BBC SPORT | Football | Scottish Cups (original) (raw)

McGeady chipped in with a goal and was named man-of-the-match

Celtic eased into the semi-finals of the Co-operative Insurance Cup with a comfortable win away to Kilmarnock.

Scott McDonald put Celtic 1-0 up with a 10th-minute header before Shunsuke Nakamura doubled their lead at half-time with a pinpoint free-kick.

Danny Invincible gave the home side some hope as he pegged one back from close range with 30 minutes remaining.

But Aiden McGeady replied almost immediately from 12 yards after being put through by Scott Brown.

Despite not having beaten Celtic on their home patch since 2001, the home side showed no signs of trepidation, starting brightly.

Mehdi Taouil had the home fans appealing for a penalty after barely a minute, but the Moroccan's grin revealed he had simply stumbled.

After the encouraging opening spell, Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies will be disappointed with his defence as Celtic took the lead with the first effort on goal from either side after 10 minutes.

Shaun Maloney whipped in a corner and one of the shortest players on the pitch, McDonald, lost his marker to head the visitors in front.

Alan Combe reacted well to tip the ball away when McGeady flashed a shot across goal after playing a neat one-two with Nakamura.

And the Maloney-McDonald corner routine almost paid dividends again when the Australian nodded just wide from a similar position on 26 minutes.

As Kilmarnock tried to get a foothold in the match, both James Fowler and Manuel Pascali were booked for challenges on McGeady.

Killie forward Invincible was wide of the mark with a curling shot, but he failed to see Taouil, who was unmarked to his right.

Nakamura was booked for complaining to the referee following a tussle with Craig Bryson before the Japanese doubled Celtic's lead from a fizzing trademark free-kick from 25 yards in first-half stoppage time.

The visitors pressed after the re-start and, within minutes, Paul Hartley, who had replaced Namakura, was inches off target with a low drive.

Kilmarnock needed desperately to score but found it difficult to fashion chances as Celtic controlled the match comfortably.

But Invincible did pull a goal back on 67 minutes, when Pascali headed Taouil's deep free-kick across the six yard box, where the Australian slid in to score.

And, just as the match looked set for a grandstand finale, Brown drove forward and slipped the ball to McGeady, who steered it past Combe to cement Gordon Strachan's side's passage to the semi-finals.

Kilmarnock manger Jim Jefferies

"You can't go making it that easy against Celtic, we only got in about them in the last 15 minutes of the first half.

"We gifted a goal to the smallest man in the box, and didn't learn as he nearly scored another.

"There were too many fancy triangles played instead of getting the ball in the box early and putting them under pressure, because we were starting to win those kinds of balls and that's how we got our goal."

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan

"It was a good cup tie, quite physical, and I thought we were terrific.

"We kept our focus and played some terrific football against a Kilmarnock side who were determined to win.

"I think their guys are a bit unfortunate that they've got the best surface, which suited us as we were able to produce some great football.

"If we keep playing like that I'll be happy."

Kilmarnock: Combe, Murray, Hamill, Lilley, Wright (Skelton 33), Bryson, Fowler, Pascali, Fernandez, Invincibile (Sammon 84), Taouil (Simmonds 84).
Subs Not Used: Rascle, Gibson.

Booked: Fowler, Pascali, Lilley, Skelton.

Goals: Invincibile 68.

Celtic: Boruc, Hinkel, Wilson, O'Dea, Caldwell, Scott Brown, Donati, Nakamura (Hartley 46), McGeady, McDonald (Sheridan 76), Maloney.
Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, Robson, McCourt.

Booked: Nakamura, Wilson.

Goals: McDonald 11, Nakamura 45, McGeady 71.

Att: 6,319