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Belfast Telegraph
22 minutes ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Brendan Rodgers primed for Celtic's Champions League challenge after season-opening win
The champions needed a deflected strike from substitute Luke McCowan to edge past St Mirren with a 1-0 win as they started their Scottish Premiership title defence at Parkhead. Celtic earlier hit the frame of the goal through Benjamin Nygren, Reo Hatate and Adam Idah, and had a Callum McGregor strike disallowed for handball following a VAR intervention. But a strikeforce led by Idah inside Daizen Maeda and Yang Hyun-jun - with James Forrest and Johnny Kenny coming off the bench - looked in need of the reinforcements which Rodgers has been calling for. The Celtic manager was eager to praise his side's display and not labour that point, but fans will be keen to see new signings come in soon after Monday's Champions League play-off draw. The likes of Sturm Graz and Basel await Celtic as they discover their fate for the high-risk, high-reward games, which will take place in the final two weeks of this month. Rodgers said: 'We'll be ready for the games. Whenever they come, we'll be ready. The players are working very hard. 'They are always tense games. But we're in a good place and we'll take that game on when it comes. 'We've had a really, really good pre-season. The players are shaping up very well and are working very hard. There's real spirit and solidarity here in the team. So we look forward to that. 'We know whoever we get, it's going to be tough, but it will also be tough for them.' When asked whether their long wait for a goal against St Mirren underlined the need for more attacking options, Rodgers said: 'We created a lot. We got into a lot of really good areas and you have to give credit to the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper made some great saves. 'I think we were creative in the game, dominated the game. 'At times we moved the ball really well. At other times we could have attacked a wee bit more when we got into certain positions and been a bit more aggressive in the one-v-one moments. 'But overall, to play against that team, against that system, that's how you've got to work it and then you need a bit of quality to finish it. 'Sometimes you need a wee bit of good fortune as well. We didn't quite have that, some of them hit the post and the bar.' St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson saw plenty to encourage him. 'It was disappointing because we lost to a deflection,' he said. 'Defensively, I thought we were superb, very, very well organised. People use that as a slight against St Mirren sometimes, but that is one of the basics of management, get your team organised. 'We said we would have five or six opportunities to break and we did. Some we picked the right option, some we didn't. 'We didn't sit back the whole game, we pressed. I think we caused Celtic problems at times. 'But they have a heck of a lot of quality. If you look at the substitutes they are bringing on in comparison to ours, then it makes it a tough task.'
North Wales Chronicle
an hour ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Brendan Rodgers primed for Celtic's Champions League challenge after opening win
The champions needed a deflected strike from substitute Luke McCowan to edge past St Mirren with a 1-0 win as they started their William Hill Premiership title defence at Parkhead. Celtic earlier hit the frame of the goal through Benjamin Nygren, Reo Hatate and Adam Idah, and had a Callum McGregor strike disallowed for handball following a VAR intervention. But a strikeforce led by Idah inside Daizen Maeda and Yang Hyun-jun – with James Forrest and Johnny Kenny coming off the bench – looked in need of the reinforcements which Rodgers has been calling for. The Celtic manager was eager to praise his side's display and not labour that point, but fans will be keen to see new signings come in soon after Monday's Champions League play-off draw. The likes of Sturm Graz and Basel await Celtic as they discover their fate for the high-risk, high-reward games, which will take place in the final two weeks of this month. Rodgers said: 'We'll be ready for the games. Whenever they come, we'll be ready. The players are working very hard. 'They are always tense games. But we're in a good place and we'll take that game on when it comes. 'We've had a really, really good pre-season. The players are shaping up very well and are working very hard. There's real spirit and solidarity here in the team. So we look forward to that. 'We know whoever we get, it's going to be tough, but it will also be tough for them.' When asked whether their long wait for a goal against St Mirren underlined the need for more attacking options, Rodgers said: 'We created a lot. We got into a lot of really good areas and you have to give credit to the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper made some great saves. 'I think we were creative in the game, dominated the game. 'At times we moved the ball really well. At other times we could have attacked a wee bit more when we got into certain positions and been a bit more aggressive in the one-v-one moments. 'But overall, to play against that team, against that system, that's how you've got to work it and then you need a bit of quality to finish it. 'Sometimes you need a wee bit of good fortune as well. We didn't quite have that, some of them hit the post and the bar.' St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson saw plenty to encourage him. 'It was disappointing because we lost to a deflection,' he said. 'Defensively, I thought we were superb, very, very well organised. People use that as a slight against St Mirren sometimes, but that is one of the basics of management, get your team organised. 'We said we would have five or six opportunities to break and we did. Some we picked the right option, some we didn't. 'We didn't sit back the whole game, we pressed. I think we caused Celtic problems at times. 'But they have a heck of a lot of quality. If you look at the substitutes they are bringing on in comparison to ours, then it makes it a tough task.'
Belfast Telegraph
an hour ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Derry City's title hopes dealt another major blow with defeat at leaders Shamrock Rovers
A win for City at Tallaght would have taken them to within five points of the League leaders with 10 games remaining, but even that incentive was not enough on another night of disappointment against the Hoops. It is a familiar feeling for Derry fans, who have seen their team held at arm's length by Rovers year in and year out, with their record at Tallaght in recent years easily their worst of all destinations in the Premier Division, just one win in their last 15 visits. In fact, the Candystripes have managed just seven points out of a possible 45 at Tallaght and, not for the first time in recent years, their title hopes all but ended in front of delighted Rovers supporters. City manager Tiernan Lynch will be especially disappointed with this result, particularly after a very solid first half from his team, and there is little doubt that the visitors should have gone into the half-time break at least one goal ahead. Lynch gave a debut to new signing Jamie Stott, while Adam O'Reilly also came into the starting line-up as Sam Todd and Ronan Boyce both dropped to the bench. It was the home side who started the brighter with both Aaron McEneff and Rory Gaffney firing long range efforts wide in the opening few minutes. Derry missed a glorious chance on 12 minutes when a sublime pass by Sadou Diallo released Michael Duffy, who ghosted in behind the Rovers back-line, but his right footed close-range shot, which had Ed McGinty beaten, came back off the post. Moments later striker Afolabi Akinyemi saw his 20-yard strike well held by McGinty. Just before the half-hour mark Duffy went close again, when he broke clear down the left before cutting inside past Roberto Lopes and Daniel Cleary, but his curling effort from just outside the box flashed just past the right-hand post. Derry goalkeeper Brian Maher was called into action on 37 minutes as Danny Mandroiu's whipped free-kick on the edge of the box was well held by the Dubliner. Derry were arguably the better team in the first-half but all that good work was undone in the early stages of the second as Rovers took a grip on the game. The home side took the lead just two minutes after the restart when Josh Honohan got in behind and crossed for Gaffney to tap in from close range to open the scoring. The visitors were fortunate that Rovers didn't add to their lead in the aftermath as substitute Conor Malley sent a curling effort of the top of Maher's bar before Mandriou set up Honohan, whose shot beat the City goalkeeper but flew right across the face of goal and wide. Rovers got their second goal midway through the half thanks to a sensational finish from Gaffney. Dylan Watts picked out the run of the striker in behind and he bore down on goal, before flicking the ball back onto his left foot, outfoxing defender Alex Bannon in the process, and sending a brilliant effort right across Maher and into the net to all but seal the win for the champions-elect. A grim second half for the Candystripes continued to get worse as Bannon was then red-carded. The defender, already cautioned earlier in the second period, lunged in on Honohan and referee Paul McLaughlin had no choice but to end his night early. The game ended with that, with City's more realistic ambitions now European qualification and the FAI Cup, with neither them nor Bohemians able to really lay a glove on Rovers in the title race this season. Shamrock Rovers: McGinty, Cleary (O'Sullivan 85), Lopes, Grace; Honohan, Healy, Watts (Matthews 73'), McEneff, Grant; Mandroiu (McGovern 74), Gaffney (Noonan 68). Derry City: Maher, Bannon, Connolly, Stott, O'Reilly, Winchester, Diallo (R Boyce 85), Fleming; Duffy (Doherty 85), Akinyemi (Mullen 63), L Boyce (Whyte 63). Match Rating: 7/10
