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Trivia
- Dublin Super Cup
- Diddy League of Ireland side, we tanked although took a while.
Review
Some good goals and we scored a penalty.
Teams
CELTIC (4-4-2): Cervi; Matthews (84), Majstorovic, O’Dea, F Twardzik; McCourt, Wanyama, Towell (Commons 58), Murphy; Hooper, Stokes
Subs not used: Zaluska, Loovens, Maloney
AIRTICITY LEAGUE XI (4-4-2): Doherty (B Murphy 46); Heary, Price, McBride, Kearns (McClean 74), Gamble, Lafferty, Bennett (Russell 55), McGlynn (Dillon 33), Byrne (McLaughlin 68), Ventrae (Kavanagh 79)
Subs not used: D Murphy, O’Brien, Zayed, Higgins, Molloy, McEleney
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
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Articles
Celtic's Irishmen put Airtricity League XI to the sword
By: Laura Brannan on 31 Jul, 2011 15:54 31 July 2011
Dublin Super Cup
Aviva Stadium
CELTIC 5
(Stokes 38, Murphy pen 70, Hooper 83, 85, Stokes 87)
AIRTRICITY LEAGUE XI 0
TWO of Celtic’s Irishmen made the difference against Airtricity League XI, scoring three of the goals in a comfortable 5-0 victory to close their participation in the Dublin Super Cup.
Anthony Stokes opened and closed the scoring with a goal in each half, with Daryl Murphy also striking on his homeland.
A late Gary Hooper double brought a dramatic end to the match, but it wasn't enough to secure the trophy, with Manchester City going on to lift it later in the afternoon.
Less than 24 hours after match one, Neil Lennon led his side into the tournament’s second and final encounter against the League of Ireland select.
And he named an entirely different side to the one which started against Inter Milan, giving Victor Wanyama his second start and Darren O’Dea his first since returning from his loan spell at Ipswich Town last season.
There was a subdued start to the game with the first shot on target not coming until 11 minutes when Airtricity’s Daniel Kearns forced Dominic Cervi into a low save.
Wanyama attempted to bring Celtic into the game with a long-range effort five minutes later but he couldn’t keep it on target. It proved to be one of the few chances in front of goal until the half hour mark when Celtic got themselves into the game.
Paddy McCourt had an effort blocked 12-yards out before Anthony Stokes unleashed a volley from the edge of the box with his first touch. But the Dubliner didn’t need to wait long for his next chance in front of goal, and this time he was able to put it into the back of the net.
On 38 minutes, Daryl Murphy turned away from Ryan McBride and charged into the box. Playing the ball back to Stokes, he put Celtic ahead with his first touch, slotting it under the keeper with the inside of his right foot.
The Hoops went into the break a goal ahead and started the second-half in encouraging style. Murphy charged into the box optimistically before Wanyama attempted another long-range effort.
Airtricity had a good opportunity to draw level five minutes after the re-start when former Celt Danny Lafferty strode up from his left-back position to force Cervi into a save.
Stokes, who was looking hungry whenever he was on the ball, then timed his run into the box well. As he turned to make a pass back to Gary Hooper, though, he was blocked on the byline.
He then showed delightful skill at the corner flag when he made a back-pass through his marker’s legs and sent a cross into the box. It wasn’t followed through though as it missed Hooper’s head and was cleared before Muprhy could get onto the end of it.
Celtic went on to secure the victory in the 70th minute when Murphy calmly converted a penalty into the bottom right corner. The decision was awarded after Danny Ventrae handled the ball inside the box, and the Irishman continued his 100 percent record from spot by doubling the Hoops’ lead.
Eight minutes later Stokes had another good effort to add to his, and Celtic's, tally, chesting the ball down and striking it from the edge of the box, but it fell just past the far post.
A Hooper double inside the last ten minutes began an exciting end to the match. The striker ran onto a Kris Commons pass on 83 minutes to slot it into the far corner, before knocking it home from 12-yards just two minutes later.
Stokes then rounded off his sublime performance with a wonderful goal, three minutes from time. Collecting a pass from Paddy McCourt just inside the box, he turned and cracked his effort in off the left upright, with Celtic finishing the match 5-0 winners.
CELTIC (4-4-2): Cervi; Matthews (84), Majstorovic, O’Dea, F Twardzik; McCourt, Wanyama, Towell (Commons 58), Murphy; Hooper, Stokes
Subs not used: Zaluska, Loovens, Maloney
AIRTICITY LEAGUE XI (4-4-2): Doherty (B Murphy 46); Heary, Price, McBride, Kearns (McClean 74), Gamble, Lafferty, Bennett (Russell 55), McGlynn (Dillon 33), Byrne (McLaughlin 68), Ventrae (Kavanagh 79)
Subs not used: D Murphy, O’Brien, Zayed, Higgins, Molloy, McEleney