Copyright irishexaminer
The 73-year-old former Hoops manager was installed along with ex-Celtic player Shaun Maloney as the interim management team following the stunning resignation of Brendan Rodgers on Monday night. Celtic fans continued their protest against Dermot Desmond, the club's major shareholder, and the board outside the stadium before the game due, in part, to a perceived poor summer transfer window. The influential Desmond sat in the directors' box and watched fellow Irishman Johnny Kenny shoot Celtic into the lead after half an hour and then head in a second 10 minutes later before goals from midfielder Benjamin Nygren and wide-man Sebastian Tounekti in the second half increased the fun factor. Celtic moved six points behind Premiership leaders Hearts, who drew 2-2 at St Mirren, and remain five ahead of Rangers who won 1-0 at Hibernian. The Hoops meet the Light Blues in Sunday's Premier Sports Cup semi-final at Hampden Park, where O'Neill managed his last game for Celtic in his first spell — the 2005 Scottish Cup final win over Dundee United. The Parkhead fans, while still disgruntled with the Hoops hierarchy, will go into the game more assured by O'Neill's impact on a side who looked closer to their best form. O'Neill, who was Parkhead boss between 2000 and 2005, was given a rousing reception from the home fans and soon had to thank goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel for denying returning Bairns midfielder Scott Arfield. However, the home side slowly began to get up a head of steam. Scott Bain, the former Celtic keeper, made a fine save at the feet of Nygren in the 28th minute but the home side kept the pressure up and when Bain touched a drive from Nygren on to a post, 22-year-old striker Kenny was on hand to return the rebound into the net. Schmeichel made a fine save from Trey Samuel-Ogunsuyi as John McGlynn's men fought back. Moments later, however, Bain had to dive smartly to his left to beat away an effort from James Forrest but he had no chance when Nygren re-directed an Anthony Ralston delivery back across goal for Kenny to head in from eight yards. Kenny began the second half by blazing a shot over the bar with only Bain to beat. The keeper looked at fault when he parried a shot from Marcelo Saracchi out to Nygren who fired into the net for the easiest of goals just before the hour, allowing the home side to cruise. Japan striker Daizen Maeda, recovered from a hamstring injury, took over from Kenny, providing another boost for the home fans, who cheered again when Tounekti raced clear of the Bairns defence to smash in a fourth, with time for 19-year-old forward Callum Osmand, signed from Fulham in the summer, to come on to make his debut on a night when the supporters enjoyed O'Neill rolling back the years. Celtic: Schmeichel, Ralston, Trusty, Scales, Saracchi, Engels, McGregor (Hatate 77), Forrest (Balikwisha 61), Nygren (McCowan 66), Tounekti (Osmand 76), Kenny (Maeda 66). Falkirk: Bain, Adams, Allan, Henderson, Lissah (Hart 62), Tait, Spencer (Cartwright 68), Miller (Agyeman 62), Arfield, Ross (Williams 46), Ogunsuyi (Graham 62). Ref: Ryan Lee (Scotland).
