Youth/Development Team Thread

Jack Aitchison scored a hat-trick for Celtics U17 team against Hibs in a 5-0 Win.

15 goals this season for him now.

http://videocelts.com/2016/04/blogs/younghoops/impressive-aitchison-slams-in-hat-trick-against-hibs

 

Youths taking on Killie this afternoon

Hazard; Wardrop, Kelleher, McCart, McIlduff; Hill, Thomson; Hendry, Christie, Allan; Miller

subs: Doohan, Murray, Kerr, Kidd, Higgins, Archibald.

 

Christie opens the scoring after half an hour, 1-0 Celtic

 

HT 1-0 Celtic

 

FT 1-0, youngsters keep up their unbeaten league run

 

NEWLY-CROWNED Development League champions, Celtic, produced a dominant display at Rugby Park today (Thursday) to overcome Kilmarnock 1-0, extending their unbeaten league run to a remarkable 26 games.
The Bhoys strode confidently into the lead just under the half-hour mark through Ryan Christie’s curling finish, which proved to be decisive in a well-contested match in Ayrshire.
John Kennedy was among the spectators on an afternoon where the young Hoops battled hard and dominated proceedings.
Tommy McIntyre had made four changes to the team that dispatched St Johnstone on Monday to clinch the title. Conor Hazard replaced Ross Doohan between the sticks, while first-team players Ryan Christie and Scott Allan joined the side in midfield at the expense of Innes Murray and Theo Archibald.
In defence, there was also a return to the side for full-back Sam Wardrop as Dan Higgins dropped down to the bench.
Minutes after kick-off at Rugby Park, the Bhoys were swiftly into their stride, controlling possession and probing for openings.
Some thrusting runs down the flanks from Christie, Allan and Mark Hill looked the visitors’ most likely route to profit in the early exchanges.
But it was through a set-piece that the young Hoops carved out their first meaningful chance in the 25th minute as Fiacre Kelleher met Christie’s corner and saw his headed effort land on the roof of the Killie net.
Celtic were completely on top but the Ayrshire side pressed the Bhoys well anytime they got near the box, prohibiting their attacks.
Eventually the pressure paid off just before the half-hour mark. Ryan Chrstie’s phenomenal first touch allowed him to run at goal and the midfielder made no mistake from the edge of the area, sublimely curling the ball into the top corner.
The champions continued to dominate after the interval and substitute Dan Higgins nearly doubled the advantage, his dipping volley just creeping over the bar in the 63rd minute.
The young Hoops continued to seek further reward for their pressing play, with Allan's inviting cross at the six-yard box failing to be capitalised on by the Celtic attack.
There were a flurry of Killie chances in the final minutes of the match, but the champions saw out the closing stages comfortably.
The win meant McIntyre’s side maintained their ambitions of going through the league campaign undefeated, with Dundee up next for the Bhoys at Links Park on Friday, April 15.

 

Well done bhoys

 

Christie should at least be a regular on our bench..

 

CELTIC are in Belfast tonight to take part in a testimonial match for long-serving Cliftonville captain, George McMullan, at the Irish club’s Solitude ground.
And while the main focus on the night will be to pay tribute to the midfielder who has spent 14 years with The Reds, making over 500 appearances, including a couple against Celtic in a UEFA Champions League qualifier in July 2013, the Hoops are still determined to put on a good performance and hopefully win the game.
Tommy McIntyre has taken a Celtic squad over to Ireland for the testimonial match, and with many of the squad still on a high following the Development Squad’s title-winning triumph, it will be a very confident Hoops side that steps on to the Solitude pitch tonight.
Speaking to the official Celtic website, the Development Squad coach said: “It will be a good experience and a good learning curve for the players. We want to do well, but it will be a good gauge for us, having done so well in the Development League and having that bit of experience in the EPL Cup and in Europe, and taking that to a different type of game.
“And we hope it will be a big crowd on the night for George McMullan, who has been a great servant to Cliftonville. It epitomises the magnitude of the club because there’s a strong Celtic base over in Belfast, so it’s great for our players to be involved in this game against strong opposition.
“They’ve got a lot of experienced players, with some having played in the Scottish league as well. It’s a good game for us, great opponents for us, and it’s less than three years since we played Cliftonville on the European stage, and that was a great night as well.
“We’re going to Belfast to showcase the talent we’ve got, but also to pay tribute to George. It will be a different stage for our players but it’s one that they will hopefully enjoy and develop through it.”
And with the Development Squad having secured the title without losing a league game, it’s a habit the Hoops want to continue.
The Squad will also contain some of the young Celts currently out on loan, including Paul McMullan, Conor McManus, Jack Breslin and Michael Duffy, while goalkeeper Conor Hazard, who made the move from Cliftonville to Celtic is expected to be involved as well.
“It’s a strong group we’ve got and a good batch of young players, so they understand that they’re learning all the time,” said Tommy McIntyre. “They’re learning from the first-team, there are quite a few of them training with the first-team, so they want to continue winning.
“It’s a good habit to have in as much as they also realise it’s about development, it’s about getting to the next stage. They’re fully aware that, in order to do that, they have to perform in every game no matter who you play and they’re always judged on that.
“For them tonight is a chance to see if they can step up and play in that environment, and the fact that there will be a big crowd will add to the atmosphere for them and obviously for George McMullan. We hope it’s a showcase game and I’m sure everyone will enjoy it.”

 

Celtic team to face Cliftonville: Hazard; Wardrop, Kelleher, McCart, McIlduff; Hendry, McManus, Thomson, Miller; McMullan, Duffy


Subs: McCabe, Breslin, Hill, Aitchison, Kidd Kerr

 

Team v Cliftonville

Hazard; Wardrop, Kelleher, McCart, McIlduff; Hendry, McManus, Thomson, Miller; McMullan, Duffy

Subs: McCabe, Breslin, Hill, Aitchison, Kidd & Kerr

 

It will be a homecoming for Conor Hazard who signed for Celtic from Cliftonville back in 2014.

 

Paul Heaton from the Beautiful South and the House Martins with Danny McGrain

 

I think McIlduff should get a chance in the first team.

 

hopefully he will get a chance soon

 

Talkceltic twitter is giving out wrong info on this.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

aye it's not on TV

 

almost time to get underway updates from the club Twitter account


good test for the Bhoys tonight against Cliftonville