Young bhoys show their worth
By Bobo the Great December 5 2003
A second-string Celtic side earned their way into the Quarter Finals tonight, with a 2-0 victory over Partick Thistle at Firhill. It was also revealed that a possible tie against Rangers could await.
A second-string Celtic side earned their way into the Quarter Finals tonight, with a 2-0 victory over Partick Thistle at Firhill. It was also revealed that a possible tie against Rangers could await.
Celtic will play Hibs at Easter Road in the Quarters, in two weeks time.
Martin O'Neill stuck to his word, and made many changes to the side which defeated the Jags on Saturday. Youngsters Craig Beattie, John Kennedy, Jamie Smith, Stephen Crainey, David Marshall and Shaun Maloney were all given starting places. Johan Mjallby and Mickey Gray were also on from the start, and we seen a welcome return from Paul Lambert.
It was never going to be a classic encounter, and Martin O'Neill had previously told us that the competition was not one of the side's main priorities. It really does say something about the state we are in when a TV station like Channel 5 is dictating our fixture list!
Celtic's opener came from 19 year old Craig Beattie, who made his first start for the Hoops tonight. Mickey Gray and Momo Sylla combined to set Beattie loose, and the striker put the ball nicely in the corner of the net.
The game won't be remembered for it's goal-mouth incidents, Stephen Crainey's long-range effort in the second half was certainly an eye-opener, but it was Jamie Smith who secured Celtic's victory, on 76 minutes. A superb pass from "Crazy Horse" Momo Sylla set Smith free, and a cool finish sent the Jags' couple of hundred fans home unhappy.
Craig Beattie showed his class when striking the crossbar with minutes to go, but 2-0 it remained.
We now play Hibs just before christmas in the same cup, and it was revieled last night that if we pass Hibernian, Celtic will play a home tie against Old Firm rivals Rangers for a place in the final
Celtic team:
4-4-2
Marshall - 7
Kennedy - 8
Mjallby - 8
McNamara - 7 (Laursen - 6)
Crainey - 7
Lambert - 7 (Guppy - 6)
Sylla - 6
Smith - 6
Gray - 7
Beattie - 8
Maloney - 7
Hoops Online Man of the Match: John Kennedy
Martin O'Neill stuck to his word, and made many changes to the side which defeated the Jags on Saturday. Youngsters Craig Beattie, John Kennedy, Jamie Smith, Stephen Crainey, David Marshall and Shaun Maloney were all given starting places. Johan Mjallby and Mickey Gray were also on from the start, and we seen a welcome return from Paul Lambert.
It was never going to be a classic encounter, and Martin O'Neill had previously told us that the competition was not one of the side's main priorities. It really does say something about the state we are in when a TV station like Channel 5 is dictating our fixture list!
Celtic's opener came from 19 year old Craig Beattie, who made his first start for the Hoops tonight. Mickey Gray and Momo Sylla combined to set Beattie loose, and the striker put the ball nicely in the corner of the net.
The game won't be remembered for it's goal-mouth incidents, Stephen Crainey's long-range effort in the second half was certainly an eye-opener, but it was Jamie Smith who secured Celtic's victory, on 76 minutes. A superb pass from "Crazy Horse" Momo Sylla set Smith free, and a cool finish sent the Jags' couple of hundred fans home unhappy.
Craig Beattie showed his class when striking the crossbar with minutes to go, but 2-0 it remained.
We now play Hibs just before christmas in the same cup, and it was revieled last night that if we pass Hibernian, Celtic will play a home tie against Old Firm rivals Rangers for a place in the final
Celtic team:
4-4-2
Marshall - 7
Kennedy - 8
Mjallby - 8
McNamara - 7 (Laursen - 6)
Crainey - 7
Lambert - 7 (Guppy - 6)
Sylla - 6
Smith - 6
Gray - 7
Beattie - 8
Maloney - 7
Hoops Online Man of the Match: John Kennedy
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