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- Andy Hinkel makes his debut.
- A minutes applause held for Phil O’Donnell.
- Strachan faces criticism from large section of support after dropping Bobo Balde from the team.
- Ne’er Day game v Rangers was postponed due to the passing of Phil O’Donell. RIP.
Review
Teams
Celtic team:-
Boruc, Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor, Nakamura (O’Brien 75), Donati, Scott Brown (Hartley 76), McGeady, McDonald (Killen 82), Vennegoor of Hesselink.
Subs Not Used:- Mark Brown, O’Dea.
Booked:- Scott Brown
Goals:- Vennegoor of Hesselink 37, McDonald 70, Nakamura 75.
Stirling:
Christie, Nugent, Ellis, Graham, Devine, Hay, McBride (Lilley 80), Aitken, Forsyth, Harris (Walker 74), McKenna (Rodriguez 66). Subs Not Used: Hogarth, Taggart.
Att: 27,923
Ref: E Norris
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Articles
Celtic 3-0 Stirling Albion
BBC
Celtic eased through to the fifth round of the Scottish Cup with a competent win over Stirling Albion in Glasgow.
It wasn’t all plain sailing for the cup holders, with Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink only breaking the deadlock in the 37th minute with a powerful header.
Albion managed to keep the score respectable until Scott McDonald struck home Lee Naylor’s pass with 21 minutes left to play.
Shunsuke Nakamura added a third on 75 minutes with a left-footed strike.
Interview: Celtic manager Gordon Strachan
The match was preceded by a minute’s applause for Phil O’Donnell, the former Celtic and Motherwell player who died after collapsing against Dundee United at Fir Park two weeks ago.
The home side were responsible for most of the action in the first half, but their first attempt on goal didn’t arrive until the sixth minute when Scott McDonald’s volley from the edge of the box was saved by Scott Christie.
Vennegoor of Hesselink fired wide from 16 yards out moments later, and Stirling’s lone striker David McKenna fired high over the bar with an ambitious effort from 35 yards.
It was moslty one-way traffic towards the Stirling goal, but Vennegoor of Hesselink and Aiden McGeady’s best efforts were continually thwarted.
The breakthrough came after Naylor reached the touchline for the first time in the match and fired a neat cross for the unmarked Vennegoor of Hesselink to head past the helpless Christie.
McDonald squandered a chance to double the lead just seven minutes into the second half, but the Australian international failed to connect properly with a Massimo Donati pass and his shot went wide of the far post.
A McGeady shot in the 57th minute finished up yards wide of the target, while an earlier mazy run moments lput Vennegoor of Hesselink through, only for the Dutchman to be flagged offside.
In the 70th minute Naylor provided a slick ball for McDonald to calmly side-foot past Christie and Celtic Park rose to its feet with relief.
Minutes later, Celtic keeper Artur Boruc was finalyl called in to actoin when he pulled off a terrific point-blank save from Albion defender Andy Graham, who had made himself available for Stuart Devine’s incoming free-kick just six yards out.
Stirling were visibly tiring as the match wore on and just five minutes later Nakamura fired in the third from the edge of the box with a powerful left-footed drive to make it three and end Albion’s Scottish Cup dreams for another season.
Celtic: Boruc, Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor, Nakamura (O’Brien 75), Donati, Scott Brown (Hartley 76), McGeady, McDonald (Killen 82), Vennegoor of Hesselink. Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, O’Dea.
Booked: Scott Brown
Goals: Vennegoor of Hesselink 37, McDonald 70, Nakamura 75.
Stirling: Christie, Nugent, Ellis, Graham, Devine, Hay, McBride (Lilley 80), Aitken, Forsyth, Harris (Walker 74), McKenna (Rodriguez 66). Subs Not Used: Hogarth, Taggart.
Att: 27,923
Ref: E Norris
Celtic 3-0 Stirling Albion
RTE
Saturday, 12 January 2008 17:39
Goals from Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Scott McDonald and Shunsuke Nakamura eased Celtic past Irn Bru First Division bottom side Stirling Albion in their Scottish Cup fourth-round tie at Parkhead.
Netherlands international Vennegoor of Hesselink was in the right place to head a Lee Naylor cross past Beanos keeper Scott Christie with 37 minutes gone.
As Albion tired after the break, strikes from McDonald and Nakamura, playing for the first time since October after recovering from a knee injury, gave Celtic a scoreline their dominance deserved.
Nakamura’s contribution was especially appreciated by the home fans, who gave him a standing ovation as he was replaced by Jim O’Brien immediately after firing in the third.
The match was preceded by a minute’s applause for Phil O’Donnell, the former Celtic and Motherwell player who died after collapsing against Dundee United at Fir Park a fortnight ago.
Celtic beat Stirling 8-0 at Parkhead in a CIS Insurance Cup tie in 2001 and most of the Hoops fans were expecting an equally comfortable tie this time around.
Stirling midfielder Steven Bell was injured in the warm-up and replaced by former Celtic youth player Ross Harris, which should have added to the ease of the home side, who had new signing Andreas Hinkel making his debut.
But the first half was a bit of a slog until Vennegoor of Hesselink eventually broke the deadlock when he headed Naylor’s cross in from around 10 yards out.
The home side moved steadily forward from the first whistle but their first attempt on goal came in the sixth minute when McDonald’s volley from the edge of the box was saved by Christie.
Vennegoor of Hesselink fired wide from 16 yards out moments later while, at the other end, Stirling’s lone striker David McKenna fired high over the bar with an ambitious effort from 35 yards.
But, almost inevitably, traffic continued towards the Stirling goal but Vennegoor of Hesselink and Aiden McGeady both failed with efforts.
Stirling boss Allan Moore raised his fists to the travelling fans in mock celebration when Ross Forsyth won his side their first corner of the game halfway through the first half but it came to nothing.
The breakthrough came after Naylor reached the byline for the first time in the match and fired his cross in to the unmarked Vennegoor of Hesselink.
The Dutch striker stooped to send a bullet header past the helpless Christie and with that goal Parkhead nerves were alleviated almost instantly.
McDonald had the chance to settle the tie seven minutes into the second half when the Australian international collected a pass from Massimo Donati 16 yards out but failed to connect properly and his shot trundled wide of the far post.
A subdued crowd shivered in the cold watching the Hoops control the game without having too much purpose to their attacks.
Scott Brown’s turn and drive from the edge of the box, after Nakamura’s free-kick from wide on the left had bounced around the Stirling penalty area, went inches wide of the post.
McGeady’s wayward shot in the 57th minute, which finished up yards wide of the target, had less impact than his mazy dribble moments later which put Vennegoor of Hesselink through only for the Dutchman to be flagged offside.
In the 70th minute Naylor turned provider again when he drove into the Stirling box and cut the ball back for McDonald to calmly side-foot past Christie.
Moments later, Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc pulled off a terrific point-blank save from Albion defender Andy Graham, who latched on to a Stuart Devine free-kick just six yards from goal.
But Stirling were struggling now and five minutes later Nakamura fired in the third from the edge of the box with a ferocious left-foot drive. It was a trademark strike from the Japan international, who was warmly applauded as he went off the park to be replaced by O’Brien.
In the ensuing draw for the fifth round, Celtic were draw away to the winners of Airdrie United or Kilmarnock.