Pre-Season Friendly
Tuesday, July 8 2025
Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork
CELTIC…2
(McCowan 27 & Donovan 87)
CORK CITY…1
(Murray 66)
Celtic lifted the Cork Super Cup as they made it two wins from two on their pre-season campaign, with Luke McCowan and Colby Donovan getting on the scoresheet for the champions as they defeated Cork City 2-1.
The sun shone on the home of GAA in County Cork on a hot summer evening, and the Irish national anthem was played as the teams lined up for what promised to be a special night.
It was a healthy crowd inside Páirc Uí Chaoimh, with the majority of support behind the Scottish Champions in what felt like a home game away from home.
Cork City came into the match bottom of the League of Ireland, but with their season already at the halfway point, they were always going to offer a fitness challenge to Brendan Rodgers’ side ahead of the Hoops’ trip to Portugal.
The first real chance arrived for Celtic in the 12th minute, when Ben Summers and James Forrest combined, with the latter firing in a left foot strike that was well-saved by David Odumosu. From the resulting corner, Celtic worked the ball to Arne Engels, whose shot flew over the bar.
In the 15th minute, it was Cork City who carved out a rare opening. Malik Dijksteel did well to evade Callum McGregor and fed Charlie Lutz, who drove into the Celtic box and shaped to curl a shot past Viljami Sinisalo. However, the effort was blocked well by the Celtic defence.
Forrest remained at the heart of everything Celtic created. He linked up with Luke McCowan in the box, with McCowan’s two efforts blocked in quick succession before Engels volleyed the follow-up straight into the hands of Odumosu.
Hayato Inamura, making his debut since arriving last week, looked eager to impress. The Japanese defender whipped a dangerous cross into the box that just evaded Johnny Kenny, denying the Irishman another goal on his pre-season campaign.
The breakthrough eventually came on 27 minutes, and it was worth the wait. Forrest, once again involved in the build-up, slipped the ball into Engels, who produced a lovely back-heel to find McCowan.
The midfielder took one touch and rifled a superb left-footed strike past Odumosu into the top corner, delighting the large Celtic contingent inside the stadium.
Moments later, Celtic nearly doubled their lead. Kenny looked determined to find the net on Irish soil and was only denied by a smart stop from Odumosu, who tipped his shot over the bar.
As the first half neared its end, Celtic pushed for a second. Inamura, having a strong debut, found McCowan whose shot was blocked, and the loose ball fell to Colby Donovan.
The young midfielder tried his luck with a left-footed effort, but once again Odumosu was equal to it.
At the break, Bendan Rodgers made wholesale changes as he did at Queen’s Park on Friday. Ross Doohan, Mitchel Frame, Ben McPherson, Mitchell Robertson, Kyle Ure, Sean McArdle, Thomas Hatton, Francis Turley, Stephen Welsh, Callum Osmand and Adam Montgomery were all introduced. The second-half XI was youthful and hungry to make their mark.
Just five minutes after the restart, Osmand had a chance to announce himself. Robertson slid him through with a clever ball, but the Welshman couldn’t connect cleanly and his effort was easily gathered by Cork’s substitute keeper, Conor Brann.
A few minutes later, a mix-up at the back nearly handed Cork City an equaliser. A cross aimed for Lutz caused confusion as Doohan and Welsh collided, and the ball fell kindly for Lutz, who fired wide from a tight angle.
Cork’s confidence grew, and just after the hour they came close again. Kitt Nelson broke through and aimed for the bottom corner, but Doohan produced a superb fingertip save to divert it past the post.
The hosts finally got their equaliser in the 66th minute. A ball into the Celtic box looked routine, but a breakdown in communication between Welsh and Doohan gifted Matthew Murray the chance, and he gratefully steered it into the net.
Celtic looked to hit back quickly. Osmand found Hatton with a neat ball, but the young midfielder’s shot was blocked for a corner. From the set-piece, Welsh, now wearing the armband, rose highest, but couldn’t keep his header down.
The Irish side then had a penalty appeal turned down when Turley tangled with Harry Nevin inside the box. It looked soft, and the referee waved it away to the frustration of the home support.
Celtic chased a late winner, and once again it was Osmand and Hatton combining. Osmand fed his team-mate, who worked the ball on to his left foot and curled an effort towards goal, but it was deflected wide for another corner.
And from that corner, the winner arrived. Robertson met the delivery with a powerful header back across goal, and Donovan, who had come back on following Welsh’s injury, was perfectly placed at the back post to nod home. A brilliant moment for the young midfielder.
It sealed the victory and secured the Cork Super Cup for Celtic on what was a memorable night in a country that remains so central to the club’s identity.
Next up for the double-winners is a trip to Portugal for an intense training camp in the Iberian heat.
CELTIC: Sinisalo, Trusty, McCowan, Kenny, Inamura, Engels, Summers, McGregor, Murray, Forrest, Donovan.
Subs: Doohan (GK), Clarke (GK), Rice (GK), Osmand, Montgomery, Frame, McPherson, Robertson, Ure, McArdle, Hatton, Turley, Welsh, Isiguzo
