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Celtic remain on course for a domestic league and cup double as they progressed to the last four of the Scottish Cup with a narrow 2-1 quarter-final win away to St Mirren yesterday. |
The Hoops made a flying start as James Forrest crossed for Joe Ledley to head past Craig Samson in the fifth minute, but a mistake from Emilio Izaguirre gifted St Mirren an equaliser in the 11th minute as Esmael Goncalves nodded home from close range. A move direct from the training ground restored Celtic’s lead in the 21st minute, however, with Forrest once again the supplier for Anthony Stokes to bullet a header past Samson at the far post. A superb save from Samson denied Gary Hooper after the break while Fraser Forster produced heroics to keep out substitute Graham Carey’s fierce free-kick as Celtic held off a late St Mirren rally to gain revenge for January’s League Cup semi-final defeat by the Buddies.
At New St Mirren Park, Neil Lennon had demanded a response from his side after their midweek defeat to Motherwell and he would have been delighted with their quick-fire start as they took the lead with just over four minutes played.
Forrest scampered down the right wing and delivered a dangerous cross into the six-yard box where Ledley stooped to angle a header past Samson. St Mirren slowly found their feet though and a terrible mistake from Izaguirre gifted the hosts an equaliser. When John McGinn’s diagonal long ball looking for Steven Thompson caused consternation in the Celtic defence, Izaguirre’s attempt to head it back to Forster sailed past the ‘keeper and looking to be heading in before Goncalves made sure as he nodded it over the line from a couple of yards out.
Gonclaves looked in the mood to add more for the Paisley side after that, and he jinked away from challenges by Efe Ambrose and Adam Matthews before firing just wide.