Kilmarnock 0 Celtic 3

HELLO and welcome to www.celticfc.net for today’s Scottish Cup Quarter-Final match between Kilmarnock and Celtic. Kick-off is at 12.15 pm.
Tony Mowbray has made two changes from last week’s starting XI, with Scott Brown returning from suspension and Lukasz Zaluska taking Artur Boruc’s place between the sticks.


TODAY’S TEAMS:

CELTIC (4-4-2) Zaluska; Hinkel, Thompson, O’Dea, Braafheid; Brown, NGuemo, Crosas, McGeady; Keane, Rasmussen
Subs: Cervi, Samaras, Fortune, Wilson, Ki

KILMARNOCK (4-4-2) Bell; Kelly, Wright, Clancy, Fowler; Taouil, Bryson, Severin, Hamill; Russell, Burchill
Subs: Robinson, Hay, Invincible, Fernandez, Kiernan

The teams enter the field. Celtic are wearing the Bumble Bee away kit. Kick-off is in one minute.

Kilmarnock kick-off.

Free-kick to Kilmarnock from just inside their own half. Severin takes it, and the ball is flicked on in the box, but Zaluska gathers safely.

First effort on goal from Celtic. Brown flicks the ball over Clancy's head and drives towards the box, before firing a left-foot shot just wide of the post.

Free-kick to Kilmarnock just inside the Celtic half. Severin take it, but the Hoops defence clear the danger.

Rasmussen makes a run off his marker, but Brown fails to pick the striker out with the pass.

Kilmarnock close to taking the lead. Bryson wins the ball in the final third, the ball is deflected towards the feet of Russell, and he hits the bar from 10 yards out.

McGeady wins a free-kick 30 yards from goal. Braafheid takes it, and the ball takes a small deflection through to Bell, who gathers comfortably.

Best chance of the match so far for Celtic. Crosas picks out the run of Keane in the box, and he fires a shot against the legs of Bell. McGeady gathers at the far post, the ball is worked eventually to Brown, who strikes a left-foot shot, which is blocked.

McGeady races through the middle and spots Keane's run, the Irishman gets his shot away, but it's blocked on the way through, taking any power out of it.

The Hoops are enjoying their best spell of the game so far. McGeady is looking dangerous anytime he gets on the ball.

Russell gets a sight of goal when Thompson hestitates in the box, but he hits it wildly over.

Rasmussen goes down holding his knee after a challenge on the touchline. But the Danish striker recovers and is able to continue.

Free-kick to Kilmarnock 35 yards out. Severin takes it, but the shot is deflected and Zaluska dives and holds on to the ball.

Russell pushes Hinkel. Free-kick to Celtic. Zaluska takes it, and Wright beats Rasmussen in the air.

Kelly chips a ball over the Celtic defence, and Bryson is just unable to reach it.

Crosas shoots from 25 yards, but the shot is blocked.

Bryson delivers a dangerous ball into the six yard box, but Thompson makes a great interception.

Hinkel finds space on the right and drives forward. He picks out Brown outside him, but his low cross deflects off Fowler back to Bell.

Free-kick to Celtic. Crosas takes it, the ball is cleared as far as McGeady. The winger skips past two players, and puts in a tremendous cross, which is headed behind for a corner.

Two chances for the home side. First Russell gets in a near post shot that Zaluska safely gathers. Then Bryson gets into the box, and puts a ball across goal, which has no takers.

There will be one minute of added time.

HALF TIME: Kilmarnock 0 Celtic 0 The home side have probably edged the opening 45 minutes. Robbie Keane has had the Hoops' best chance. His shot, however, was well saved by Bell.

Celtic kick-off the second half.

Keane engineers some space inside the box and floats a lovely ball into the box, McGeady meets the ball sweetly, but the ball is headed off the line.

NGuemo drives forward purposefully and tests Bell with a low shot.

Keane finds space for the shot 18 yards out, the rebound falls to McGeady inside the box and he forces Bell into a super save. The Hoops have started the second half in determined fashion.

Bryson makes progress through the middle and is caught by Crosas on the angle of the box. Taouil takes the free-kick, but it goes over.

A cross comes into the box from Kilmarnock on the left and Russell pounces on the loose ball, but, under pressure, he hits the post. A real let-off for the Hoops there.

Celtic subs - Samaras for Rasmussen and Fortune for Crosas.

It looks like Samaras had gone to the left wing, while Fortune has joined Keane through the middle.

The ball is slid into the box and Keane is close to pouncing on it. Bell eventually gathers.

Celtic are lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation now, with Fortune, McGeady and Samaras playing off Keane.

Samaras crosses from the right. There are appeals for handball, but the referee ignores the calls.

Celtic close to taking a two goal lead. McGeady picks out Keane, who slides the ball to Samaras. The Greek striker wins a 50/50 tackle, before sidefooting just past the far post.

Fortune drives at Clancy on the right, before rifling a shot over the bar.

Celtic enjoy a good spell of possession, fizzing the ball around the pitch. McGeady plays it through for Samaras, but he is just beaten to the ball by Bell.

Free-kick to Kilmarnock. Severin takes it from the left, but Zaluska gathers the cross.

McGeady drives through the middle and tests Bell with a low driven shot, which the home stopper gets a strong left hand to.

GOAL!!! KILMARNOCK 0 CELTIC 3 Robbie Keane gets his first Celtic hatrick. McGeady carries the ball out of defence and plays Fortune in. He finds Keane in space inside the box, and the Irishman beats Bell with a deadly finish into the far corner.

Celtic sub - Wilson for Hinkel

Kilmarnock sub - Invincible for Burchill

Wilson fires it across the face of goal, and Keane is inches away from getting his fourth strike of the game.

Free-kick to Kilmarnock. Severin takes it, Invincible wins the header, but he knocks it past the far post.

Killie sub (83 minutes) - Kiernan for Wright.

Fortune tries to find Keane in the box, but his cut-back goes behind the Irish captain.

FULL TIME: Kilmarnock 0 Celtic 3 A superb second-half hatrick from Robbie Keane puts the Hoops through to the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup.