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Saturday saw Celtic win the Scottish Premier League with a 6-0 wthrashing of Killie( Kilmarnock) and the 4 year wait was finally over. Neil Lennon’s side needed just one point from the match to end their long wait and they did it in style, as Gary Hooper and Charlie Mulgrew both netted twice, with Glenn Loovens and Joe Ledley also on the scoresheet. Since Lennon took over the reign at Parkhead 2 years back its the first time he gets to set his hands on a throphy although some will always remember this season for their arch rivals Rangers getting s deduction of 10 points for getting into administration:- something that had handed the throphy to Celtic weeks before they actually sealed it
This was Celtic’s 43rd chaimpionship in their history and Lennon was delighted to clinch his first as a Manager which Killie’s Manager Kenny Shiels was disappointed at the size of their defeat. It took Celtic just seven mins to take the lead and start the party amongst the visiting fans. Ki Sung swung in a corner from the left and Mulgrew raced through a group of players to leap highest and nod the ball past the helpless Cammy Bell. Celtic doubled their advantage in the 17th min through Loovens. Scott Brown played the ball out wide to Mulgrew who piced out the unmarked Dutchman at the back post who stooped to send an angled header ast Bell for his 1st goal of the season. A few minuted later Loovens was again allowed space in the box but this time Bell gathered his glancing header from a Commons corner. Bel did well to punch a curling 25 yard free kick from Ki over the bat as Celtic looked to clinch the championship in style.
At the 35th min Mulgrew got his second of the game and that kick started tge Cletic fan’s party celebrations to full swing. The one way traffic continued as commons set up Geogios Samaras in the box but Bell somehow managed to stop the Greek striker;s shot with his feet. Hopoer added a 4th in the 45th min to compound Killie’s misery. Mulgrew swung the ball over from left wing to the back post where Hooper volleyed a rising shot past the despairing Bell and into the roof of the net. It was a case of damage limitation for Killie in the second half but in a rare flurry forward, Liam Kelly sent his shot over the bar after Jamie Fowler;s effort was blocked.
Celtic captain Scott Brwon made way for Filip Twardzik in the 48th min and Dean Shiels quickly picked up a booking for a foul on the Czech youngster.Hooper completed the rout 2 mins later when he cracked a strike high into the net from the edge of the box.Lennon says he finally feels vindicated as Celtic manager after watching his side clinch their first Scottish Premier League title in four years following a 6-0 rout of Kilmarnock.And Lennon praised his players for the remarkable run they went on between November and March when they claimed 17 wins in a row that helped propel them back to the top of the league.
[quote]”Football is a bit unpredictable and nothing surprises me. I always believed in the team and always felt we would find consistency,” Lennon said.We put on a fantastic run of 17 wins together and that is pretty special at any level of football.To play in the style and quality they did totally justifies and cements that they are worthy champions without any shadow of a doubt. I’m so happy for the players. They’re the ones who have done it.They are babies in terms of football and have come in for unjustified criticism but they have proved beyond doubt they are the best team in the country.They will grow as they are not anywhere near their peak yet. Georgios Samaras is the oldest player in the team at 27 so that says a lot about their youth.At times there is a naivety about them which I totally comprehend but to win the championship over 33 games is a fantastic achievement.”[/quote]
