Hearts stay top after battling 2-2 draw at St Mirren
Danny Röhl’s Rangers win 1-0 against Hibernian
Martin O’Neill celebrated his Celtic homecoming with a thumping 4-0 win over Falkirk at Parkhead. The 73-year-old former manager was installed along with the former Celtic player Shaun Maloney as the interim management team after the stunning resignation of Brendan Rodgers on Monday night.
Celtic fans continued their protest against Dermot Desmond, the club’s major shareholder, and the board outside the stadium before the game due, in part, to a perceived poor summer transfer window. Desmond sat in the directors’ box and watched his fellow Irishman Johnny Kenny fire Celtic into the lead after half an hour and then head in a second 10 minutes later, before goals from Benjamin Nygren and Sebastian Tounekti in the second half increased the fun factor.
Celtic moved six points behind Premiership leaders Hearts, who drew 2-2 at St Mirren, and remain five ahead of Rangers who won 1-0 at Hibernian. The Hoops meet the Light Blues in Sunday’s Scottish League Cup semi-final at Hampden, where O’Neill managed his last game for Celtic in his first spell – the 2005 Scottish Cup final win over Dundee United. The Parkhead fans, while still disgruntled with the club’s hierarchy, will go into the game more assured by O’Neill’s impact on a side who looked closer to their best form. O’Neill, who was Celtic manager between 2000 and 2005, was given a rousing reception.
