Seville Celts return for John Kennedy Tribute Match

THE Hoops of today will take on the Seville Celts in a Tribute Match for John Kennedy on Sunday, May 22.

The match at Celtic Park kicks-off at 2pm and the Seville Select team will feature a host of stars from the incredible 2002/03 season including Chris Sutton and John Hartson, who will play alongside the current Celtic management team of Neil Lennon, Johan Mjallby and Alan Thompson.

And the big names aren’t restricted to the men on the pitch as none other than Martin O’Neill will be returning to Celtic Park to manage the Seville Select team. 

Fans’ favourite and Celtic legend, Lubo Moravcik will also take part in the match and other former stars participating will be announced in due course.

John Kennedy said: “I am absolutely delighted that we have been able to arrange this match.

“To have Martin O’Neill and many great former players agree to return to Celtic Park and play in this match is a huge honour for me.

“I have many memories from my time playing in the first team and I’m sure this day will be another day to remember.”

Neil Lennon added: “I’m delighted to take part in this match for John. It was incredibly sad that a player of John’s considerable talent had to retire at such a young age due to injury.

“However, it will be fantastic to play once again for Martin O’Neill and team up with many of my former team mates – in particular those I played with in Seville.

“I’m sure everyone who turns up on the day will have a fantastic time.”

Martin O’Neill said: "I am very much looking forward to returning to Celtic Park to take charge of the Seville Select team for the tribute match in aid of John Kennedy - a very talented young player who had incredible potential - unfortunately cut short by injury.

“It will be great to see so many familiar faces, although all slightly older and I'm sure it will be a fantastic day for all who come along."


Tickets will go on sale 9am on Monday, April 18 from the Celtic Ticket Office, online at the official Celtic website or by calling 0871 226 1888*.

Premium and corporate tickets will also go on sale the same day.
Proceeds of the game will be split equally between John Kennedy and Celtic Charity Fund.

*Calls cost up to 10p per minute, telecoms provider dependent. Mobile and other provider charges may vary.

93´	FULL TIME: CELTIC 1 ST MIRREN 0
91´	St Mirren continue to press on the Celtic defence
89´	Three minutes have been added.
88´	Stokes curls a free-kick over the bar but it goes just past the bar.
86´	Potter comes close from outside the box but his shot goes just past the top corner of Forter's goal
84´	Forrest attempts a shot from the edge of the box after a good run but it goes over the bar.
81´	St Mirren subs: Mair off, Barron on. Murray off, Wardlaw on.
78´	GOAL!!! CELTIC 1 ST MIRREN 0 Commons sends a low drive into the bottom corner of the net after a good lay off from Maloney.
76´	Maloney's cross into the box picks up a deflection and Gallacher catches the ball.
72´	St Mirren sub: McLean off, Travner on.
70´	Celtic sub: Ljungberg off, Commons on.
69´	Izaguirre wins a corner for Celtic. He takes it himself and Mulgrew heads it just off target.
68´	Higdon attempts to chip Forster from far out but he can't keep the ball on target.
65´	Play resumes and Mulgrew enters the field of play again.
65´	Izaguirre terrorises the Buddies' defence and wins a corner. It comes to nothing though.
64´	Mulgrew takes a knock inside Celtic's box and receives treatment.
63´	Gallacher punches a Celtic corner clear.
61´	Celtic sub: Ki off, Ledley on.
58´	Izaguirre's cross to the far post goes beyond everyone.
56´	Steven Thomson runs in on goal but Mulgrew blocks his low cross into centre of the box.
55´	Kayal plays the ball down to Maloney who makes the break. Controlling the ball on his chest he looks dangerous the closer he gets to the box but McAusland does well to mark him and as a result Maloney can't finish his good move.
54´	Celtic corner. Cha attempts a glancing header but the ball is booted away by his marker.
52´	Stokes plays in Maloney but his effort is too weak and it goes just wide of the post.
51´	Mulgrew takes a free-kick deep inside St Mirren's half. Play remains in the final third but Celtic can't break the Buddies down.
49´	Celtic corner taken by Ki. After some play just outside the box, Stokes attempts a shot from the near post but it is punched away by Gallacher.
47´	Celtic play the ball out for a goal-kick
46´	Celtic sub: Hooper off, Maloney on. The 28-year-old returns from injury and makes his first appearance since the end of November.
45´	+1 HALF TIME: CELTIC 0 ST MIRREN 0
44´	The referee has added on one minute of stoppage time.
43´	St Mirren take their first corner kick but Higdon's touch goes high over the bar.
41´	Celtic's attack fizzles out and St Mirren win a goal-kick
38´	Ljungberg wins Celtic a free-kick between the edge of the box and the corner flag. Ki crosses it in and Mulgrew comes close with a header but it goes just high over the bar.
36´	Forrest dances past a St Mirren defender, skins Paddy Cregg and then skips past a cluster of three players attempting to block him, but his low drive is weak and he misses the chances to finish a sublime move with a goal.
34´	Ki attempts a trade mark long-range effort from outside of the box but he can't keep it on target.
32´	There's too much on Izaguirre's cross into the box and it falls close to the corner flag. Ki attempts to win it but it goes out for a St Mirren throw-in.
29´	Ki takes Celtic's first corner of the afternoon but it comes to nothing.
26´	Cha crosses the ball to the far side of the penalty box and it meets Stokes' head. The striker was unlucky to see his effort go just wide of the post.
24´	Good passing play from Celtic but they still can't break down the St Mirren defence.
21´	Hooper flicks the ball onto Forrest but despite his good run Lee Mair kicks it out for a throw-in.
19´	Celtic win back possession and win a free-kick just inside St Mirren's half. The ball eventually goes out for a goal-kick.
18´	Free-kick to St Mirren just beyond the half-way line.
14´	Forrest moves the ball well despite two defenders marking him and crosses the ball to Stokes. The striker's first touch is too much though and it rolls into the path of the St Mirren defender who clears it away.
12´	Forrest and Ljungberg have swapped sides, with the Scottish winger now playing on the right flank.
11´	Forrest plays in Hooper six yards from goal and the striker beats the offside trap, but his low shot is blocked by Paul Gallacher.
10´	St Mirren walk the ball out for a goal-kick
8´	Stokes hits the ball back to Ljungberg with his heel to prevent it going out for a corner. The move leads to a throw-in.
7´	Hooper, with three defenders on him, manages to play the ball onto Stokes. With Hooper down the Irishman crosses the ball over him to James Forrest but it's intersected.
5´	Higdon's effort hits the wall. Kenny McLean attempts to make something of the rebound but can't produce the goods.
4´	St Mirren line up a free-kick six yards from the penalty box.
2´	Glenn Loovens clears an early danger out of Celtic's box.
1´	The teams kick-off. Celtic are shooting from left to right, towards the Lisbon Lions stand.
0´	CELTIC (4-4-2): Forster; Cha, Loovens, Mulgrew, Izaguirre; Ljungberg, Kayal, Ki, Forrest; Stokes, Hooper Subs: Zaluska, Wilson, Rogne, Ledley, Commons, Maloney, Samaras ST MIRREN (4-4-2): Gallacher; Mair, Potter, Cregg, McGregor; Thomson, Murray, McLean, Goodwin; McAusland, Higdon Subs: Samson, Mooy,McKernon, Van Zanten, Travner, Wardlaw, Barron

Celtic 3 - 1 Hibernian

Celtic returned to the top of the Scottish Premier League with a comfortable win against Hibernian.

Anthony Stokes fired the hosts into a fourth minute lead, then Gary Hooper converted from a penalty after Scott Brown was fouled by Hibs' Martin Scott.
Hooper added his second of the night before the break, then a Liam Miller penalty gave Hibs a lifeline.
Six minutes from time, Hooper sent a penalty wide after Freddie Ljungberg was brought down by Paul Hanlon.
The victory puts Celtic two points ahead of Rangers at the top of the table, with both clubs having played the same number of matches.
Celtic made three changes from the side who lost the Co-operative Insurance Cup final to Rangers with Stokes, Glenn Loovens and James Forrest all starting and Thomas Rogne, Georgios Samaras and Kris Commons all named on the bench.

Hibs made four changes after their draw with Hearts at the weekend, as Michael Hart, David Stephens, David Wotherspoon and Ricardo Vaz Te were all added to the team for the visit to the east end of Glasgow.
Hooper almost snatched the lead for Celtic inside the first minute, but struck straight at a fully-alert Mark Brown in the Hibernian goal.
Two minutes later, Stokes made no mistake when Izaguirre threaded through a neat pass and the Irishman blasted the ball into the back of the net.
Hooper grabbed Celtic's second from the spot after Scott was penalised for a clumsy challenge on Celtic captain Brown in the 20th minute.
A Charlie Mulgrew free-kick almost handed Loovens his second goal of the season when the big Dutchman rose highest and nodded wide.
The onslaught continued when Forrest fired in a right-footed shot from the edge of the Hibernian penalty area that warmed the hands of Brown.
Hibs' first opportunity of the match arrived from a free-kick wide on the right that Miller sent straight into the arms of Celtic keeper Fraser Forster. Moments later, Vaz Te beat the offside trap to test Forster, who could only parry wide for a corner.
The Hibs defence were left standing as half-time approached when Stokes delivered an inch-perfect ball through to Hooper and the Englishman struck with precision past Brown.
On the stroke of half-time, Vaz Te headed a sterling opportunity wide of Forster's left-hand post.

Shortly after the interval, Derek Riordan sprang into action and struck for goal from 18 yards out, Forster deflecting out for a corner - then the former Celtic man was substituted for Akpo Sodje due to injury.
Brown had to look lively in the Hibs goal when Hooper bore down on him chasing a defence-splitting pass, then Izaguirre flashed a shot across the face of goal and inches past the right-hand post.
Wotherspoon went down in the Celtic penalty area after a feeble challenge from Mulgrew in the 67th minute and referee Euan Norris pointed to the spot.
Former Celtic midfielder Miller stepped up and coolly lobbed the ball past Forster to handed Hibs a lifeline.
Stokes fired in a curling free-kick in the 72nd minute, but Hibs keeper Brown saw it coming a mile off and parried wide for a corner.
A searching cross from Wotherspoon 10 minutes from the end could not find a Hibernian team-mate and the brief spell of pressure from the visitors soon fizzled out.
In the final 10 minutes, Ljungberg came off the Celtic bench and earned the hosts another spot-kick after Hanlon needlessly brought the Swede down near the goal-line.
However, Hooper passed up the chance to complete his hat-trick when he stepped up and sent the ball wide of Brown's left-hand post.