Callaghan relieved as Bohs handed 'kind' Europa draw

Aidan Fitzmaurice

BOHEMIANS boss Aaron Callaghan is relieved that his side have avoided a nightmare trip for the first qualifying round of the Europa League after they were handed one of the easiest draws possible.

Bohs managed to escape a potential trip to Azerbaijan, as they were paired with Thor Akureyi. An Icelandic second tier side who have qualified for Europe for the first time, they are the weakest side in the draw. The reward for Bohs, should they progress, would be a second-round meeting with Czech side Mlada Boleslav.

The logistics are still a problem for Bohs, and the Gypsies are exploring the possibility of travelling on a charter flight for the away leg on July 12 along with Dublin rivals St Patrick's Athletic, who are also in action in Iceland, against IBV.

There are complications for both clubs as Bohs' opponents are based 400km away from the capital Reykjavik, while IBV play on an island off the Icelandic mainland and the Saints are likely to need to catch a ferry. "The draw has been kind to us when you consider where we could have gone," said Callaghan.

Meanwhile, Sligo Rovers manager Ian Baraclough says he will do his homework on Slovakian side Spartak Trnava, Sligo's opponents in the second qualifying round of the Europa League.