Berwick Rangers 0-2 Celtic | Scottish Cup match report (original) (raw)

Neil Lennon refused to comment after news emerged that a package containing bullets and addressed to Celtic's manager at the club's Parkhead stadium was intercepted in Northern Ireland last week.

Two parcels – the other addressed to the Celtic winger Niall McGinn, who is also from Northern Ireland – were reported as suspicious at a Royal Mail sorting office in Mallusk, County Antrim and subsequently taken for examination. Police are investigating the affair, which came to light on Wednesday, three days after Celtic beat Rangers in the Scottish Premier League.

"I don't want to comment on that," said Lennon when asked after his team's 2-0 Scottish Cup win over Berwick Rangers. A Celtic statement added: "It is now a police matter and the club has no further comment to make."

Lennon, who is from Lurgan in County Armagh, has been the subject of death threats in the past, including when he was captain of Northern Ireland. He retired from international football after a threat was made before a game against Cyprus in 2002. In September 2008, he was attacked in a Glasgow street. Throughout his time as a Celtic midfielder and captain, he remained a high-profile figure.

McGinn moved to Celtic from Derry City and has 10 Northern Ireland caps. The 23-year-old was not part of Celtic's 16-man squad in Berwick. No explanation was offered by the club.

Freddie Ljungberg made his debut in the tie, the former Arsenal player lasting 65 minutes in somewhat primitive surroundings as he looks to build up his match fitness.

"I was told what it would be like here," said the Swede, when asked for his impressions of Division Three Berwick's Shielfield Park. "That's part of being a football player. You are not always going to get big stands and a nice pitch. I just wanted to go out and play football again."

Ljungberg showed some neat touches but little else, which is understandable, since he last played for Chicago Fire in October.

"It was difficult for Freddie," said Lennon. "It was pretty congested out there but those minutes will have done him the world of good."

Daniel Majstorovic and Scott Brown were more influential, their goals in each half dismissing any notion of an upset. The closest Berwick came to troubling their Premier League visitors was within the first two minutes, when Charlie Mulgrew almost conceded a penalty in a challenge on Steven Notman.