Nine and easy for Celts as Hearts kid shows his class lINfIElD 1 HEaRtS 4
SHaMRoCK RoVERS 0
CEltIC 9
CELTIC sauntered to victory on a sunny Saturday in Dublin as they warmed up for Friday’s trip to Linfield.
The line-ups provided an indication of the landslide which was to come.
While Rovers changed their entire team from Thursday’s Europa League victory over Stjarnan, Celtic fielded eight of the starting side which won the Scottish Cup final six weeks ago.
Of the absentees, Patrick Roberts has returned to parent club Manchester City, Dedryck Boyata was injured and Leigh Griffiths was introduced for the last half hour yesterday.
Four first-half goals started the damage for Rovers but only after they twice came close to nudging ahead.
In the opening minute, striker Sean Boyd somehow glanced his header wide from six yards after he was left alone from a right-wing cross and Craig Gordon avoided the embarrassment of being lobbed from 40 yards by parrying Boyd’s audacious attempt over the bar.
Stung, Celtic soon took control by opening the scoring with an 11th minute Mikeal Lustig strike off the inside of the post following a neat pass into the box by James Forrest.
Two further goals in four minutes underlined Celtic’s supremacy as Stuart Armstrong punished a weak clearance and Moussa Dembele finished a flowing move.
Scott Sinclair got in on the act four minutes before the break with a tap in.
One-way traffic continued after the break, Forrest making it five on the hour before Sinclair and former Dundee United midfielder Armstrong each grabbed their second.
Substitute Jonny Hayes gave both sets of fans something to cheer when the Dubliner volleyed in with 10 minutes left and Tom Rogic’s header completed the rout. HEARTS head coach Ian Cathro insists he has no qualms about pitching Harry Cochrane into action after the 16-year-old tormented Celtic’s Champions League opponents Linfield.
The Scotland youth international cut a classy figure in the heart of midfield
at Windsor Park, was awarded Jambos man of the match and found the net to cancel out Jamie Mulgrew’s opener.
Cochrane has now featured in all of their pre-season friendlies this term and seems increasingly likely to feature competitively for Hearts, who ran out 4-1 winners with Jamie Walker, Isma Goncalves and Cole Stockton also finding the net.
“Harry is a talented kid,” said Cathro. “People have seen us add Christophe Berra, Kyle Lafferty, Rafal Grzelak and players like that, but it is important we also see young players come through and get the balance.
“We want to support the young players and give them the opportunities when the time is right.
“We always want to be calm with these things, however I am not scared by the fact a player is 16 years of age. Cochrabe is a talent and we want to nurture him.”
Celtic were represented in Belfast by chief scout John McGlynn, and the Hoops spy saw the hosts claim the lead after 11 minutes when Linfield captain Jamie Mulgrew picked up a loose ball 25 yards from goal and, afforded space, unleashed a superb low drive beyond Jack Hamilton.
Cochrane restored parity with a speculative shot which took a fortuitous ricochet, before Walker completed the turnaround before the break, heading past Roy Carroll.
Goncalves used his strength to spin away from Joshua Robinson before keeping his cool to clip a neat finish beyond Carroll to stretch Hearts’ lead after the break and Cole Stockton added gloss to the scoreline.