cup to Glentoran’s arch rivals Linfield.

Recent improved results have co-incided with the return to first team duty of injury victims, James Harris, Dave Rogers and most particularly, captain, Owen Heary. With Jason Byrne and Glen Crowe in tandem up front, Shelbourne will be optimistic of obtaining a good result to set themselves up for the second leg, one week later.

Eircom Premier League runners up Cork City, who like Shelbourne, performed with great distinction in Europe last season, travel to Lithuania where they face an extremely tough task against Ekranes in the UEFA Cup. City have performed with great consistency throughout the season to date and will look to the confidence derived from their current position at the top of the league to provide the impetus for another inspired European performance.

Dual cup winners Longford Town, play hosts to Welsh Cup winners Carmarthan at Flancare Park on Thursday night and will be seeking to improve upon their disappointing European results of last season. Longford will have the benefit of being fully fit as the Eircom League is in full flow while their Welsh visitors are still in pre season mode. Town will be disappointed if they are unable to progress to the next stage of the UEFA Cup.