- Sam McKeever
- Sat, Jul 07 2018
Shamrock Rovers hosted Celtic in a pre-season friendly in Tallaght Stadium on Saturday afternoon a game which turned into a routine rout for the double treble winners.
Odsonne Édouard and Callum McGregor each scored twice, while Moussa Dembélé, Scott Sinclair and Lewis Morgan also scored against a second-string Rovers outfit.
It took just seven minutes for the Scottish champions to break the deadlock.
A great run down the right from James Forrest allowed him to pull the ball back to Dembele at the front post and the Frenchman made no mistake, slotting past Alan Mannus.
Rovers almost had a chance to go level just before the 20 minute mark. A corner from the left by Brandon Miele was headed back across goal by Ally Gilchrist.
Gary Shaw tried to get his head to it from close range but Kristoffer Ajer was there to deny him at the last second, with the frontman receiving treatment for a clash of heads.
Celtic doubled their lead just before the half-hour mark. A cross from the left from Kieran Tierney found Édouard arriving late and he headed home into the bottom corner past Mannus.
Celtic got their third 11 minutes before the break as McGregor made a fantastic run between the two centre halves before being found by a defence-splitting pass.
One on one with Mannus, the Scottish midfielder calmly rolled the ball into the bottom corner past the Northern Irishman.
Édouard then went on a dazzling run before nutmegging Luke Byrne in the process and he rifled his shot into the roof of the net. Alan Mannus managed to get a hand on it but could not keep it out.
Celtic made it 5 inside just before the hour as good work by Olivier Ntcham down the left found Dembélé.
The former Fulham player's touch managed to work some good space before pulling it back to McGregor who had the simple task of tapping home.
Dembélé was once again involved on the hour mark. He held the ball up and foud the run of Ntcham, who bore down on goal but Mannus closed down the angle well saving at his near post.
The Scottish treble winners practically brought on a whole new team just after the hour mark, with Scott Brown already having been replaced at the break.
A fantastic passing move around the box from Celtic found the run of substitute Sinclair and he made no mistake slotting the ball past Mannus to make it six.
Youngster Lewis Morgan picked the ball up deep inside his own half before showing a fantastic burn of pace to get away from the Rovers defence.
When he got to the box, he coolly slotted the balled into the bottom corner with the side of his foot to make it seven and out for Celtic, who face Alashkert in Yerevan on Tuesday night.
Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus; Martins Olakanye, Luke Byrne, Ally Gilchrist, Eric Abulu; David McAllister, Aaron Bolger, Dylan Watts (Anto Breslin 46); Brandon Miele (Thomas Oluwya 46), Vincent Weijl (Sinclair Armstrong 63), Gary Shaw (Evan Smithers 63).
Subs not used: Kevin Horgan (gk), Alex Dunne, Dean Williams, Danila Bogdanov.
Booked: Vincent Weijl (16).
Celtic: Craig Gordon (Scott Bain 63); Jack Hendry (Anthony Raison 63), Kristoffer Ajer (Stephen Welsh 63), Jozo Simunovic (Kerc McInroy 63), Kieran Tierney (Calvin Miller 63); Scott Brown (Eboue Kouassi 46), Oliver Ntcham (Scott Allan 63), Callum McGregor (Lewis Morgan 63); James Forrest (Michael Johnston 63), Odsonne Edouard (Scott Sinclair 63), Moussa Dembélé (Ryan Christie 63).
Subs not used: Conor Hazard (gk), Jack Aitchison, Ewan Henderson.
Booked: Scott Bain (65).
Referee: Graham Kelly.
Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus; Martins Olakanye, Luke Byrne, Ally Gilchrist, Eric Abulu; David McAllister, Aaron Bolger, Dylan Watts (Anto Breslin 46); Brandon Miele (Thomas Oluwya 46), Vincent Weijl (Sinclair Armstrong 63), Gary Shaw (Evan Smithers 63).
Subs not used: Kevin Horgan (gk), Alex Dunne, Dean Williams, Danila Bogdanov.
Celtic: Craig Gordon (Scott Bain 63); Jack Hendry (Anthony Raison 63), Kristoffer Ajer (Stephen Welsh 63), Jozo Simunovic (Kerc McInroy 63), Kieran Tierney (Calvin Miller 63); Scott Brown (Eboue Kouassi 46), Oliver Ntcham (Scott Allan 63), Callum McGregor (Lewis Morgan 63); James Forrest (Michael Johnston 63), Odsonne Edouard (Scott Sinclair 63), Moussa Dembélé (Ryan Christie 63).
Subs not used: Conor Hazard (gk), Jack Aitchison, Ewan Henderson.
Attendance: 3,000 (estimate).
Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Odsonne Édouard (Celtic).
