Saintly sight

Cliftonville will face St Joseph’s in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League.

This afternoon’s draw at UEFA Headquarters in Nyon pitted the Reds with the side who finished runners-up in last season’s Gibraltar Football League.

The Saints traditionally play at the 5,000-capacity Victoria Stadium but will utilise the Europa Point Stadium (below) for this term’s European action.

The upcoming contests will represent the Reds’ first ever meeting with Gibraltarian opposition, while St Joseph’s only prior experience of coming up against an Irish League side saw them overcome Larne in the Conference League in 2022.

The first leg of next month’s tie is scheduled for Thursday, July 10 with the return game taking place on July 17 and, while all arrangements remain subject to change owing to television, security and UEFA’s single-fixture-per-city policy obligations, supporters are urged against making any travel arrangements whatsoever until both fixtures have been officially confirmed by the Club.

Cliftonville Chief Operating Officer David Begley was present at today’s draw in Switzerland and will communicate details of the tie when they have been ratified with both UEFA and our counterparts at St Joseph’s.